Control flow

if/else still works. match is the upgrade you actually want.

if / elseif / else

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

$role = 'editor';

if ($role === 'admin') {
    echo 'all access';
} elseif ($role === 'editor') {
    echo 'can edit';
} else {
    echo 'read only';
}

Ternary and null coalescing:

<?php

$label = $name ?: 'guest';          // loose - careful with '0'
$label = $name ?? 'guest';          // only if null / missing
$label = $name ??= 'guest';         // assign if null
$path  = $config['path'] ?? '/tmp';

Prefer ?? over ?: unless you truly mean "any falsy".

match (PHP 8+)

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

$status = 404;

$message = match ($status) {
    200, 201 => 'ok',
    404 => 'not found',
    500 => 'server error',
    default => 'unknown',
};

Comments for the code above:

• match uses strict comparison (===)
• It's an expression - returns a value (like a switch that grew up)
• No fall-through bugs
• Unhandled value without default throws UnhandledMatchError

Compared to JS switch, this is the one you want for status codes, enums, simple dispatch.

Nullsafe operator

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

class Profile
{
    public function __construct(public string $bio) {}
}

class User
{
    public function __construct(public ?Profile $profile) {}
}

$user = new User(null);
$bio = $user?->profile?->bio; // null, no error

Loops

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

for ($i = 0; $i < 3; $i++) {
    echo $i;
}

$i = 0;
while ($i < 3) {
    $i++;
}

do {
    $i--;
} while ($i > 0);

foreach ([1, 2, 3] as $n) {
    if ($n === 2) {
        continue;
    }
    if ($n === 3) {
        break;
    }
}

Alternative syntax (templates)

You'll see this in older PHP templates / WordPress:

<?php if ($ok): ?>
  <p>Yes</p>
<?php endif; ?>

Know it exists. For new learning projects, stick to normal braces or a real template engine later.

Early return pattern

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

function httpMessage(int $code): string
{
    if ($code < 100) {
        return 'invalid';
    }

    return match (true) {
        $code < 200 => 'informational',
        $code < 300 => 'success',
        $code < 400 => 'redirect',
        $code < 500 => 'client error',
        default => 'server error',
    };
}

match (true) is a neat trick for ranged conditions - use sparingly so it stays readable.

That's the language core loop. Next we grow objects.

Best,

-- ł.