Why Is A Static Class Instance Better? (Page 150 Of The Yiibook2)

[KeepLearning]

Larry, on page 150 of the YiiBook2 (latest version), you write that the following code is "verbose, redundant, and illogical":

 

$model = new Page();

$model = $model->findOne($id);

 

Instead of creating an instance of the Page class, as shown above, you say we should use a static class instance (or static method?), like this:

 

if (($model = Page::findOne($id)) !== null) {

return $model;

etc.

 

I don't understand why the first example is "verbose, redundant, and illogical", and why the second example is preferred. Can you please explain this?

 

Thanks.

[Larry]

Well, to be fair, my language is a bit much, but in the old way (and the above example), a Page instance is created whether or not the $id is valid. In the new way, a Page instance is only created if the $id is valid. In other words, the old way says "let's make one of these and then see if we should have one of these" whereas the new way says "let's see if we should have one of these".

[KeepLearning]

Thanks.