PHP Markup design... why?

[Kirkus]

I'm new to these forums and completely new to PHP. I'm currently working through Kevin Yank's "Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL", and am only on Chapter 3.

I'm trying to understand the theory behind the way most php is written... as far as when a new line is created, where opening and closing braces are placed, etc.

For instance, this first example looks more readable and understandable to me (especially the braces beginning and ending on the same line):

$firstname = $_REQUEST['firstname'];
$lastname = $_REQUEST['lastname'];
if ($firstname == 'Kevin' and $lastname == 'Yank')
   {echo 'Welcome, oh glorious leader!';}
     else
   {echo "Welcome to our website, $firstname $lastname!";}

Why is it written like this (which seems confusing and a much easier way to miss an opening or closing brace)?

$firstname = $_REQUEST['firstname'];
$lastname = $_REQUEST['lastname'];
if ($firstname == 'Kevin' and $lastname == 'Yank') {
   echo 'Welcome, oh glorious leader!';
} else {
	echo "Welcome to our website, $firstname $lastname!";
}

I'm happy enough to simply learn the correct way to do it. I'm just curious what the reasoning is behind it.

[bhanson]

The best idea is to pick a well known coding standard and use that. Two of the most common:

Zend Framework
PEAR

[John_Betong]

I'm new to these forums and completely new to PHP. I'm currently working through Kevin Yank's "Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL", and am only on Chapter 3.

Why is it written like this (which seems confusing and a much easier way to miss an opening or closing brace)?

I'm happy enough to simply learn the correct way to do it. I'm just curious what the reasoning is behind it.

I have recently started using this technique because it is Oh so much easier to see at a glance the opening and closing braces plus Notepad ++ editor matches the braces in a different colour when hovering over a brace:

  $firstname = $_REQUEST['firstname'];
  $lastname = $_REQUEST['lastname'];
  if ($firstname == 'Kevin' and $lastname == 'Yank') 
  {
     echo 'Welcome, oh glorious leader!';
  }else{
    echo "Welcome to our website, $firstname $lastname!";
  } 

[risoknop]

I am using a convention from Symfony, i.e. each brace on new line:

if ($hour >= 8 && $hour <= 24)
{
    echo 'Hi :)';
}
else
{
    echo 'It\'s too late :(';
} 

[Stormrider]

Putting braces on the same line only works if there is one statement in the middle. What happens when you have 200+ lines inside an if statement, or something like that?

Putting the braces on separate lines makes it a lot easier to see what matches with what - if I see a closing brace, I can look up and see what if/for/foreach/while or whatever is inline with it. I put opening braces on the same line as the opening statement or loop, and closing braces on a separate line with a comment saying what opened it. Everything inside it is indented. Examples:

if ($condition == "value") {
  somefunction();
  $somevar = $someothervar;
} else {
  //something else
}//if

foreach ($array as $var) {
  //something
}//foreach 

[sk89q]

There isn't a "correct" way to do it.

[bhanson]

There isn't a "correct" way to do it.

The "correct" way is using a well documented standard for the language or project you're working on.

[sk89q]

And they've all been documented on that Wikipedia page.

Although code is already the documentation for (brace) code style.

[spikeZ]

It's a question of personal taste. I personally would do something like

if($whatever == 'whatever') {
    /* do whatever
        ** */
} else {
    /* do something else
       ** */
} 

whereas others will put the braces below. Its up to you and whatever you are comfortable with.