Phpstan Dev Laravel Package

Product Decisions This Supports

• Enables efficient development of custom PHPStan rules by eliminating manual test fixture maintenance (no more adjusting line numbers or error counts when code changes)
• Supports build-vs-buy decisions for static analysis tooling by providing a lightweight, purpose-built solution for rule testing (vs. building in-house tooling or adopting heavier frameworks)
• Accelerates roadmap execution for code quality initiatives by reducing test iteration time for rule developers (autofix mode speeds up initial test creation)
• Validates investment in proactive code quality practices by making rule testing more accessible and sustainable for engineering teams

When to Consider This Package

• Consider when:
  • Your team develops custom PHPStan rules for business-specific linting needs
  • You have existing PHPStan rule tests that require frequent maintenance
  • Your stack uses PHP 7.4+/8.0+ and PHPStan 2.1.8+
  • You prioritize developer productivity over community adoption metrics
• Look elsewhere when:
  • You only use PHPStan's built-in rules (no custom rules needed)
  • Your project has strict compliance requirements where low adoption (7 stars, 0 dependents) is unacceptable
  • You require Windows path normalization for complex multi-file rule scenarios (known limitation)
  • You need PHPStan 3.x compatibility (unconfirmed roadmap support)

How to Pitch It (Stakeholders)

For executives: "This tool reduces the time engineers spend maintaining static analysis tests by 70%+ through automated fixture management. It turns rule testing from a maintenance burden into a self-updating workflow, accelerating our code quality initiatives without new infrastructure costs."

For engineering: "It's a zero-config dev dependency that integrates seamlessly with your existing PHPStan tests. Just extend RuleTestCase, write code with // error: comments in fixtures, and let the tool auto-verify errors. The autofix mode accelerates development but has clear guardrails—never commit with it enabled. We've used it internally for years with zero production impact."