Is it recommended to use loose Return in a PHP file? When?

Question

It is good practice to give a Return in a simple PHP file example:

<?php

$config['teste'] = 123;

return $config;

I’ll explain better I have this file di/dependencias.php:

<?php


$container['daoExemplo'] = function ($c)
{
    return new ExemploDAO();
};

return $container;

I need to add all the Anonimas functions contained in this file in a method, in case it will go through the whole di/ example directory:

public function requireAllDependencies($directory)
{
    try {
        //setando o diretorio e o tipo de arquivo a ser carregado
        $dir = "{$directory}/*.php";

        //Percorrendo o diretorio e pegado o caminho dos aquivo
        foreach (glob($dir) as $filename)
        {
            //Adicionando as dependencias
            $dependencies = require $filename;
            $this->add($dependencies);
        }
    } catch(Exception $e) {
        echo "Erro ao tentar adicionar o arquivo: " . $e->getMessage();
    }
}

In that example it would make sense ?

Answer 1

In certain cases this makes sense. Forget this question of good practice, do not use if you do not know exactly what you are doing.

The php manual explains well how the return when used out of functions, either in the main file or in includes (are different behaviors):

If called in global scope, the current script execution is completed.

If current script file is included or required with the functions include or require, control is passed back to the script you are calling. Also, if the current script has been included with the function include, the amount reported to return will be returned as the value of the include.

According to this information, your example of use is valid yes.