Is anyone using the "SPL" extension (Standard PHP Library) ...

[dalecosp]

I've not yet read much about the SPL. Which, I'm sure, is laughable, as it was committed in what, '04?

I hardly ever see it mentioned though, which gives me the impression that not too many others are using it, either.

How about you?

When did you start using it, under what circumstances is it used, how helpful is it?

[Derokorian]

I don't like your choices, I know what it is but don't use it (personally or professionally) - as a result I chose WTF is SPL? 😛

[traq]

Actually, some of it is nice.

The file classes (combined with the DirectoryIterator) are nice, and the data structures are generally useful (especially [man]SPLHeap[/man]), though some of them are oddly implemented (for example, behind-the-scenes, SPLStack and SPLQueue are really just both implementations of SPLDoublyLinkedList…kind of an "un"-decorator pattern…).

The data structures are supposedly more efficient in terms of memory than native arrays, etc.. I would use SPLObjectStorage a lot if there were any (efficient, built-in) way to filter/select an object by its associated data. Same for SPLFixedArray, if it could handle associative arrays.

I've read that the iterators are really good, but I haven't had the chance to figure them out yet.

I like using the SPL exceptions (they cover most of my needs, and I don't have to define a ton of my own).

[Bonesnap]

WTF is SPL?

[laserlight]

Bonesnap wrote:

WTF is SPL?

Standard PHP Library.