In what scenarios would it be beneficial to use static variables in PHP classes instead of instance variables?

Static variables in PHP classes are beneficial when you want to share data across all instances of the class, rather than having separate copies for each instance. This can be useful for storing configuration settings, counting the number of instances created, or caching data that should be shared among all instances. By using static variables, you can ensure that the data is consistent across all instances and easily accessible without needing to pass it around. 

class Example {
    public static $count = 0;

    public function __construct() {
        self::$count++;
    }

    public static function getCount() {
        return self::$count;
    }
}

$instance1 = new Example();
$instance2 = new Example();

echo Example::getCount(); // Output: 2

Keywords

static variables PHP classes instance variables scenarios benefits

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