Getting Started

Minimal Setup

Installation

composer require --dev moxio/php-codesniffer-sniffs

Add the custom sniffs to your phpcs.xml or phpcs.xml.dist:

<config name="installed_paths" value="./vendor/moxio/php-codesniffer-sniffs"/>

First Use Case Run PHP_CodeSniffer on a Laravel project:
```
./vendor/bin/phpcs -p --standard=PSR12,CustomSniffs app/
```
Verify the custom rules are applied by checking for violations in the output.

Note for slevomat/coding-standard users: If using slevomat/coding-standard (v8.26.0 or lower), ensure compatibility by installing both packages:
```
composer require --dev slevomat/coding-standard:^8.0 moxio/php-codesniffer-sniffs
```

Implementation Patterns

Workflow Integration

Pre-Commit Hooks Use with tools like php-cs-fixer or Git hooks to enforce sniffs before merging:

composer require --dev dealerdirect/phpcodesniffer-composer-installer

Configure in composer.json:

"scripts": {
  "cs-check": "phpcs -p --standard=PSR12,CustomSniffs app/"
}

CI/CD Pipeline Add to Laravel CI (e.g., GitHub Actions):

- name: Run PHP_CodeSniffer
  run: ./vendor/bin/phpcs -p --standard=PSR12,CustomSniffs app/ --warning-severity=0

Custom Rule Targeting Focus sniffs on Laravel-specific files (e.g., app/Providers/*, app/Http/Controllers/*):
```
./vendor/bin/phpcs -p --standard=CustomSniffs app/Providers/
```

slevomat/coding-standard Integration

Hybrid Setup Combine with slevomat/coding-standard (v8.26.0 or lower) for advanced static analysis:

./vendor/bin/phpcs --standard=PSR12,CustomSniffs,SlevomatCodingStandard app/

Configure in phpcs.xml:

<config name="standard" value="PSR12"/>
<config name="installed_paths" value="./vendor/moxio/php-codesniffer-sniffs,./vendor/slevomat/coding-standard/Sniffs"/>

Rule Prioritization Override or merge rules between the two standards:

<rule ref="CustomSniffs.LaravelSniff" severity="error"/>
<rule ref="SlevomatCodingStandard.TypeHints.DisallowMixedTypeHint" severity="warning"/>

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

Rule Conflicts Some sniffs may conflict with PSR12, slevomat/coding-standard, or other standards. Test incrementally:
```
./vendor/bin/phpcs --sniffs=CustomSniffs.SpecificSniff app/
```
Performance Large codebases may slow down. Exclude tests or generated files:
```
./vendor/bin/phpcs -p --ignore=tests/,storage/ app/
```
False Positives Laravel’s dynamic methods (e.g., route('name')) may trigger false alarms. Whitelist or adjust severity:
```
<exclude-pattern>*/routes/web.php</exclude-pattern>
```
slevomat Compatibility Ensure slevomat/coding-standard is v8.26.0 or lower to avoid breaking changes. Check for updates:
```
composer show slevomat/coding-standard
```

Debugging

Verbose Output Use -v to debug sniff application:

./vendor/bin/phpcs -p -v --standard=CustomSniffs,SlevomatCodingStandard app/

Sniff Isolation Test individual sniffs or standards separately:

./vendor/bin/phpcs --sniffs=CustomSniffs.LaravelSniff app/
./vendor/bin/phpcs --standard=SlevomatCodingStandard app/

Extension Points

Custom Sniffs Extend the package by adding new sniffs to ./vendor/moxio/php-codesniffer-sniffs/Sniffs/.

Severity Tuning Adjust severity per file type (e.g., stricter for app/):

<file>app/</file>
<rule ref="CustomSniffs.SniffName" severity="error" />

Integration with IDE Configure PHPStorm to use the same rules via Settings > PHP > Code Sniffer.
slevomat Extensions Leverage slevomat/coding-standard extensions (e.g., slevomat/coding-standard:TypeHints) alongside custom sniffs for enhanced analysis.

Php Codesniffer Sniffs Laravel Package