Dead Code Detector Laravel Package

Product Decisions This Supports

• Codebase Health & Maintainability:

  • Enable automated dead code detection to reduce technical debt, improve readability, and accelerate future development.
  • Align with SOLID principles by removing unused methods/properties, reducing class bloat, and improving cohesion.
  • Support refactoring initiatives (e.g., breaking down monolithic classes) by identifying safe-to-remove code.

• Developer Productivity:

  • Integrate into CI/CD pipelines to block merges of PRs introducing dead code (via PHPStan rules).
  • Reduce cognitive load for developers by automating cleanup of unused code (e.g., via removeDeadCode format).
  • Enable faster onboarding by ensuring the codebase is lean and self-documenting.

• Framework-Specific Roadmaps:

  • Laravel/Symfony: Detect dead routes, event listeners, commands, or Eloquent observers/factories.
  • Testing: Identify test-specific dead code (e.g., unused data providers) without affecting production logic.
  • Twig/Doctrine: Remove unused filters, listeners, or enum cases tied to templates/ORM.

• Build vs. Buy:

  • Buy: Avoid reinventing dead-code detection (e.g., custom static analysis tools) by leveraging this mature, library-aware solution.
  • Customize: Extend via usage providers/excluders for edge cases (e.g., dynamic method calls via reflection).

• Use Cases:

  • Pre-release cleanup: Run before major versions to remove cruft.
  • Legacy modernization: Prioritize removal of dead code in large, unmaintained codebases.
  • Security: Reduce attack surface by eliminating unused endpoints, listeners, or sensitive methods.

When to Consider This Package

• Adopt if:

  • Your PHP codebase (Laravel/Symfony/Twig/etc.) has grown organically with accumulated dead code.
  • You prioritize developer velocity and want to automate code hygiene.
  • Your team uses PHPStan and wants to extend its capabilities without heavy tooling overhead.
  • You need framework-specific dead-code detection (e.g., Laravel routes, Doctrine listeners).
  • You’re willing to invest in customization (e.g., usage providers) for niche use cases.

• Look elsewhere if:

  • Your stack doesn’t use PHPStan (e.g., heavy JavaScript/TypeScript) or relies on non-PHP frameworks.
  • You need runtime dead-code detection (e.g., unused methods called via dynamic proxies).
  • Your codebase is highly dynamic (e.g., heavy use of eval(), create_function(), or magic methods like __call).
  • You require GUI/IDE integration (this is CLI/PHPStan-focused).
  • Your team lacks PHPStan familiarity (setup requires Neon config expertise).

How to Pitch It (Stakeholders)

For Executives:

*"This tool automates the cleanup of unused PHP code—like a 'git clean' for your logic. For every 10% of dead code removed, we reduce:

• Developer onboarding time (less cruft to sift through).
• Technical debt interest (fewer legacy methods to maintain).
• Security risk (unused endpoints/listeners are attack vectors).

It integrates seamlessly with our existing PHPStan setup, requires no new infrastructure, and can be run in CI to block dead-code PRs. For Laravel/Symfony projects, it even understands framework-specific dead code (e.g., unused routes or Doctrine listeners). We can pilot it on [Module X] to measure impact before rolling out."*

For Engineering:

*"This is a PHPStan extension that detects and removes dead code—methods, properties, constants, and even enum cases—with framework-specific awareness (Laravel routes, Symfony event listeners, Twig filters, etc.). Key benefits:

• Automated cleanup: Run phpstan --error-format=removeDeadCode to auto-remove unused code.
• Transitive detection: Finds dead methods called only by other dead methods (with configurable reporting).
• Test-aware: Optionally exclude test-only usages while keeping production code clean.
• Extensible: Add custom usage providers for edge cases (e.g., dynamic reflection calls).

Setup:

1. Add to composer.json: shipmonk/dead-code-detector.
2. Include rules in phpstan.neon:

   includes:
       - vendor/shipmonk/dead-code-detector/rules.neon
   

3. Run phpstan analyse to see dead code, or use --error-format=removeDeadCode to auto-clean.

Example Output:

Unused UserFacade::updateUserAddress
  🪪 Dead method (transitively unused: Address::setPostalCode, etc.)

Next Steps: Let’s run it on [Project Y] to validate false-positive rates before CI integration."*

Key Selling Points:

• Zero new tools: Leverages existing PHPStan.
• Framework-native: Understands Laravel/Symfony/Twig/Doctrine.
• Actionable: Auto-remove or flag dead code.
• Low risk: Start with analysis-only mode.