All,
The `b` string prefix and the `(binary)` cast were both introduced in
PHP 5.2.1 for forward compatibility with PHP 6.
In 2016, there was an RFC [1] targeting PHP 7.x to deprecate both, which
was declined.
Since then, the `(binary)` type cast has now been deprecated in PHP
8.5.0 [2], but as far as I can see, the `b`-prefix for strings is still
supported.
I can't remember ever coming across this in the wild, so I wonder if it
might be a good idea to deprecate the `b`-prefix now as well.
I'll happily create an RFC for this if the you all think it's a good idea.
Opinions ?
Smile,
Juliette
1: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/binary_string_deprecation
2:
https://wiki.php.net/rfc/deprecations_php_8_5#deprecate_non-standard_cast_names
