Laminas Zendframework Bridge Laravel Package

Getting Started

1. Install the package: composer require laminas/laminas-zendframework-bridge
2. No configuration needed: Once installed, the bridge auto-registers via Composer’s autoloader—just ensure it’s included in your autoloading setup (it is by default).
3. First use case: Start by updating dependencies—e.g., replace zendframework/zend-mvc with laminas/laminas-mvc—then run your app. Existing use Zend\... references in code continue to work thanks to namespace re-mapping.

Implementation Patterns

• Namespace migration: Gradually update use Zend\... statements to use Laminas\... as you touch files. The bridge ensures both old and new namespaces resolve correctly during the transition.
• Partial upgrades: Upgrade one component at a time (e.g., laminas/laminas-db while still using laminas/laminas-mvc), with the bridge resolving autoloading and class name conflicts behind the scenes.
• Shared environments: In projects using both legacy Zend packages (e.g., zf1 components) and Laminas packages, the bridge prevents fatal class-redeclaration errors by ensuring only one canonical class per FQCN is loaded.
• Testing during migration: Write tests against both old and new namespaces (e.g., Zend\ServiceManager and Laminas\ServiceManager) to validate full compatibility during refactoring.

Gotchas and Tips

• Runtime autoloading conflicts: If you manually register Composer autoloaders after the bridge (e.g., via require vendor/autoload.php more than once), remapping may be skipped. Always include autoloader once, early.
• Static analysis tools may complain: IDEs or PHPStan/Psalm may not resolve Zend\* aliases. Add explicit @method or @property annotations, or configure PHPStan to treat Zend\* as aliases for Laminas\*.
• Configuration drift: The bridge does not update configuration keys (e.g., Zend\Navigation keys in config.global.php). Document and replace these manually or via script after verifying runtime compatibility.
• Not a migration end-state: The bridge is temporary scaffolding. Aim to fully remove it once all Zend\* references are replaced—keep composer require --dev codeception/module-zendframework only if using legacy acceptance helpers.
• Check for known issues: Some edge cases (e.g., trigger_error() usages for deprecated ZF APIs) may still require code updates despite the bridge’s best efforts. Review Laminas’ migration guide alongside.