# Data types
The SurrealDB SDK for PHP enables simple and advanced querying of a remote database.
The PHP SDK translates all SurrealQL datatypes into native PHP types, or a custom implementation. This document describes all datatypes, and links to their respective documentation.
## Data types overview
## `RecordId`
When you receive a RecordId from SurrealDB, it will always be represented as a `RecordId` class.
This class holds a `tb` and `id` field, representing the table name, and a unique identifier for the record on that table.
A `RecordId` can be converted into a string, and will be represented as such when it's converted to JSON.
```php title="Signature"
new RecordId(string $tb, string|int|array $id)
```
### Working with a `RecordId`
```php title="Constructing"
// table is "person"
// unique identifier on the table is "john"
$rid = new RecordId("person", "john");
```
```php title="Extracting data"
// Simple
$rid = new RecordId("person", "john");
$rid->tb // "person"
$rid->id // "john"
// Complex
$rid = new RecordId("recording", ["city" => "London", "data" => 123 ]);
$rid->id // [ "city" => "London", "data" => 123 ]
$rid->id["city"] // "London"
$rid->id["data"] // 123
```
### Convert to String
The PHP SDK efficiently handles escaping the `tb` and `id` parts in Record Id's into their string counterparts.
Below are some examples
```php title="Simple"
$rid = (new RecordId("table", 123))->toString();
// 'table:123'
$rid = (new RecordId("table", "abc"))->toString();
// 'table:abc'
```
```php title="Complex characters"
$rid = (new RecordId("table", "123"))->toString();
// 'table:`123`'
$rid = (new RecordId("table", "123withletters"))->toString();
// 'table:123withletters'
$rid = (new RecordId("table", "complex-string"))->toString();
// 'table:`complex-string`'
$rid = (new RecordId("table-name", 123))->toString();
// '`table-name`:123'
```
```php title="Objects and Arrays"
$rid = (new RecordId("table", ["city" => "London"]))->toString();
// 'table:{ city: "London" }'
$rid = (new RecordId("table", ["London"]))->toString();
// 'table:["London"]'
```
### Send back string
If you need to send back a Record Id in string format, you can do so with the `StringRecordId` class.
We do not implement the parsing of Record Ids in the PHP SDK, as that would mean that we need to be able to parse any SurrealQL value,
which comes with a cost. Instead you can send it over as a string with `StringRecordId`, allowing the server to handle the parsing.
```php
new StringRecordId("person:john");
```
## `Geometry`
When a Geometry is sent back from SurrealDB, be it a `Point`, `Line`, `Polygon`, `MultiPoint`, `MultiLine`, `MultiPolygon` or `Collection`, it will be represented as a derivative of the `Geometry` class.
### Methods
Below, are all the methods implemented across all geometry derivatives.
#### `->toJSON()`
Used to convert a geometry to a GeoJSON representation
```php title="Signature"
Geometry->toJson();
```
```php title="Example"
$line = new GeometryLine([
new GeometryPoint([1, 2]),
new GeometryPoint([3, 4]),
]);
$line->toJson(); // '{ type: "LineString", coordinates: [ [1, 2], [3, 4] ] }'
json_encode($line); // '{ type: "LineString", coordinates: [ [1, 2], [3, 4] ] }'
```
#### `->is()`
Used to convert a check if geometry X is exactly equal to geometry Y
```php title="Signature"
Geometry->is(Geometry $geometry)
```
```php title="Example"
$point1 = new GeometryPoint([1, 2]);
$point2 = new GeometryPoint([3, 4]);
$line = new GeometryLine([$point1, $point2]);
$point1->is($point1); // true
$point1->is($point2); // false
$point1->is($line); // false
// Checks the inner values, does not need to be the same instance
$duplicate = new GeometryPoint([1, 2]);
$point1->is($duplicate); // true
```
#### `->clone()`
Used to deeply clone a geometry. Creates a new replica of the original instance, but changing the new instance won't affect the other.
```php title="Signature"
Geometry->clone()
```
### Properties
#### `->coordinates`
A getter property, representing the coordinates as shown in GeoJSON format for X Geometry
```php title="Signature"
Geometry.coordinates
```
### Derivatives
#### `GeometryPoint`
A [point](/docs/reference/query-language/language-primitives/data-types/geometries.md#point) in space, made up of a long and lat coordinate, automatically converted to a float.
```php title="Signature"
new GeometryPoint([int|float|Decimal $long, int|float|Decimal $lat]);
```
#### `GeometryLine`
A line, made up of two or more points
```php title="Signature"
new GeometryLine([GeometryPoint, GeometryPoint, ...GeometryPoint[]]);
```
#### `GeometryPolygon`
A polygon, made up of self-closing lines
**Note**: The lines inside the polygon will automatically be closed if not already, meaning that the last point will be the same as the first.
```php title="Signature"
new GeometryPolygon([GeometryLine, ...GeometryLine[]]);
```
#### `GeometryMultiPoint`
A collection of one or more points
```php title="Signature"
new GeometryMultiPoint([GeometryPoint, ...GeometryPoint[]]);
```
#### `GeometryMultiLine`
A collection of one or more lines
```php title="Signature"
new GeometryMultiLine([GeometryLine, ...GeometryLine[]]);
```
#### `GeometryMultiPolygon`
A collection of one or more polygons
```php title="Signature"
new GeometryMultiPolygon([GeometryPolygon, ...GeometryPolygon[]]);
```
#### `GeometryCollection`
A collection of one or more `Geometry` derivatives
```php title="Signature"
new GeometryCollection([Geometry, ...Geometry[]]);
```
## `Decimal`
Because PHP does not support Decimals natively,
our SDK represents them in a `Decimal` class as a string.
This means if you want to work with Decimals, you will need to use an external library for this.
```php title="Signature"
new Decimal(string|float|Decimal $decimal);
```
### Converting to string
```php
$decimal = new Decimal("123.456");
decimal->toString(); // "123.456"
```
### Converting to JSON
A `Decimal` will be represented as a string in JSON to perserve accuracy
```php
$decimal = new Decimal("123.456");
$decimal->toJson(); // "123.456"
json_encode(decimal); // "123.456"
```
## `Table`
When you get a table name sent back from SurrealDB, it will be represented as a `Table` class.
```php title="Signature"
new Table(string $table);
```
### Converting to string
```php
$table = new Table("table");
$table->toString(); // "table"
```
### Converting to JSON
A `Table` will be represented as a string in JSON
```php
$table = new Table("table");
$table->jsonSerializable(); // "table"
json_encode($table); // "table"
```