Using __unset()

The __unset() magic method is triggered by calling the unset() language constructs on inaccessible properties. The method accepts a single parameter, as per the following synopsis:

public bool __unset(string $name)

The $name argument is the name of the property being interacted with.

Let's take a look at the following object context example:

<?php

class User
{
  private $data = [
    'name' => 'John',
    'age' => 34,
  ];

  public function __unset($name)
  {
    unset($this->data[$name]);
  }
}

$user = new User();

var_dump($user);
unset($user->age);
unset($user->salary);
var_dump($user);

The User class declares a single private $data array property, alongside the __unset() magic method. The method itself is quite simple; it merely calls for the unset() passing it the value at a given array key. We are trying to unset to the $age and $salary properties here. The $salary property does not really exist, neither as a class property nor as a data array key....