Error message of Class not found is incorrect when parent class is not defined or defined in other file

[chopins]

Description

1. when parent class is not defined:
   The following code:

<?php
new A;
class A extends B {
}

Resulted in this output:

Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class "A" not found

But I expected this output instead:

Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class "A" parent Class "B" not found

2. the parent class defined in other file:
   In test2.php define class B:

<?php
class B {}

In test.php extend class B:

<?php
include_once 'test2.php';
new A; //if after define Class A will correct
class A extends B{
}

Resulted in this output:

Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class "A" not found

But I expected this no Error be throwed

3. in same file, no error

class B {}
new A;
class A extends B {}

//other defined
new A;
class B {}
class A extends B {}

PHP Version

PHP 8.3 and 8.4 and 8.5.0-dev

Operating System

No response

[ndossche]

This is due to the way that early binding works. Because A has an unresolved dependency on B, the class it not early bound. This means that at the time that new A is executed, the class A is indeed not defined. If B were defined at that point, the code would work.

[iluuu1994]

Indeed. See https://www.npopov.com/2021/10/20/Early-binding-in-PHP.html for details.

[chopins]

@iluuu1994 @ndossche

Is it possible to execute classes that are not within control structures ahead of time during compilation, to achieve functionality similar to autoloading?

[iluuu1994]

Loading classes at compile time is already what's happening now. However, that mechanism is restricted to classes with no dependencies.