--TEST-- Inherited static properties can be separated from their reference set. --FILE-- <?php class C { public static $p = 'original'; } class D extends C { } class E extends D { } echo "\nInherited static properties refer to the same value across classes:\n"; var_dump(C::$p, D::$p, E::$p); echo "\nChanging one changes all the others:\n"; D::$p = 'changed.all'; var_dump(C::$p, D::$p, E::$p); echo "\nBut because this is implemented using PHP references, the reference set can easily be split:\n"; $ref = 'changed.one'; D::$p =& $ref; var_dump(C::$p, D::$p, E::$p); ?> ==Done== --EXPECTF-- Inherited static properties refer to the same value across classes: %unicode|string%(8) "original" %unicode|string%(8) "original" %unicode|string%(8) "original" Changing one changes all the others: %unicode|string%(11) "changed.all" %unicode|string%(11) "changed.all" %unicode|string%(11) "changed.all" But because this is implemented using PHP references, the reference set can easily be split: %unicode|string%(11) "changed.all" %unicode|string%(11) "changed.one" %unicode|string%(11) "changed.all" ==Done==