For many situations, we need some helper functions to be used in view.

i.e. When you want to debug, probably you will write

./module/Application/view/application/index/foo.phtml

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<div class="whatever">
    <?php
        /* debug here */
        echo '<pre>';
        print_r($this->form->get('foo'));
        echo '</pre>';
    ?>
</div>

Using <pre> to wrap it will be more readable, unfortunately you don’t want to every time write such a long line. Now, create a helper to be able to use in all views.

Create a new file ./module/Application/src/Application/View/Helper/God.php (Let’s call it God as this helper can do anything that you want provided you defined it as a function inside)

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<?php
namespace Application\View\Helper;

use Zend\View\Helper\AbstractHelper;

class God extends AbstractHelper
{
    public function __invoke()
    {
        return $this;
    }

    public function debug($obj, $die = false)
    {
        echo '<pre>';
        print_r($obj);
        echo '</pre>';
        if ($die) die();
    }
}

Now you have to edit your ./module/Application/Module.php in order for it to load to view

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<?php
...
class Module
{
    ...
    public function getViewHelperConfig()
    {
        return array(
            'godHelper' => function($helper_plugin_manager) {
                $helper = new Application\View\Helper\God();
                return $helper;
            },
        );
    }
    ...
}

godHelper is an alias to be used in your view.

Now you’re done, you can use in any view now. i.e.

./module/Application/view/application/index/foo.phtml

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<div class="whatever">
    <?php $this->godHelper()->debug($this->form->get('foo'), 1); ?>
</div>

You can now add as many functions as you want to the God class.

Reference: How to write custom view helper in Zend Framework 2 ?