PHP OOP Destructor

PHP OOP Destructor (`__destruct()`)

PHP OOP Destructor is a special method that runs automatically when the object is destroyed.

1. Destructor Syntax

2. When Does Destructor Run?

A destructor runs automatically when:

The script ends
The object goes out of scope
You unset() the object
PHP decides object is no longer needed

3. Simple Destructor Example

Output:

(Destructor runs last.)

4. Destructor Running After unset()

5. Real-Life Use Case of Destructor

Example: Closing Database Connection Automatically

class Database {
private $conn;

public function __construct() {
$this->conn = mysqli_connect("localhost", "root", "", "test");
echo "Connected<br>";
}

public function __destruct() {
mysqli_close($this->conn);
echo "Database connection closed";
}
}

$db = new Database();

class Database {

private $conn;

public function __construct() {

$this->conn = mysqli_connect("localhost", "root", "", "test");

echo "Connected<br>";

}

public function __destruct() {

mysqli_close($this->conn);

echo "Database connection closed";

}

$db = new Database();

Destructor makes sure connection closes even if you forget.

6. Destructor in a Class with Multiple Objects

Each object has its own destructor.

Key Differences: Constructor vs Destructor

Feature	Constructor	Destructor
Runs	When object is created	When object is destroyed
Name	`__construct()`	`__destruct()`
Use	Initialize	Cleanup
Called automatically	Yes	Yes

PHP OOP Destructor