interface.ActiveRecord.php

<?php
/**
 * I wish all ActiveRecord implementations used an interface.  I'm proposing
 * this one with the intent that I can improve it, then submit changes to
 * conform a few existing ActiveRecord implementations that would allow them
 * to coincide.
 *
 * Email me if you'd like to help with this, or if you have an idea.
 *
 * @author Levi Morrison <[email protected]>
 */
interface ActiveRecord {

    /**
     * Creates a new object.  When save is called, it will insert a new record
     * into the database.
     * @param array $properties An associative array mapping column names to values.
     */
    public function __construct(array $properties = null);

    /**
     * Retrieves an object with the given $id from the database. The returned
     * object implements this interface.
     * @param int $id
     * @return ActiveRecord An object from the database, or null.
     */
    public static function find($id);

    /**
     * Deletes the record associated with $id from the database.
     * @param int $id
     * @return boolean Returns true if the data was successfully deleted.
     */
    public static function delete($id);

    /**
     * Saves the object to the database.  If the object is a new instance, it
     * inserts a new record into the database.  Calling farther saves on that
     * object results in updates, not new inserts.
     * If the object is not a new instance, it simply saves the data to the
     * database. For safety, you cannot update the primary key.
     *
     * A well-built implementation will only update or insert information that
     * is changed by the user, not all of the fields belonging to the class.
     *
     * @return boolean Returns true if the save was successful.
     */
    public function save();

}
?>