How does the get_called_class() function work in PHP and when should it be used instead of the __CLASS__ keyword?

The get_called_class() function in PHP returns the name of the class that was called within a method. It should be used when we want to get the name of the class that is actually instantiated, especially in cases of inheritance or method overriding. In contrast, the __CLASS__ keyword always returns the name of the class where it is used, which may not be the actual instantiated class in certain scenarios.

class ParentClass {
    public function getClassName() {
        return get_called_class();
    }
}

class ChildClass extends ParentClass {
}

$obj = new ChildClass();
echo $obj->getClassName(); // Output: ChildClass