get_parent_class()

get_parent_class() — Retrieves the parent class name for object or class.

Built-in function of PHP 8.5. The manual lists it as available in PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8. This page is the reference card: signature, parameters and return value, plus the changelog and the example the manual provides.

Signature

get_parent_class(object|string $object_or_class = ?): string|false

Parameters

Return value

Returns the name of the parent class of the class of which object_or_class is an instance or the name. If the object does not have a parent or the given class does not exist, false will be returned.

Example

A runnable snippet:

class Dad { function __construct() { // implements some logic } } class Child extends Dad { function __construct() { echo "I'm " , get_parent_class($this) , "'s son\n"; } } class Child2 extends Dad { function __construct() { echo "I'm " , get_parent_class('child2') , "'s son too\n"; } } $foo = new child(); $bar = new child2();

Output:

I'm Dad's son I'm Dad's son too

Changelog

See also

get_class(), is_subclass_of(), class_parents()

All PHP 8.5 built-in functions

Reference card built from the PHP manual page get_parent_class() (PHP documentation, CC BY 3.0). The page is generated from the manual, so the wording of the parameter and return value text follows php.net.