PHP 5 Magic – __autoload() method

Hello Friends.Next in Magic methods is __autoload().

This Post will teach you how and when to use the magic method __autoload().

The magic method __autoload() function is a convenience that allows you to use classes without having to explicitly write code to include them.

The magic method __autoload() is not included in your class definition as this is to be called once in a script. The best place to put the autoload() file is in your configuration file which is loaded in all your other scripts.

Many people debate that the magic method __autoload() causes a performance overhead. Well, that is not the case. There is no performance penalty to pay. In fact, there may be performance improvements if not all classes are used all the time. This is explained below.

Using the magic method __autoload has the beneficial side effect of requiring strict naming conventions for files that hold class definitions.
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