diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index ae9c35ae5..3571a77c1 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -322,47 +322,6 @@ function get_app()
 	return BaseObject::getApp();
 }
 
-/**
- * Return the provided variable value if it exists and is truthy or the provided
- * default value instead.
- *
- * Works with initialized variables and potentially uninitialized array keys
- *
- * Usages:
- * - defaults($var, $default)
- * - defaults($array, 'key', $default)
- *
- * @param array $args
- * @brief Returns a defaut value if the provided variable or array key is falsy
- * @return mixed
- * @deprecated since version 2019.06, use native coalesce operator (??) instead
- */
-function defaults(...$args)
-{
-	if (count($args) < 2) {
-		throw new BadFunctionCallException('defaults() requires at least 2 parameters');
-	}
-	if (count($args) > 3) {
-		throw new BadFunctionCallException('defaults() cannot use more than 3 parameters');
-	}
-	if (count($args) === 3 && is_null($args[1])) {
-		throw new BadFunctionCallException('defaults($arr, $key, $def) $key is null');
-	}
-
-	// The default value always is the last argument
-	$return = array_pop($args);
-
-	if (count($args) == 2 && is_array($args[0]) && !empty($args[0][$args[1]])) {
-		$return = $args[0][$args[1]];
-	}
-
-	if (count($args) == 1 && !empty($args[0])) {
-		$return = $args[0];
-	}
-
-	return $return;
-}
-
 /**
  * @brief Used to end the current process, after saving session state.
  * @deprecated
diff --git a/include/api.php b/include/api.php
index e986a5173..7daf13455 100644
--- a/include/api.php
+++ b/include/api.php
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ function api_call(App $a)
 
 				$stamp =  microtime(true);
 				$return = call_user_func($info['func'], $type);
-				$duration = (float) (microtime(true) - $stamp);
+				$duration = floatval(microtime(true) - $stamp);
 
 				Logger::info(API_LOG_PREFIX . 'username {username}', ['module' => 'api', 'action' => 'call', 'username' => $a->user['username'], 'duration' => round($duration, 2)]);
 
diff --git a/include/conversation.php b/include/conversation.php
index 74c8a6d27..b6faa4d2c 100644
--- a/include/conversation.php
+++ b/include/conversation.php
@@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ function status_editor(App $a, $x, $notes_cid = 0, $popup = false)
 		'$new_post' => L10n::t('New Post'),
 		'$return_path'  => $query_str,
 		'$action'       => 'item',
-		'$share'        => defaults($x, 'button', L10n::t('Share')),
+		'$share'        => ($x['button'] ?? '') ?: L10n::t('Share'),
 		'$upload'       => L10n::t('Upload photo'),
 		'$shortupload'  => L10n::t('upload photo'),
 		'$attach'       => L10n::t('Attach file'),
@@ -1225,17 +1225,17 @@ function status_editor(App $a, $x, $notes_cid = 0, $popup = false)
 		'$shortsetloc'  => L10n::t('set location'),
 		'$noloc'        => L10n::t('Clear browser location'),
 		'$shortnoloc'   => L10n::t('clear location'),
-		'$title'        => defaults($x, 'title', ''),
+		'$title'        => $x['title'] ?? '',
 		'$placeholdertitle' => L10n::t('Set title'),
-		'$category'     => defaults($x, 'category', ''),
+		'$category'     => $x['category'] ?? '',
 		'$placeholdercategory' => Feature::isEnabled(local_user(), 'categories') ? L10n::t("Categories \x28comma-separated list\x29") : '',
 		'$wait'         => L10n::t('Please wait'),
 		'$permset'      => L10n::t('Permission settings'),
 		'$shortpermset' => L10n::t('permissions'),
 		'$wall'         => $notes_cid ? 0 : 1,
 		'$posttype'     => $notes_cid ? Item::PT_PERSONAL_NOTE : Item::PT_ARTICLE,
-		'$content'      => defaults($x, 'content', ''),
-		'$post_id'      => defaults($x, 'post_id', ''),
+		'$content'      => $x['content'] ?? '',
+		'$post_id'      => $x['post_id'] ?? '',
 		'$baseurl'      => System::baseUrl(true),
 		'$defloc'       => $x['default_location'],
 		'$visitor'      => $x['visitor'],
@@ -1527,9 +1527,9 @@ function get_responses(array $conv_responses, array $response_verbs, array $item
 	$ret = [];
 	foreach ($response_verbs as $v) {
 		$ret[$v] = [];
-		$ret[$v]['count'] = defaults($conv_responses[$v], $item['uri'], 0);
-		$ret[$v]['list']  = defaults($conv_responses[$v], $item['uri'] . '-l', []);
-		$ret[$v]['self']  = defaults($conv_responses[$v], $item['uri'] . '-self', '0');
+		$ret[$v]['count'] = $conv_responses[$v][$item['uri']] ?? 0;
+		$ret[$v]['list']  = $conv_responses[$v][$item['uri'] . '-l'] ?? [];
+		$ret[$v]['self']  = $conv_responses[$v][$item['uri'] . '-self'] ?? '0';
 		if (count($ret[$v]['list']) > MAX_LIKERS) {
 			$ret[$v]['list_part'] = array_slice($ret[$v]['list'], 0, MAX_LIKERS);
 			array_push($ret[$v]['list_part'], '<a href="#" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#' . $v . 'Modal-'
diff --git a/include/enotify.php b/include/enotify.php
index 6a66c8fa0..01c946d1f 100644
--- a/include/enotify.php
+++ b/include/enotify.php
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ function notification($params)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	$params['notify_flags'] = defaults($params, 'notify_flags', $user['notify-flags']);
-	$params['language']     = defaults($params, 'language'    , $user['language']);
-	$params['to_name']      = defaults($params, 'to_name'     , $user['username']);
-	$params['to_email']     = defaults($params, 'to_email'    , $user['email']);
+	$params['notify_flags'] = ($params['notify_flags'] ?? '') ?: $user['notify-flags'];
+	$params['language']     = ($params['language']     ?? '') ?: $user['language'];
+	$params['to_name']      = ($params['to_name']      ?? '') ?: $user['username'];
+	$params['to_email']     = ($params['to_email']     ?? '') ?: $user['email'];
 
 	// from here on everything is in the recipients language
 	L10n::pushLang($params['language']);
@@ -456,17 +456,17 @@ function notification($params)
 		if (!isset($params['subject'])) {
 			Logger::warning('subject isn\'t set.', ['type' => $params['type']]);
 		}
-		$subject = defaults($params, 'subject', '');
+		$subject = $params['subject'] ?? '';
 
 		if (!isset($params['preamble'])) {
 			Logger::warning('preamble isn\'t set.', ['type' => $params['type'], 'subject' => $subject]);
 		}
-		$preamble = defaults($params, 'preamble', '');
+		$preamble = $params['preamble'] ?? '';
 
 		if (!isset($params['body'])) {
 			Logger::warning('body isn\'t set.', ['type' => $params['type'], 'subject' => $subject, 'preamble' => $preamble]);
 		}
-		$body = defaults($params, 'body', '');
+		$body = $params['body'] ?? '';
 
 		$show_in_notification_page = false;
 	}
@@ -613,11 +613,11 @@ function notification($params)
 		$datarray['siteurl'] = $siteurl;
 		$datarray['type'] = $params['type'];
 		$datarray['parent'] = $parent_id;
-		$datarray['source_name'] = defaults($params, 'source_name', '');
-		$datarray['source_link'] = defaults($params, 'source_link', '');
-		$datarray['source_photo'] = defaults($params, 'source_photo', '');
+		$datarray['source_name'] = $params['source_name'] ?? '';
+		$datarray['source_link'] = $params['source_link'] ?? '';
+		$datarray['source_photo'] = $params['source_photo'] ?? '';
 		$datarray['uid'] = $params['uid'];
-		$datarray['username'] = defaults($params, 'to_name', '');
+		$datarray['username'] = $params['to_name'] ?? '';
 		$datarray['hsitelink'] = $hsitelink;
 		$datarray['tsitelink'] = $tsitelink;
 		$datarray['hitemlink'] = '<a href="'.$itemlink.'">'.$itemlink.'</a>';
diff --git a/include/items.php b/include/items.php
index 4cc10e628..3868db40a 100644
--- a/include/items.php
+++ b/include/items.php
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function add_page_info_data(array $data, $no_photos = false)
 		$data["type"] = "link";
 	}
 
-	$data["title"] = defaults($data, "title", "");
+	$data["title"] = $data["title"] ?? '';
 
 	if ((($data["type"] != "link") && ($data["type"] != "video") && ($data["type"] != "photo")) || ($data["title"] == $data["url"])) {
 		return "";
diff --git a/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.php b/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.php
index a5810f2dc..2758ada41 100644
--- a/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.php
+++ b/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.php
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ if (file_exists("$THEMEPATH/style.css")) {
 	echo file_get_contents("$THEMEPATH/style.css");
 }
 
-$uid = defaults($_REQUEST, 'puid', 0);
+$uid = $_REQUEST['puid'] ?? 0;
 
 $s_colorset = Config::get('duepuntozero', 'colorset');
 $colorset = PConfig::get($uid, 'duepuntozero', 'colorset');
diff --git a/view/theme/frio/config.php b/view/theme/frio/config.php
index df0f65a6b..125081235 100644
--- a/view/theme/frio/config.php
+++ b/view/theme/frio/config.php
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function frio_form($arr)
 		'$nav_icon_color'   => array_key_exists('nav_icon_color', $disable) ? '' : ['frio_nav_icon_color', L10n::t('Navigation bar icon color '), $arr['nav_icon_color'], '', false],
 		'$link_color'       => array_key_exists('link_color', $disable) ? '' : ['frio_link_color', L10n::t('Link color'), $arr['link_color'], '', false],
 		'$background_color' => array_key_exists('background_color', $disable) ? '' : ['frio_background_color', L10n::t('Set the background color'), $arr['background_color'], '', false],
-		'$contentbg_transp' => array_key_exists('contentbg_transp', $disable) ? '' : ['frio_contentbg_transp', L10n::t('Content background opacity'), defaults($arr, 'contentbg_transp', 100), ''],
+		'$contentbg_transp' => array_key_exists('contentbg_transp', $disable) ? '' : ['frio_contentbg_transp', L10n::t('Content background opacity'), ($arr['contentbg_transp'] ?? 0) ?: 100, ''],
 		'$background_image' => array_key_exists('background_image', $disable) ? '' : ['frio_background_image', L10n::t('Set the background image'), $arr['background_image'], $background_image_help, false],
 		'$bg_image_options_title' => L10n::t('Background image style'),
 		'$bg_image_options' => Image::get_options($arr),
diff --git a/view/theme/frio/php/default.php b/view/theme/frio/php/default.php
index 22bb99580..6b39e68ac 100644
--- a/view/theme/frio/php/default.php
+++ b/view/theme/frio/php/default.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ $is_singleuser_class = $is_singleuser ? "is-singleuser" : "is-not-singleuser";
 <html>
 	<head>
 		<title><?php if (!empty($page['title'])) echo $page['title'] ?></title>
-		<meta request="<?php echo htmlspecialchars(defaults($_REQUEST, 'pagename', '')) ?>">
+		<meta request="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_REQUEST['pagename'] ?? '') ?>">
 		<script  type="text/javascript">var baseurl = "<?php echo System::baseUrl(); ?>";</script>
 		<script type="text/javascript">var frio = "<?php echo 'view/theme/frio'; ?>";</script>
 <?php
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ $is_singleuser_class = $is_singleuser ? "is-singleuser" : "is-not-singleuser";
 		</main>
 
 		<footer>
-			<?php echo defaults($page, 'footer', ''); ?>
+			<?php echo $page['footer'] ?? ''; ?>
 		</footer>
 <?php } ?> <!-- End of condition if $minimal else the rest -->
 	</body>
diff --git a/view/theme/frio/php/frio_boot.php b/view/theme/frio/php/frio_boot.php
index dcb87b6d2..7ec81a356 100644
--- a/view/theme/frio/php/frio_boot.php
+++ b/view/theme/frio/php/frio_boot.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function load_page(App $a)
 		require 'view/theme/frio/none.php';
 	} else {
 		$template = 'view/theme/' . $a->getCurrentTheme() . '/'
-			. defaults($a->page, 'template', 'default' ) . '.php';
+			. (($a->page['template'] ?? '') ?: 'default' ) . '.php';
 		if (file_exists($template)) {
 			require_once $template;
 		} else {
diff --git a/view/theme/quattro/style.php b/view/theme/quattro/style.php
index cca458a25..84fa0b973 100644
--- a/view/theme/quattro/style.php
+++ b/view/theme/quattro/style.php
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use Friendica\Core\Config;
 use Friendica\Core\PConfig;
 use Friendica\Model\Profile;
 
-$uid = defaults($_REQUEST, 'puid', 0);
+$uid = $_REQUEST['puid'] ?? 0;
 
 $color = false;
 $quattro_align = false;
diff --git a/view/theme/vier/style.php b/view/theme/vier/style.php
index 69bfc78d8..8a7c2f67d 100644
--- a/view/theme/vier/style.php
+++ b/view/theme/vier/style.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use Friendica\Core\Config;
 use Friendica\Core\PConfig;
 use Friendica\Model\Profile;
 
-$uid = defaults($_REQUEST, 'puid', 0);
+$uid = $_REQUEST['puid'] ?? 0;
 
 $style = PConfig::get($uid, 'vier', 'style');
 
diff --git a/view/theme/vier/theme.php b/view/theme/vier/theme.php
index f33f3017f..e5d71bdf5 100644
--- a/view/theme/vier/theme.php
+++ b/view/theme/vier/theme.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function vier_init(App $a)
 
 	Renderer::setActiveTemplateEngine('smarty3');
 
-	if (!empty($a->argv[0]) && $a->argv[0] . defaults($a->argv, 1, '') === "profile".$a->user['nickname'] || $a->argv[0] === "network" && local_user()) {
+	if (!empty($a->argv[0]) && ($a->argv[0] . ($a->argv[1] ?? '')) === ('profile' . $a->user['nickname']) || $a->argv[0] === 'network' && local_user()) {
 		vier_community_info();
 
 		$a->page['htmlhead'] .= "<link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='view/theme/vier/wide.css' media='screen and (min-width: 1300px)'/>\n";
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ function vier_community_info()
 
 	//Community_Pages at right_aside
 	if ($show_pages && local_user()) {
-		$cid = defaults($_GET, 'cid', null);
+		$cid = $_GET['cid'] ?? null;
 
 		//sort by last updated item
 		$lastitem = true;