Cannot redeclare class %s

Description

A class name can only be declared once per request. This error appears when the same class name is declared twice, either directly in the same file, or because a file defining the class was included more than once (for instance with include instead of include_once), or because two different files both declare a class with the same name.

Unlike functions, PHP does not allow a class to be conditionally redeclared, even if the two declarations are identical.

Example

<?php

class X
{
}

class X
{
}

?>

Literal Examples

• Cannot redeclare class X

Alternatives

• Use include_once or require_once instead of include or require to avoid loading the same file twice.
• Wrap the class declaration in a class_exists() check if it may legitimately be loaded more than once.
• Rename one of the two classes, or move them into different namespaces.

Related error messages

• cannot-redeclare-%s::%s()
• cannot-redeclare-function-%s()-(previously-declared-in-%s:%d)
• class-declarations-may-not-be-nested

Changed Behavior

This error may appear following an evolution in behavior, in previous versions. See