Overloading Getters and Setters: Understanding __get and __set Magic Methods

The __get and __set magic methods in PHP are intended to provide an alternative to traditional getters and setters. By overriding these methods, developers can customize the behavior of property access and modification. However, as seen in the provided code example, these methods are not being invoked as expected.

The Issue: Magic Methods vs. Public Properties

When properties are declared public, they are considered accessible, and PHP does not invoke the __get and __set methods. In this specific instance, the $bar property is declared public, making the magic methods redundant.

Property Overloading with Magic Methods

As mentioned in the PHP manual, __get is used to handle reading data from inaccessible properties, while __set is used for writing data to inaccessible properties. If the $bar property had been defined as private or protected, the __get and __set methods would have intervened.

Performance Implications

It's important to note that magic methods are significantly slower than regular getters, setters, and direct method calls. Therefore, they should be used judiciously for specific use cases, such as error handling or providing dynamic property access.

Conclusion

The __get and __set magic methods in PHP serve a specific purpose and should be used only when necessary, understanding the performance trade-offs involved. In cases where properties are accessible, as in the provided example, it's more efficient to use standard property access and modification techniques.