Php Checker Laravel Package

Getting Started

Install with Composer:

composer require ixnode/php-checker

There is no Laravel service provider or config file to publish — this is a plain PHP validation/checker library. Start by reading vendor/ixnode/php-checker/README.md and the checker classes under vendor/ixnode/php-checker/src/. Look first at CheckerArray because 0.1.8 changes its public API.

First practical use case: guard array shape before processing request data. For example, ensure a payload is a sequential list before passing it to a batch job:

use Ixnode\PhpChecker\CheckerArray;

$checker = new CheckerArray();
$checker->checkSequential($payload); // throws on failure

In 0.1.8, the old checkSimple() and checkIndexArraySimple() methods were renamed to checkSequential() and checkIndexArraySequential(). If you are starting fresh, use the new names; if you are upgrading, update every call site.

Implementation Patterns

Use the checker at the boundary where untyped data enters your domain — form requests, API controllers, queue jobs, or import services. A common Laravel pattern is to wrap the checker in a custom validation rule so failures become normal validation errors:

use Illuminate\Contracts\Validation\Rule;
use Ixnode\PhpChecker\CheckerArray;

class SequentialArrayRule implements Rule
{
    public function passes($attribute, $value): bool
    {
        try {
            (new CheckerArray())->checkSequential($value);
            return true;
        } catch (\Throwable $e) {
            return false;
        }
    }

    public function message(): string
    {
        return 'The :attribute must be a sequential array.';
    }
}

For associative arrays with integer keys, use checkIndexArraySequential() after the rename. Keep checker usage close to the data source: validate in a form request, then pass already-checked arrays into services. Avoid scattering checker calls deep in your domain unless the data can originate from multiple untrusted sources.

Integration tips:

• Use the checker for structural array checks; keep Laravel’s native validation for scalar rules (required, string, max, etc.).
• Convert checker exceptions to ValidationException in HTTP contexts so clients receive a 422 response instead of a 500.
• In console commands and jobs, let the exception bubble up or catch it and log a clear domain-specific message.
• If you need reusable checks, create small Laravel rule classes or helper functions rather than repeating try/catch blocks.

Gotchas and Tips

• 0.1.8 is a breaking rename. CheckerArray::checkSimple() is now checkSequential(), and checkIndexArraySimple() is now checkIndexArraySequential(). There are no compatibility aliases in the release notes, so search your codebase for the old method names before upgrading. Pin ixnode/php-checker to ^0.1.8 only after updating call sites.
• Checker methods generally signal failure by throwing an exception. In Laravel, uncaught exceptions become 500 errors by default, so wrap checker calls in form requests/rules or catch and convert them to ValidationException.
• There is no Laravel-specific configuration or service provider. Debugging is mostly reading the checker source and the exception message. If a check fails unexpectedly, dump the input array with json_encode() or var_export() to confirm whether keys are sequential or associative.
• Extension points are limited: subclass a checker or wrap it in your own rule/helper. Do not expect Laravel container bindings or facades.
• Because the package is small, prefer native Laravel validation for simple cases and reach for php-checker when you need explicit array-shape checks that are awkward to express with array rules.
• When upgrading from 0.1.7 or earlier, run a project-wide search for checkSimple and checkIndexArraySimple, update tests, and verify any custom rules that reference those methods.