When designing PHP classes, what factors should be considered when deciding whether to pass arguments through the constructor or methods?

When designing PHP classes, the decision to pass arguments through the constructor or methods should be based on the essentiality of the arguments. If the arguments are required for the object to be properly initialized, they should be passed through the constructor. On the other hand, if the arguments are optional or can change during the object's lifecycle, they should be passed through methods. By considering these factors, you can ensure that your classes are well-designed and easy to use. 

class User {
    private $username;

    public function __construct($username) {
        $this->username = $username;
    }

    public function setUsername($newUsername) {
        $this->username = $newUsername;
    }
}

$user = new User('john_doe');
$user->setUsername('jane_doe');

Keywords

PHP classes constructor methods arguments design patterns

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