Fast Creation Of stdClass Objects

<?php

// fastest
$final = (object) ['a' => 1, 'b' => 2];

// 2nd fastest
$array = [];
$array['a'] = 1;
$array['b'] = 2;
$final = (object) $array;

//slow
$final = new stdClass();
$final->a = 1;
$final->b = 2;

//slowest
class myStdClass extends stdClass {
    $function __construct($a, $b) {
        $this->a = $a;
        $this->b = $b;
    }
}
$final = new mystdclass(1, 2);

The fastest way to create a stdClass object is to create an array, and then cast it to stdClass with the (array) cast operator. It is still faster even if the array is build piece-meal: two times slower.

Setting directly properties on the stdClass object is then about three times slower, and creating a class extension with an adapted __construct method is then four times slower.

In the end, this is a micro optimisation.

See Also

• Converting to an object (PHP manual)

• 4 ways to create a stdClass object [Try me]

PHP Features

• performance

• cast

• stdclass

• array

Last updated: 14 July 2026