How can references in PHP objects impact memory usage and performance?

References in PHP objects can impact memory usage and performance because they create aliases to the same data rather than duplicating it. This can lead to unexpected behavior and make code harder to debug. To solve this issue, it's important to be mindful of when and where references are used in objects to avoid unintended consequences. 

class MyClass {
    public $data;
}

$obj1 = new MyClass();
$obj1->data = "Hello";

// Assigning $obj1 to $obj2 creates a reference, not a new object
$obj2 = $obj1;

// To avoid creating a reference, clone the object instead
$obj2 = clone $obj1;

Keywords

PHP references objects memory usage performance

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