Getting Started

Minimal Steps

Installation Require the package via Composer:
```
composer require spatie/php-type-graph --dev
```
Run the type-graph:generate Artisan command to generate the type graph:
```
php artisan type-graph:generate
```
This creates a type-graph.json file in your project root.
First Use Case Use the generated graph to analyze dependencies between types (classes, interfaces, traits) in your project. For example, inspect how a model class depends on other types:
```
$graph = new \Spatie\TypeGraph\TypeGraph('type-graph.json');
$dependencies = $graph->getDependenciesForType('App\Models\User');
```

Where to Look First

Generated Output: Check type-graph.json for the full dependency graph.
CLI Commands: Run php artisan type-graph:generate --help to explore options like --exclude or --output.
Documentation: Review the README for advanced usage (e.g., filtering by namespace).

Implementation Patterns

Usage Patterns

Dependency Analysis Use the graph to visualize or programmatically inspect how types interact. Example:

$graph = new \Spatie\TypeGraph\TypeGraph('type-graph.json');
$allDependencies = $graph->getAllDependencies(); // Returns a nested array of dependencies.

Integration with Tests Add assertions in PHPUnit to verify type dependencies (e.g., ensure a service doesn’t depend on a deprecated class):

public function testNoDeprecatedDependencies()
{
    $graph = new \Spatie\TypeGraph\TypeGraph('type-graph.json');
    $this->assertFalse($graph->hasDependency('App\Services\NewService', 'App\Legacy\DeprecatedClass'));
}

CI/CD Checks Automate dependency checks in GitHub Actions or GitLab CI:

# .github/workflows/type-graph-check.yml
jobs:
  type-graph:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: composer install
      - run: php artisan type-graph:generate
      - run: php scripts/check-forbidden-dependencies.php

Workflows

Refactoring Safety Net Generate the graph before/after refactoring to spot unintended dependency changes.

php artisan type-graph:generate --output=before-refactor.json
# Refactor code...
php artisan type-graph:generate --output=after-refactor.json

Onboarding New Developers Share the graph to help new team members understand the project’s architecture. Example:
```
$graph->getTypesByNamespace('App\Models'); // List all models and their dependencies.
```

Integration Tips

Custom Exclusions Exclude specific directories or types from the graph using the --exclude flag:
```
php artisan type-graph:generate --exclude="vendor/*" --exclude="tests/*"
```

Extend the Graph Subclass \Spatie\TypeGraph\TypeGraph to add custom logic (e.g., highlight circular dependencies):

class CustomTypeGraph extends \Spatie\TypeGraph\TypeGraph {
    public function hasCircularDependencies(string $type): bool {
        // Custom implementation.
    }
}

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

Performance with Large Codebases Generating the graph for projects with thousands of classes may be slow. Use --exclude to limit scope:
```
php artisan type-graph:generate --exclude="app/Helpers/*"
```
False Positives in Dependencies The graph may include indirect dependencies (e.g., via traits or magic methods). Filter results carefully:
```
$directDependencies = $graph->getDirectDependenciesForType('App\Models\User');
```
Outdated Graphs Always regenerate the graph before critical checks, as it reflects the state of the codebase at generation time.

Debugging

Verify Graph Accuracy Manually inspect a subset of the type-graph.json output to ensure it matches your expectations. Example:
```
{
  "App\Models\User": {
    "dependsOn": ["App\Contracts\Authenticatable", "Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model"]
  }
}
```
Handle Missing Types If a type isn’t found, check for typos or ensure the class is autoloaded (e.g., not in a non-PSR-4 namespace).

Config Quirks

Custom Output Path Change the default output path via the --output flag:
```
php artisan type-graph:generate --output=storage/type-graph.json
```
Namespace Filtering Use --namespace to focus on specific parts of the project:
```
php artisan type-graph:generate --namespace="App\\"
```

Extension Points

Custom Graph Formatters Extend the package to output the graph in alternative formats (e.g., DOT for Graphviz):
```
$graph->toDot()->saveToFile('graph.dot');
```

Hook into Artisan Create a custom Artisan command to wrap the graph generation with additional logic:

php artisan make:command CheckDependencies

// app/Console/Commands/CheckDependencies.php
public function handle() {
    $graph = new \Spatie\TypeGraph\TypeGraph('type-graph.json');
    if ($graph->hasDependency('App\Services\Payment', 'App\Legacy\PaymentGateway')) {
        $this->error('Forbidden dependency detected!');
    }
}

Visualization Tools Use the graph data to generate visual diagrams with tools like Mermaid or D3.js. Example Mermaid snippet:
```
graph TD
  A[App\Models\User] --> B[App\Contracts\Authenticatable]
  A --> C[Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model]
```

Php Type Graph Laravel Package