PHP Magic Methods: __toString(), __get(), _

Magic methods are special methods whose names start with two underscores. PHP calls them automatically at certain moments. You have already used one: __construct().

Method	Called when
`__construct()`	An object is created
`__destruct()`	An object is destroyed
`__toString()`	The object is used as a string
`__get($name)`	A property that is not accessible is read
`__set($name, $value)`	A property that is not accessible is written
`__isset($name)` / `__unset($name)`	`isset()` / `unset()` on such a property
`__call($name, $args)`	An inaccessible method is called
`__callStatic()`	The same, for static calls
`__invoke()`	The object is called like a function
`__clone()`	The object is cloned

__toString()

Lets you turn an object into text.

index.php

PHP

<?php
class Product
{
    public function __construct(private string $name, private float $price) {}

    public function __toString(): string
    {
        return $this->name . " (" . number_format($this->price, 2) . ")";
    }
}

$p = new Product("Notebook", 80);

echo "Item: $p";

Output

OUTPUT

Item: Notebook (80.00)

A class with __toString() automatically implements the Stringable interface.

get() and set()

They catch reads and writes to properties that do not exist or are private.

index.php

PHP

<?php
class Settings
{
    private array $data = [];

    public function __get(string $name): mixed
    {
        return $this->data[$name] ?? null;
    }

    public function __set(string $name, mixed $value): void
    {
        $this->data[$name] = $value;
    }
}

$s = new Settings();
$s->theme = "dark";

echo $s->theme;

Output

OUTPUT

dark

This is flexible, but your editor cannot help with these properties, and typos go unnoticed. Use it sparingly.

__call()

Catches calls to methods that do not exist.

index.php

PHP

<?php
class Magic
{
    public function __call(string $name, array $arguments): string
    {
        return "You called $name with " . count($arguments) . " argument(s)";
    }
}

echo (new Magic())->doSomething(1, 2);

Output

OUTPUT

You called doSomething with 2 argument(s)

Frameworks use this for things like dynamic query methods (whereName()).

__invoke()

Makes an object callable.

index.php

PHP

<?php
class Multiplier
{
    public function __construct(private int $factor) {}

    public function __invoke(int $n): int
    {
        return $n * $this->factor;
    }
}

$triple = new Multiplier(3);

echo $triple(5) . "\n";
echo implode(", ", array_map($triple, [1, 2, 3]));

Output

OUTPUT

1
2

15
3, 6, 9

__clone()

Runs after an object is cloned, which is useful to copy inner objects (a deep copy).

index.php

PHP

<?php
class Address
{
    public string $city = "Pune";
}

class Person
{
    public Address $address;

    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->address = new Address();
    }

    public function __clone()
    {
        $this->address = clone $this->address;
    }
}

$a = new Person();
$b = clone $a;
$b->address->city = "Delhi";

echo $a->address->city;

Output

OUTPUT

Pune

Without __clone(), both people would share one Address object.

Do not invent your own double-underscore names

Names starting with __ are reserved by PHP. Only use the ones PHP defines.

info

Why this matters in Laravel

Laravel models use __get(), __call() and __callStatic() heavily, which is why you can write $user->name and User::where(...) with no matching methods in the class. Now you know where that “magic” comes from.

__toString()

__get() and __set()

__call()

__invoke()

__clone()

Do not invent your own double-underscore names

Why this matters in Laravel

get() and set()