Aliasing the Layout Class

[taufik-nurrohman]

Aliasing is one way to allow users to create more interesting layout API phrases. By default, we use either self:: or static:: prefix in order to display the layout part. This is because every layout file is basically required directly inside the Layout::get() method itself. Therefore, any layout files will be able to run every static and magic methods generated by the Layout class from within its content:

<?= self::header(); ?>
<?= self::nav(); ?>
<?= self::main(); ?>
<?= self::footer(); ?>

Since self and/or static points to the Layout class, we can actually use the Layout phrase as well:

<?= Layout::header(); ?>
<?= Layout::nav(); ?>
<?= Layout::main(); ?>
<?= Layout::footer(); ?>

Classes in PHP are case insensitive, so we could also use the lower-case version of it:

<?= layout::header(); ?>
<?= layout::nav(); ?>
<?= layout::main(); ?>
<?= layout::footer(); ?>

See manual about class_alias() in PHP. You can rename Layout with something else that is more expressive such as app, my, the, theme, etc.

class_alias('Layout', 'App');
class_alias('Layout', 'My');
class_alias('Layout', 'The');
class_alias('Layout', 'Theme');

So that you can replace the layout markup with one of these:

<?= app::header(); ?>
<?= app::nav(); ?>
<?= app::main(); ?>
<?= app::footer(); ?>

<?= my::header(); ?>
<?= my::nav(); ?>
<?= my::main(); ?>
<?= my::footer(); ?>

<?= the::header(); ?>
<?= the::nav(); ?>
<?= the::main(); ?>
<?= the::footer(); ?>

<?= theme::header(); ?>
<?= theme::nav(); ?>
<?= theme::main(); ?>
<?= theme::footer(); ?>

[taufik-nurrohman]

With class_alias('Layout', 'Inc'):

<?= inc::header(); ?>
<?= inc::nav(); ?>
<?= inc::main(); ?>
<?= inc::footer(); ?>