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# get_parent_class

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

get_parent_class -- Retrieves the parent class name for object or class

## Description

string get_parent_class ( [mixed obj] )

If obj is an object, returns the name of the parent class of the class of which obj is an instance.

If obj is a string, returns the name of the parent class of the class with that name. This functionality was added in PHP 4.0.5.

> Note: Since PHP 5, obj is optional if called from the object's method. If called without parameter outside object, this function returns `FALSE` (or `NULL` with a warning before PHP 5.1.0).

Example 1. Using get_parent_class()
`<?php class dad { function dad() { // implements some logic } } class child extends dad { function child() { echo "I'm " , get_parent_class($this) , "'s son\n"; } } class child2 extends dad { function child2() { echo "I'm " , get_parent_class('child2') , "'s son too\n"; } } $foo = new child(); $bar = new child2(); ?>`
The above example will output:
    I'm dad's son
    I'm dad's son too

See also get_class() and is_subclass_of().

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