Polyfill Php82 Laravel Package

Getting Started

Install via Composer: composer require symfony/polyfill-php82. No config needed — it auto-registers via Composer’s autoloader. Start using PHP 8.2+ runtime features (e.g., json_encode($data, JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR), mb_str_split(), FILTER_VALIDATE_BOOL constant) in your code as you would in PHP 8.2+, and the polyfill fills gaps transparently on older PHP versions. Verify compatibility by testing on target PHP versions (e.g., 8.0/8.1).

Implementation Patterns

• Seamless feature adoption: Write modern code (e.g., $obj::class, STR_PAD_BOTH, JSON_PARTIAL_OUTPUT_ON_ERROR) without version guards — the polyfill patches missing functions/constants at runtime.
• Library development: Include "symfony/polyfill-php82" in your require section if your package uses PHP 8.2+ runtime features but targets older PHP (ensuring downstream users get compatibility out-of-the-box).
• Framework integration: In Laravel, leverage polyfilled features in services, jobs, or middleware (e.g., filter_var($value, FILTER_VALIDATE_BOOL)), confident they’ll work across PHP versions without extra checks.

Gotchas and Tips

• Syntax vs. runtime: Only runtime features are polyfilled — syntax like true typehints, readonly classes, or enum (in 8.1+) will still fail on older PHP. Verify your code is syntactically valid for the minimum target PHP version.
• Zero impact on modern PHP: On PHP ≥8.2, the package does nothing — no overhead, no conflicts.
• Debugging: If a polyfilled feature breaks (e.g., json_encode(..., JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR) throws a generic error), confirm symfony/polyfill-php82 is installed and the polyfill is loaded (check composer show -i and phpinfo()). Clear caches if using OPcache.
• Avoid manual overrides: Never patch polyfill files directly. If behavior differs from expectations, wrap polyfilled functions in your own utility class for testability and future migration.