Type Resolver Laravel Package

Getting Started

Install the package with Composer:

composer require phpdocumentor/type-resolver

Start by resolving simple types:

use phpDocumentor\Reflection\TypeResolver;

$resolver = new TypeResolver();
$type = $resolver->resolve('string|int');

For real-world use, pair with Context to resolve partial class names (e.g., @var UserService → \App\Services\UserService). Use ContextFactory::createForNamespace() to auto-generate context from source code and namespace.

Implementation Patterns

• DocBlock parsing: Use alongside phpreflection (e.g., ReflectionMethod) to extract types from docblocks:

  $context = $contextFactory->createFromReflector(new ReflectionMethod(...));
  $type = $resolver->resolve('@return User[]', $context);
  

• Code generation & static analysis: Feed resolved types into AST tools (e.g., PHPStan, Psalm integrations), or generate type-aware documentation.
• FQSEN resolution: Resolve @see references:

  $fqsen = (new FqsenResolver())->resolve('App\Controller::index()', $context);
  // Yields \App\Controller::index()
  

• Generic types (v2+): Use for modern PHP type hints like list<string>, array<int, User>, non-empty-array, or class-string<MyClass>.
• IDE/tooling integrations: Write custom linters, refactoring tools, or autocompletion helpers that understand PHPDoc semantics.

Gotchas and Tips

• Context is critical for resolving partial class names. Skipping it → @var Repository stays unresolved. Always derive context from actual file scope, not just the namespace.
• Pseudo-types like self, static, parent are handled—but only in a valid Context with the correct FQCN.
• Nullable types (?string) are auto-wrapped in Nullable—check with $type instanceof Nullable and unwrap via $type->getInnerType().
• v2 breaking changes: GenericTemplate removed, Collection → GenericType, removed True_/False_ aliases. See upgrade guide.
• Memory/perf: Creating Context via ContextFactory::createForNamespace() parses full source—cache results when processing many docblocks (e.g., across an entire codebase).
• Validation tip: Always check $type->getValue() or cast to string ((string)$type) to get normalized output—ideal for logging or codegen.