php-best-practiceslisted

# PHP Best Practices Modern PHP 8.x patterns, PSR standards, type system best practices, and SOLID principles. Contains 51 rules for writing clean, maintainable PHP code. ## Step 1: Detect PHP Version **Always check the project's PHP version before giving any advice.** Features vary significantly across 8.0 - 8.5. Never suggest syntax that doesn't exist in the project's version. Check `composer.json` for the required PHP version: ```json { "require": { "php": "^8.1" } } // -> 8.1 rules and below { "require": { "php": "^8.3" } } // -> 8.3 rules and below { "require": { "php": ">=8.4" } } // -> 8.4 rules and below ``` Also check the runtime version: ```bash php -v # e.g. PHP 8.3.12 ``` ### Feature Availability by Version | Feature | Version | Rule Prefix | |---------|---------|-------------| | Union types, match, nullsafe, named args, constructor promotion, attributes | 8.0+ | `type-`, `modern-` | | Enums, readonly properties, intersection types, first-class callables, never, fibers | 8.1+ | `modern-` | | Readonly classes, DNF types, true/false/null standalone types | 8.2+ | `modern-` | | Typed class constants, `#[\Override]`, `json_validate()` | 8.3+ | `modern-` | | Property hooks, asymmetric visibility, `#[\Deprecated]`, `new` without parens | 8.4+ | `modern-` | | Pipe operator `|>` | 8.5+ | `modern-` | **Only suggest features available in the detected version.** If the user asks about upgrading or newer features, mention what becomes available at each version.