PHP return(value); vs return value;
Unless you are returning by reference, they mean the same thing. It is preferable to exclude the parentheses. From the docs:
Note: Note that since
return()is a language construct and not a function, the parentheses surrounding its arguments are not required. It is common to leave them out, and you actually should do so as PHP has less work to do in this case.
Note: You should never use parentheses around your return variable when returning by reference, as this will not work. You can only return variables by reference, not the result of a statement. If you use
return ($a); then you're not returning a variable, but the result of the expression($a)(which is, of course, the value of$a).
From the PHP Manual:
"You should never use parentheses around your return variable when returning by reference, as this will not work. You can only return variables by reference, not the result of a statement. If you use return ($a); then you're not returning a variable, but the result of the expression ($a) (which is, of course, the value of $a)."
Edit:This means that there is a difference between return($var) and return $var. Specifically, the former will return the value of $var and the latter will return $var itself.
Note that since return() is a language construct and not a function, the parentheses surrounding its arguments are not required. It is common to leave them out, and you actually should do so as PHP has less work to do in this case.
You should never use parentheses around your return variable when returning by reference, as this will not work. You can only return variables by reference, not the result of a statement. If you use return ($a); then you're not returning a variable, but the result of the expression ($a) (which is, of course, the value of $a).
(Source)