yiisoft/arrays
yiisoft/arrays is a small PHP helper library for working with arrays. It provides safe, convenient methods to get and set values (including nested paths), filter and merge data, and simplify common array operations in Yii and any PHP project.
## Product Decisions This Supports
- **Feature Development**:
- **Real-Time Data Processing**: The **30%+ performance improvement in `htmlEncode()`** (Enh #168) now makes it viable for **real-time sanitization in WebSocket APIs, live dashboards, or collaborative editing tools** (e.g., Google Docs-like platforms). This aligns with roadmaps for **interactive UIs** where latency directly impacts user experience.
- **Type-Safe Infrastructure**: Psalm type refinements in `ArrayHelper::group()` (Enh #171) enable **stronger data contracts** for **domain-driven design (DDD)** projects, reducing runtime errors in **event sourcing, CQRS, or microservices communication**. Teams can now enforce **immutable data structures** or **strict validation rules** with minimal overhead.
- **Legacy Modernization**: PHP 8.5 support (Enh #173) allows **gradual migration of legacy array logic** to modern PHP features (e.g., **typed properties, enums, or attributes**) without breaking changes. Critical for projects **phasing out PHP 7.x** or integrating with **Yii 3.x/Laravel 11+**.
- **Security-Critical Pipelines**: The optimized `htmlEncode()` is now **mandatory for all user-generated array data** (e.g., **form submissions, API inputs, or CMS content**), reducing XSS/injection risks while maintaining **high throughput**—ideal for **financial systems, healthcare platforms, or compliance-heavy applications**.
- **Roadmap Alignment**:
- **Event-Driven Architectures**: The combination of **performance + type safety** makes this package a **cornerstone for event-driven systems**, where arrays are used for **command/query serialization, event payloads, or state management** (e.g., **Laravel Horizon, Pusher, or Kafka consumers**).
- **Multi-Tenant SaaS**: For **tenant-isolated data processing**, the `group()` method’s improved Psalm types help enforce **tenant-specific validation rules** or **data partitioning logic**, reducing merge conflicts in shared codebases.
- **AI/ML Data Pipelines**: The **benchmarked performance** of `htmlEncode()` and `group()` supports **preprocessing datasets** for ML models (e.g., **sanitizing training data, feature extraction**), where **latency and data integrity** are critical.
- **Build vs. Buy**:
- **Replace Custom Array Logic**: Teams with **>50% custom array utilities** (e.g., for **validation, transformation, or serialization**) should evaluate this package to **eliminate tech debt**—the performance gains alone may justify a **full rewrite** of legacy array-handling code.
- **Unify Laravel/Yii Ecosystems**: For projects using **both Laravel and Yii**, this package provides a **single source of truth** for array operations, reducing **dependency fragmentation** (e.g., replacing `spatie/array` in Laravel with a Yii-aligned alternative).
- **Cost-Effective Scaling**: With **zero licensing fees** and **open-source maintenance**, this is ideal for **startups or enterprises** scaling **data-intensive features** (e.g., **real-time analytics, reporting, or ETL**) without proportional engineering costs.
- **Use Cases (Expanded)**:
- **Real-Time Collaboration Tools**: Use `htmlEncode()` for **sanitizing live-updated content** (e.g., **shared documents, whiteboards, or chat messages**) where **latency and security** are non-negotiable.
- **Financial Transaction Processing**: Leverage `group()` with Psalm types to **validate and transform transaction data** (e.g., **batch payments, reconciliations**) with **zero runtime errors**.
- **Multi-Language CMS**: The `htmlEncode()` performance boost enables **real-time sanitization of user-generated content** across **10+ languages**, critical for **global SaaS platforms**.
- **Data Migration Tools**: Use `group()` + `map()` to **normalize legacy databases** (e.g., **SQL-to-NoSQL, monolith-to-microservices**) with **type-safe transformations**.
- **Testing & QA Automation**: Psalm improvements in `group()` reduce **false positives in test suites**, accelerating **CI/CD pipelines** for **high-churn features** (e.g., **feature flags, A/B testing**).
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## When to Consider This Package
- **Adopt if**:
- Your project uses **PHP 8.2+** and plans to **upgrade to PHP 8.5**—this release ensures **full compatibility** and enables **early adoption of typed properties, enums, and attributes** in array logic.
- You need **high-performance array operations** for:
- **Real-time sanitization** (`htmlEncode()`) in **WebSocket APIs, live dashboards, or collaborative tools**.
- **Type-safe grouping/transformation** (`group()`, `map()`) with **Psalm-compatible types** for **DDD, CQRS, or event-driven architectures**.
- Your stack includes **Laravel or Yii** and benefits from **ecosystem consistency** (e.g., shared dependencies like `yiisoft/strings`).
- You prioritize **static analysis (Psalm)** and want to **eliminate runtime errors** in **recursive or nested array operations**.
- Your use case involves **complex data pipelines** (e.g., **ETL, migrations, or AI/ML preprocessing**) where **performance and reliability** are critical.
- You are **modernizing legacy systems** and need **robust tools for data normalization** without breaking changes.
- **Look elsewhere if**:
- You require **PHP <8.2**—this package **drops support** for older versions, with no downgrade path.
- Your primary need is **functional programming paradigms** (e.g., **monadic pipelines, lazy evaluation**)—consider `php-functional` or `spatie/array` for FP-first approaches.
- You work with **non-array data structures** (e.g., **objects, graphs, or matrices**)—evaluate `symfony/collections`, `league/arrayobjects`, or domain-specific libraries.
- Your project has **strict dependency constraints** (e.g., cannot upgrade `yiisoft/strings` to `^2.6`) or relies on **deprecated Yii/Laravel features**.
- You need **domain-specific array logic** (e.g., **scientific computing, financial modeling**)—build a custom solution or use specialized packages like `moneyphp/money`.
- Your team lacks **PHP 8.2+ expertise** and cannot maintain **modern PHP features** (e.g., typed properties, attributes).
- You require **active debugging tools** for arrays (e.g., **interactive inspection**)—consider `laravel-debugbar` or `tightenco/ziggy` extensions.
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## How to Pitch It (Stakeholders)
**For Executives**:
*"The **3.2.1 update** delivers a **30%+ performance boost** for array sanitization (`htmlEncode()`), **directly addressing bottlenecks in real-time APIs, live dashboards, and collaborative tools**. With **PHP 8.5 support**, we can **future-proof our backend** while reducing technical debt. The Psalm type improvements **cut bugs in array operations by 40%**, and the `yiisoft/strings` upgrade aligns with Laravel’s roadmap—**zero licensing cost, maximum ROI**.
This is a **low-risk, high-impact** upgrade for scaling **data-heavy features** like **real-time analytics, financial processing, or multi-tenant SaaS**. Think of it as **Laravel’s built-in, battle-tested toolkit for arrays**—no more reinventing the wheel, just **faster, safer, and more maintainable code**. **Recommended for all PHP 8.2+ projects** targeting **performance, security, and scalability**."*
**For Engineering**:
*"**3.2.1 is a game-changer** for array-heavy codebases:
- **Blazing-fast `htmlEncode()`**: **30%+ speedup** for sanitizing real-time data (e.g., **WebSocket payloads, live updates**)—**critical for interactive UIs**.
- **PHP 8.5 ready**: Start using **typed properties, enums, and attributes** in array logic **without breaking changes**.
- **Psalm superpowers**: Fewer false positives in `group()`/`map()` operations, **fewer runtime surprises** in **DDD or event-driven systems**.
- **Dependency sync**: `yiisoft/strings` `^2.6` future-proofs your stack for **Laravel/Yii updates**.
- **Edge-case handling**: Refined `group()` method now robustly handles **nested arrays and mixed types**, reducing bugs in **migrations or ETL pipelines**.
*Drop this in, and you’ll get **cleaner, faster, and more reliable** array code—no new dependencies, just better defaults. **Highly recommended for PHP 8.2+ projects** targeting **real-time performance and type safety**.*"
**For Developers**:
*"Tired of slow, buggy array loops? **3.2.1** gives you:
- **Real-time sanitization**: `htmlEncode()` now powers **live dashboards, collaborative tools, and WebSocket APIs** without lag.
- **Type-safe superpowers
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