Catch On Interfaces

<?php

interface i {}

class x extends \Exception implements i {}

try {
    throw new x();
} catch (i $x) {
    print "Caught!";
}

Exceptions can be caught using their interfaces rather than their specific class names or parent classes. This introduces polymorphism to exception handling, allowing the same exception to be caught in multiple ways. By targeting interfaces, developers gain flexibility in managing errors, especially when different exception types share common behavior defined by a shared interface.

See Also

• Exceptions (PHP manual)

• Catching an interface [Try me]

PHP Features

• interface

• try-catch

• exception

Last updated: 14 July 2026