.. _syntax-error,-unexpected-token-"::",-expecting-"]":

syntax error, unexpected token "::", expecting "]"
--------------------------------------------------
 
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		syntax error, unexpected token "::", expecting "]": Inside the square brackets of an array index, PHP expects an expression identifying the key, followed by the closing ``]``.
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	:og:title: syntax error, unexpected token "::", expecting "]"
	:og:description: Inside the square brackets of an array index, PHP expects an expression identifying the key, followed by the closing ``]``
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Description
___________
 
Inside the square brackets of an array index, PHP expects an expression identifying the key, followed by the closing ``]``. The scope resolution operator ``::`` cannot start an expression on its own: it must be preceded by a class name, a variable or one of ``self``, ``parent`` or ``static``. Here, PHP found ``::`` immediately, so it reports that it was still expecting ``]`` to close the array access.

The same message also appears whenever a previous ``[`` was left unclosed, and a later, unrelated ``::`` is the first token that cannot continue the pending index expression.

Example
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.. code-block:: php

   <?php
   
       $arr = [1, 2, 3];
       $y = $arr[::];
   
   ?>

Solutions
_________

+ Provide the missing class name (or ``self``, ``parent``, ``static``) before ``::``, such as ``$arr[X::CONST]``.
+ Check that every previous ``[`` in the file has a matching ``]``.

Related Error Messages
______________________

+ :ref:`syntax-error,-unexpected-token-"public",-expecting-"]"`
+ :ref:`syntax-error,-unexpected-token-"class",-expecting-"]"`
+ :ref:`syntax-error,-unexpected-token-"if",-expecting-"]"`

Changed Behavior
________________

This error may appear following an evolution in behavior, in previous versions. See ` <https://php-changed-behaviors.readthedocs.io/en/latest/behavior/.html>`_.