PHP

PHP Skill

PHP code quality and testing: strict types, PSR-12 compliance, modern language features, framework idioms, static analysis tooling, and PHPUnit testing patterns.

Reference Loading Table

Loading rule. Read the references whose signals match the task before responding.

Core Rules (Always Apply)

Strict Types Declaration

Every PHP file must begin with declare(strict_types=1). This enforces scalar type coercion rules, catching type errors at call time instead of silently converting values. Omitting it is a code quality defect.

PSR-12 Coding Standard

PSR-12 extends PSR-1 and PSR-2 as the accepted PHP coding style:

• 4-space indentation, no trailing whitespace
• One class per file
• use statements after namespace with a blank line before and after
• Visibility required on all properties, methods, and constants
• Opening braces on same line for control structures
• Opening braces on next line for classes and methods

Phase 1: ASSESS

Determine what kind of PHP work is needed:

Gate: Request classified and relevant references loaded.

Phase 2: EXECUTE

Apply loaded reference knowledge to the user's code or question.

For quality reviews, check:

1. declare(strict_types=1) present
2. PSR-12 compliance
3. Modern PHP features used where appropriate
4. Framework idioms followed (if applicable)
5. Quality tooling configured (if applicable)

For testing work:

1. Use PHPUnit TestCase with test prefix or @test annotation
2. Use @dataProvider for table-driven cases
3. Use createStub() for return values, createMock() for interaction assertions
4. Use DatabaseTransactions (Laravel) or KernelTestCase (Symfony) for database tests
5. Call parent::setUp() first in every setUp() method

Gate: Specific, reference-backed feedback or code provided.

Phase 3: VERIFY

Run the test suite and confirm:

./vendor/bin/phpunit
# For coverage enforcement:
XDEBUG_MODE=coverage ./vendor/bin/phpunit --coverage-text --coverage-min=80

Gate: All tests pass. Coverage threshold met if configured.