What are some common pitfalls or errors that may occur when trying to call static functions in PHP, especially when dealing with class inheritance?

When calling static functions in PHP, especially when dealing with class inheritance, a common pitfall is forgetting to use the `self::` keyword instead of `parent::` when referencing the static function from the parent class. This can lead to unexpected behavior or errors if the parent class has a different implementation of the static function. To avoid this issue, always use `self::` to explicitly call the static function from the current class. 

class ParentClass {
    public static function staticFunction() {
        echo "ParentClass static function\n";
    }
}

class ChildClass extends ParentClass {
    public static function staticFunction() {
        echo "ChildClass static function\n";
        // Correct way to call parent class static function
        self::staticFunction();
    }
}

ChildClass::staticFunction();

Keywords

static functions PHP class inheritance scope resolution operator fatal error

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