Symfony2 Coding Standard Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Steps

1. Avoid Immediate Use: Since this package is deprecated and archived, the first step is to not use it in new projects. It was designed for Symfony2 coding standards but is outdated (last release in 2016).
2. Alternatives for Laravel:
   • Use PHP-CS-Fixer (modern, actively maintained) with a Symfony2-compatible rule set (e.g., Symfony or Symfony54).
   • For Laravel-specific standards, explore Laravel Shift Coding Standards or PHPStan for static analysis.
3. Quick Migration Path:
   • Install PHP-CS-Fixer:

     composer require --dev friendsofphp/php-cs-fixer
     

   • Configure .php-cs-fixer.dist.php with Symfony rules:

     return PhpCsFixer\Config::create()
         ->setRules([
             '@Symfony' => true,
             'risky_nullable_type_declaration' => false, // Adjust as needed
         ]);
     

   • Run:

     ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix
     

Implementation Patterns

Workflow Integration

1. CI/CD Pipeline:

   • Add PHP-CS-Fixer to your GitHub Actions/GitLab CI:

     - name: Fix Coding Standards
       run: ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix --dry-run --diff
     

   • Fail builds on violations (use --dry-run for previews).

2. Pre-Commit Hooks:

   • Use Husky + PHP-CS-Fixer:

     composer require --dev digitalbazaar/husky-php-cs-fixer
     

   • Configure in package.json:

     "husky": {
       "hooks": {
         "pre-commit": "husky-php-cs-fixer"
       }
     }
     

3. Team Onboarding:

   • Document the rule set in CONTRIBUTING.md:

     ## Coding Standards
     Run `composer cs-fix` to auto-fix issues. Use `@Symfony` rules unless overridden.
     

   • Pair with PSR-12 for Laravel projects.

Laravel-Specific Tips

• Blade Templates: Exclude .blade.php files from PHP-CS-Fixer (add to .php-cs-fixer.dist.php):

  ->exclude(['storage/*', 'vendor/*', 'resources/views/*']);
  

• Custom Rules: Extend PHP-CS-Fixer with custom rules for Laravel conventions (e.g., use App\Models\{}):

  ->withCustomFixers([new CustomLaravelFixer()]);
  

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Deprecation Warning:

   • This package will not receive updates. Attempting to use it may break with modern PHP/Symfony/Laravel versions.
   • Error Example:

     Your requirements could not be resolved to an installable set of packages.
     Problem 1: m6web/symfony2-coding-standard v1.0.0 requires symfony/coding-standard ~2.0 -> found symfony/coding-standard[5.4.0] but it does not match your requirement.
     

2. Rule Conflicts:

   • Symfony2 rules may conflict with Laravel’s conventions (e.g., namespace paths, class naming).
   • Fix: Override specific rules in .php-cs-fixer.dist.php:

     ->setRules([
         '@Symfony' => true,
         'namespace_separation' => ['custom_rule' => 'one'],
         'class_attributes_separation' => false, // Disable if using Laravel’s traits
     ]);
     

3. Performance:

   • PHP-CS-Fixer can be slow on large codebases. Cache results:

     ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix --cache-file=.php-cs-fixer.cache
     

Debugging

• Dry Run: Always test changes first:

  ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix --dry-run --diff
  

• Rule-Specific Fixes: Isolate issues by testing individual rules:

  ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix --rules=@Symfony --path=app/Models/User.php
  

• IDE Integration: Use PHP-CS-Fixer’s VSCode extension for real-time feedback.

Extension Points

1. Custom Rule Sets:
   • Create a reusable config for your team:

     composer require --dev friendsofphp/php-cs-fixer-config
     

   • Publish a template:

     vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer-config-generator
     

2. Parallel Processing:
   • Speed up fixes with --parallel (PHP 7.4+):

     ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix --parallel
     

3. Integration with PHPStan:
   • Combine static analysis for deeper checks:

     composer require --dev phpstan/phpstan
     ./vendor/bin/phpstan analyse --level=5
     

Laravel-Specific Quirks

• Facade Usage: Symfony rules may flag use App\Facades\Cache; as incorrect. Whitelist in config:

  ->setRules([
      'fully_qualified_strict_types' => true,
      'no_unused_imports' => false, // Allow Laravel facades
  ]);
  

• Artisan Commands: Exclude app/Console/Kernel.php if it violates Symfony’s PSR-4 expectations:

  ->exclude(['app/Console/Kernel.php']);