Standard Setup for PHP projects

Table of Contents

Note: This is my standard setup from 2020, a newer version from 2021 is now available Standard setup for PHP projects 2021 #

The focus in setting up PHP Projects in PhpStorm, in particular a Laravel project.

Composer with PHP with Easy Coding Standard (ECS), PHPUnit, and PhpStan. Also, some simplify projects to allow the output to be displayed in PHPStorm.

Below are some other options, including psalm, Rector and PHP Mess Detector.

Composer #

Example snippet of a composer.json

{
  "require-dev": {
    "phpstan/phpstan": "^0.12",
    "phpunit/phpunit": "^8.5.0",
    "squizlabs/php_codesniffer": "^3.5.3",
    "symplify/easy-coding-standard": "^7.1",
    "symplify/phpstan-extensions": "^7.1",
    "nunomaduro/larastan": "^0.5.0",
    "phpstan/phpstan-phpunit": "^0.12.2",
    "rector/rector": "0.7.26"
  },
  "scripts": {
    "checkcode": "phpcs src tests --standard=PSR12",
    "fixcode": "phpcbf src tests --standard=PSR12",
    "test": "phpunit",
    "tests": "phpunit",
    "check-cs": "ecs check src tests --ansi",
    "fix-cs": "ecs check src tests --fix --ansi",
    "phpstan": "phpstan analyse src tests --ansi --error-format symplify",
    "rector": "rector process -c rector.yaml --ansi",
    "rector:dry-run": "rector process -c rector.yaml --ansi --dry-run"
  }
}

.editorconfig #

Example .editorconfig file, normally found in the root of a project.

root = true

[*]
charset = utf-8
end_of_line = lf
insert_final_newline = true
indent_style = space
indent_size = 4
trim_trailing_whitespace = true

[*.md]
trim_trailing_whitespace = false

Xdebug #

Xdebug is used to debug PHP script, however due to how it analyses the script it makes PHP very slow, debugging should only enable it when debugging is required.

Add the following to the php.ini:

[xdebug]
zend_extension=xdebug
xdebug.remote_enable=1
xdebug.remote_port=9000

Note: PhpStorm will automatically enable xdebug, when the following is configure and debugging is enable, there is no need to leave xdebug enabled in php.ini. To temporarily disable xdebug comment out and the line. Using Laragon: Menu > PHP > Quick settings > xdebug, click to toggle on and off. This will be the same as manually adding a ; to the php.ini file:

[xdebug]
;zend_extension=xdebug
...

Configuring Xdebug in PhpStorm #

TL;DR (parts copied from above PhpStorm Tutorials, full version below)

In the Settings/Preferences dialog Ctrl+Alt+S, select Languages & Frameworks | PHP.
Check the Xdebug installation associated with the selected PHP interpreter:
a. On the PHP page, choose the relevant PHP installation from the CLI Interpreter list and click the Browse button next to the field.
b. The CLI Interpreters dialog that opens shows the following:
i. The version of the selected PHP installation. (e.g. D:\laragon\bin\php\php-7.4.4-Win32-vc15-x64\php.exe)
ii. The name and version of the debugging engine associated with the selected PHP installation (Xdebug). (e.g. D: \laragon\bin\php\php-7.4.4-Win32-vc15-x64\ext\php_xdebug.dll)
iii Once set click OK.
Define the Xdebug behaviour. Click Debug under the PHP node (Languages & Frameworks | PHP | Debug.). On the Debug page that opens, specify the following settings in the Xdebug area:

Check the Pre-configuration has been complete (Xdebug ins installed, Install browser toolbar, Enable listening for PHP Debug connections and Start debug session)
Under the XDebug heading, Choose the Debug Port field (default is 9000). This must be exactly the same port number as specified in the php.ini file: xdebug.remote_port =9000
To accept any incoming connections, select the Can accept external connections checkbox. (Default)
Select the Force break at the first line when no path mapping is specified checkbox to have the debugger stop as soon as it reaches and opens a file that is not mapped to any file in the project on the Servers page. (Default)
Click OK

Using debug mode #

Set a breakpoint in the file to be inspected.

Open public/index.php, wait for the file to open, then in to top right there will be a floating bar with a list of browsers. Click Chrome (Alt+F2 + Choose Chrome)

Chrome browser will launch and open the projects webpage. If the Debug icon isn’t already green, click the Debug icon for Xdebug helper extension. From the drop down list click Debug option, the icon will then display green.

Navigate the project’s website, to the page which uses the file that has the breakpoint set. As soon as the page is hit PhpStorm will open (it may be behind the browser).

In PhpStorm, accept the connection (this warning normally only displays the first hit and accepted once).

Debug information will display in the console, including the option to inspect variables and evaluate.

More details: How to Debug #

For the full version of the above see Configuring Xdebug in PhpStorm and Browser Debugging Extensions, click the link for Xdebug for Chrome and install Xdebug Helper.

Youtube: Step Into Debugging with PhpStorm by Gary Hockin, 58 min video on Debugging.

How to Debug using Xdebug and PHPStorm from a Remote Server

Strict mode #

PHPStorm has an inspection to set strict mode.

Full article Project Wide PHP 7 Strict Types in PhpStorm 2016.3 by Gary Hockin

TL&DR; #

Strict types declaration setting can be found under Type compatibility in the Inspections pane of the Preferences window.

Or double shift search for Missing Strict types declaration tick the inspection.

To run the inspection against the whole project (code base): CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + I or double shift search for run inspection by name. Search for missing strict type declaration, Enter for whole project. The inspection will run, click on each file and click Add strict types declaration

Project specific Standards #

Laravel #

Add the Laravel code standard for PHP code sniffer, static analysis for PHPStan and PHPStorm helper.

composer require --dev emielmolenaar/phpcs-laravel
composer require --dev nunomaduro/larastan
composer require --dev barryvdh/laravel-ide-helper

Example script to run phpcs using the phpcs-laravel standard:

phpcs --standard=phpcs-laravel

Automatic phpDoc generation for Laravel Facades (ide helper setup) #

phpDoc generation for Laravel Facades
phpDocs for models
PhpStorm Meta file

After updating composer, add the service provider to the providers array in config/app.php

[
Barryvdh\LaravelIdeHelper\IdeHelperServiceProvider::class,
];

To generate helper files, run the following:

php artisan ide-helper:generate
php artisan ide-helper:models --write
php artisan ide-helper:meta

It is a good idea to add the generated files to .gitignore

echo /.phpstorm.meta.php >> .gitignore
echo /_ide_helper.php >> .gitignore
echo /_ide_helper_models.php >> .gitignore

In PhpStorm enable the Laravel plugin

Shortcuts for Helpers #

Create batch files in the root of the project, which work in combination with the composer scripts.

cc.bat

Runs the composer script for ECS to check the code.

composer check-cs

fc.bat

Runs the composer script for ECS to fix the code.

composer fix-cs

rdr.bat

Runs the composer script for Rector for dry run. Adjust rector.yml as required.

composer rector:dry-run

re.bat

Runs the composer script for Rector to fix the code (run dry run first!). Also adjust rector.yml as required.

composer rector

ps.bat

Runs the composer script for PhpStan to check the code.

composer phpstan

pu.bat

Runs the composer script for PhpUnit.

composer test

PHPStan Setup #

PHP Static Analysis Tool - discover bugs in your code without running it!

Github: phpstan/phpstan

Installation of PHPStan using Composer #

composer require phpstan/phpstan --dev

Example `phpstan.neon` file #

PHPStan needs a phpstan.neon file an example can be found here

Example phpstan.neon

includes:
  - vendor/nunomaduro/larastan/extension.neon
  - vendor/symplify/phpstan-extensions/config/config.neon
  - vendor/phpstan/phpstan-phpunit/extension.neon

parameters:
  paths:
    # Laravel
    - app
    # Source folder, add more folder as required
    - src
    - tests

  # The level 8 is the highest level
  level: 8

  checkGenericClassInNonGenericObjectType: false

  # Larstan recommendation:
  checkMissingIterableValueType: false

  # to allow installing with various PhpStan versions without reporting old errors here
  reportUnmatchedIgnoredErrors: false

  ignoreErrors:
    # LaraStan recommendation:
    - '#Unsafe usage of new static#'

    # Ignore errors in Laravel's Middleware classes
    - message: '#Method App\\Http\\Middleware\\RedirectIfAuthenticated\:\:handle\(\) has no return typehint specified#'
      path: app\Http\Middleware\RedirectIfAuthenticated.php
    - message: '#Method App\\Http\\Middleware\\Authenticate\:\:redirectTo\(\) should return string\|null but return statement is missing#'
      path: app\Http\Middleware\Authenticate.php

  # buggy

  # mixed

  # cache buggy

  # tests

  # iterable

The above includes placeholders (buggy/mixed etc) for ignored files or rules. See the documentation for how to add.

Another PhpStan.neon example from LaraStan:

includes:
    - ./vendor/nunomaduro/larastan/extension.neon

parameters:

    paths:
        - app

    # The level 8 is the highest level
    level: 5

    ignoreErrors:
        - '#Unsafe usage of new static#'

    excludes_analyse:
        - ./*/*/FileToBeExcluded.php

    checkMissingIterableValueType: false

Alternative PhpStan script with level set to max #

phpstan analyse src tests --level max --error-format checkstyle

PHPStorm Setup of PHPStan #

PHPStan can be used as an External Tool #

Go to Preferences > Tools > External Tools and click + to add a new tool.

Name: PHPStan (Can be any value)
Description: PHPStan (Can be any value)
Program: $ProjectFileDir$/vendor/bin/phpstan.bat (Path to phpstan.bat executable; On Windows path separators must be a \)
Parameters: check $FilePathRelativeToProjectRoot$ (append –fix to auto-fix)
Working directory: $ProjectFileDir$

Press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A (Find Action), search for phpstan, and then hit Enter. It will run phpstan for all files in the project.

You can also create a keyboard shortcut in Preferences > Keymap to run phpstan.

PHPStan can be used as a watcher #

I have also tried setting up PHPStan as a watcher as follows:

File type: PHP
Scope: All Places
Program: $ProjectFileDir$/vendor/bin/phpstan
Arguments: analyse
Working directory: $ProjectFileDir$
Show console: On error

It runs PHPStan on every save, but only opens the console when PHPStan detects an error. Not as good as integrated analysis, but a good compromise, until Jetbrains can integrate it.

Easy Coding Standard (ECS) #

The easiest way to start using PHP CS Fixer and PHP_CodeSniffer with 0-knowledge

symplify/easy-coding-standard

Installation of ECS using Composer #

composer require symplify/easy-coding-standard --dev

Example `ecs.yaml` file #

parameters:
  sets:
    - 'psr12'
    - 'php70'
    - 'php71'
    - 'symplify'
    - 'common'
    - 'clean-code'

  line_ending: "\n"

  # 4 spaces
  indentation: "    "

  skip:
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\Architecture\DuplicatedClassShortNameSniff: null
    # Allow snake_case for tests
    PHP_CodeSniffer\Standards\Generic\Sniffs\NamingConventions\CamelCapsFunctionNameSniff:
      - tests/**
    # Ignore what is not owned - Laravel's TestCase class does not start with 'Abstract'
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\Naming\AbstractClassNameSniff:
      - tests/TestCase.php
    # Ignore what is not owned - Laravel's traits do not end with 'Trait'
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\Naming\TraitNameSniff:
      - tests/**
    # Ignore what is not owned - CommentedOutCodeSniff
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\Debug\CommentedOutCodeSniff.Found:
      - app/Console/Kernel.php
    # Ignore what is not owned - @return \Illuminate\Contracts\Validation\Validator
    SlevomatCodingStandard\Sniffs\Namespaces\ReferenceUsedNamesOnlySniff.ReferenceViaFullyQualifiedName:
      - app/Http/Controllers/Auth/RegisterController.php

services:
  Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\CleanCode\CognitiveComplexitySniff:
    max_cognitive_complexity: 8

Working example from KnpLabs/DoctrineBehaviors

Example ecs.yaml

parameters:
  sets:
    - 'psr12'
    - 'php70'
    - 'php71'
    - 'symplify'
    - 'common'
    - 'clean-code'

  skip:
    PhpCsFixer\Fixer\Operator\UnaryOperatorSpacesFixer: null
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\ControlStructure\SprintfOverContactSniff: null
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\CleanCode\ForbiddenStaticFunctionSniff: null
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\CleanCode\CognitiveComplexitySniff: null
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\CleanCode\ForbiddenReferenceSniff: null
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\Architecture\ExplicitExceptionSniff: null
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\Architecture\DuplicatedClassShortNameSniff: null

    # mixed types
    SlevomatCodingStandard\Sniffs\TypeHints\PropertyTypeHintSniff: null

    # buggy
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Fixer\ControlStructure\PregDelimiterFixer: null

    PhpCsFixer\Fixer\PhpUnit\PhpUnitStrictFixer:
      - "tests/ORM/TimestampableTest.php"

    # weird naming
    Symplify\CodingStandard\Fixer\Naming\PropertyNameMatchingTypeFixer:
      - "src/Model/Geocodable/GeocodablePropertiesTrait.php"
      # & bug
      - "*Repository.php"

    SlevomatCodingStandard\Sniffs\Classes\UnusedPrivateElementsSniff:
      - "tests/Fixtures/Entity/SluggableWithoutRegenerateEntity.php"

services:
  Symplify\CodingStandard\Sniffs\CleanCode\CognitiveComplexitySniff:
    max_cognitive_complexity: 8

  PhpCsFixer\Fixer\ClassNotation\FinalClassFixer: ~

  # see single LICENSE.txt file in the root directory
  PhpCsFixer\Fixer\Comment\HeaderCommentFixer:
    header: ''

  PhpCsFixer\Fixer\Phpdoc\GeneralPhpdocAnnotationRemoveFixer:
    annotations:
      - 'author'
      - 'package'
      - 'license'
      - 'link'
      - 'abstract'

  # every property should have @var annotation
  # SlevomatCodingStandard\Sniffs\TypeHints\PropertyTypeHintSniff: ~

Example from phpdocumentor\reflection-common\easy-coding-standard.neon

includes:
  - temp/ecs/config/clean-code.neon
  - temp/ecs/config/psr2.neon
  - temp/ecs/config/common.neon

parameters:
  exclude_checkers:
    # from temp/ecs/config/common.neon
    - PhpCsFixer\Fixer\ClassNotation\OrderedClassElementsFixer
    - PhpCsFixer\Fixer\PhpUnit\PhpUnitStrictFixer
    - PhpCsFixer\Fixer\ControlStructure\YodaStyleFixer
    # from temp/ecs/config/spaces.neon
    - PhpCsFixer\Fixer\Operator\NotOperatorWithSuccessorSpaceFixer

  skip:
    PHP_CodeSniffer\Standards\Generic\Sniffs\NamingConventions\CamelCapsFunctionNameSniff:
      - tests/**

PHPStorm setup for Easy Coding Standard (ECS) #

EasyCodingStandard can be used as an External Tool

Go to Preferences > Tools > External Tools and click + to add a new tool.

Name: ecs (Can be any value)
Description: easyCodingStandard (Can be any value)
Program: $ProjectFileDir$/vendor/bin/ecs (Path to ecs executable; On Windows path separators must be a \)
Parameters: check $FilePathRelativeToProjectRoot$ (append --fix to auto-fix)
Working directory: $ProjectFileDir$

Press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A (Find Action), search for ecs, and then hit Enter. It will run ecs for the current file.

To run ecs on a directory, right click on a folder in the project browser go to external tools and select ecs.

You can also create a keyboard shortcut in Preferences > Keymap to run ecs.

PHP CodeSniffer #

PHP_CodeSniffer tokenizes PHP, JavaScript and CSS files and detects violations of a defined set of coding standards.

squizlabs/php_codesniffer

Installation of PHP CodeSniffer using Composer #

composer require squizlabs/php_codesniffer --dev

Example `phpcs.xml.dist` #

Example from phpdocumentor\type-resolver

Example phpcs.xml.dist

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ruleset name="phpDocumentor">
    <description>The coding standard for phpDocumentor.</description>

    <file>src</file>
    <file>tests/unit</file>
    <exclude-pattern>*/tests/unit/Types/ContextFactoryTest.php</exclude-pattern>
    <arg value="p"/>
    <rule ref="PSR2">
        <include-pattern>*\.php</include-pattern>
    </rule>

    <rule ref="Doctrine">
        <exclude name="SlevomatCodingStandard.TypeHints.UselessConstantTypeHint.UselessDocComment"/>
    </rule>

    <rule ref="Squiz.Classes.ValidClassName.NotCamelCaps">
        <exclude-pattern>*/src/*_.php</exclude-pattern>
    </rule>

    <rule ref="SlevomatCodingStandard.Classes.SuperfluousAbstractClassNaming.SuperfluousPrefix">
        <exclude-pattern>*/src/*/Abstract*.php</exclude-pattern>
    </rule>

    <rule ref="Generic.Formatting.SpaceAfterNot">
        <properties>
            <property name="spacing" value="0"/>
        </properties>
    </rule>
</ruleset>

PHPUnit #

The PHP Unit Testing framework.

phpunit/phpunit

Installation of PHPUnit using Composer #

composer require phpunit/phpunit --dev

Example `phpunit.xml` or `phpunit.xml.dist` #

Example phpunit.xml.dist from Laravel Package Boilerplate, very useful for coverage reports!

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<phpunit bootstrap="vendor/autoload.php"
         backupGlobals="false"
         backupStaticAttributes="false"
         colors="true"
         verbose="true"
         convertErrorsToExceptions="true"
         convertNoticesToExceptions="true"
         convertWarningsToExceptions="true"
         processIsolation="false"
         stopOnFailure="false">
    <testsuites>
        <testsuite name="Test Suite">
            <directory>tests</directory>
        </testsuite>
    </testsuites>
    <filter>
        <whitelist>
            <directory suffix=".php">src/</directory>
        </whitelist>
    </filter>
    <logging>
        <log type="tap" target="build/report.tap"/>
        <log type="junit" target="build/report.junit.xml"/>
        <log type="coverage-html" target="build/coverage" lowUpperBound="35" highLowerBound="70"/>
        <log type="coverage-text" target="build/coverage.txt"/>
        <log type="coverage-clover" target="build/logs/clover.xml"/>
    </logging>
</phpunit>

Add /build/ to .gitignore

echo /build/ >> .gitignore

Example phpunit.xml from livewire\livewire

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<phpunit backupGlobals="false"
         backupStaticAttributes="false"
         bootstrap="vendor/autoload.php"
         colors="true"
         convertErrorsToExceptions="true"
         convertNoticesToExceptions="true"
         convertWarningsToExceptions="true"
         processIsolation="false"
         stopOnFailure="false">
    <testsuites>
        <testsuite name="Unit">
            <directory suffix="Test.php">./tests</directory>
        </testsuite>
    </testsuites>
    <filter>
        <whitelist processUncoveredFilesFromWhitelist="true">
            <directory suffix=".php">./src</directory>
        </whitelist>
    </filter>
</phpunit>

phpunit.xml from KnpLabs/DoctrineBehaviors (minimalist)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<phpunit
        colors="true"
        bootstrap="tests/bootstrap.php"
>

    <testsuites>
        <testsuite name="Knp Doctrine2 Behaviors">
            <directory>tests</directory>
        </testsuite>
    </testsuites>
</phpunit>

PHP Mess Detector #

phpmd.org

Installation of PHP Mess Detector #

Follow the link from phpmd.org to download the latest version and save the phpmd.phar file in an accessible location.

Example `phpmd.xml` #

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<ruleset
        name="ProxyManager rules"
        xmlns="http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset/1.0.0"
        xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset/1.0.0 http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset_xml_schema.xsd"
        xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset_xml_schema.xsd"
>
    <rule ref="rulesets/codesize.xml"/>
    <rule ref="rulesets/unusedcode.xml"/>
    <rule ref="rulesets/design.xml">
        <!-- eval is needed to generate runtime classes -->
        <exclude name="EvalExpression"/>
    </rule>
    <rule ref="rulesets/naming.xml">
        <exclude name="LongVariable"/>
    </rule>
    <rule ref="rulesets/naming.xml/LongVariable">
        <properties>
            <property name="minimum">40</property>
        </properties>
    </rule>
</ruleset>

Mess detection rules from nesbot\Carbon

Example phpmd.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ruleset name="Mess detection rules for Carbon"
         xmlns="http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset/1.0.0"
         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset/1.0.0
                     http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset_xml_schema.xsd"
         xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="
                     http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset_xml_schema.xsd">
    <description>
        Mess detection rules for Carbon
    </description>
    <rule ref="rulesets/codesize.xml">
        <exclude name="CyclomaticComplexity"/>
        <exclude name="NPathComplexity"/>
        <exclude name="ExcessiveMethodLength"/>
        <exclude name="ExcessiveClassLength"/>
        <exclude name="ExcessivePublicCount"/>
        <exclude name="TooManyMethods"/>
        <exclude name="TooManyPublicMethods"/>
        <exclude name="ExcessiveClassComplexity"/>
    </rule>
    <rule ref="rulesets/cleancode.xml">
        <exclude name="BooleanArgumentFlag"/>
        <exclude name="StaticAccess"/>
        <exclude name="IfStatementAssignment"/>
    </rule>
    <rule ref="rulesets/controversial.xml"/>
    <rule ref="rulesets/design.xml">
        <exclude name="EvalExpression"/>
        <exclude name="CouplingBetweenObjects"/>
        <exclude name="CountInLoopExpression"/>
    </rule>
    <rule ref="rulesets/design.xml/CouplingBetweenObjects">
        <properties>
            <property name="maximum" value="20"/>
        </properties>
    </rule>
    <rule ref="rulesets/naming.xml/ShortVariable">
        <properties>
            <property name="exceptions" value="ci,id,to,tz"/>
        </properties>
    </rule>
    <rule ref="rulesets/unusedcode.xml"/>
</ruleset>

PHPStorm setup for PHP Mess Detector #

https://www.jetbrains.com/help/phpstorm/using-php-mess-detector.html

Configure a local PHP Mess Detector script #

1) Download and install the PHP Mess Detector scripts.

To check the PHP Mess Detector installation, switch to the installation directory and run the following command:

phpmd --version

If the tool is available, you will get a message in the following format:

PHPMD version <version>

To have code checked against your own custom coding standard, create it. Store the rules and the ruleset.xml file that points to them in the rulesets root directory.

2) Register the local PHP Mess Detector script in PhpStorm:

a. In the Settings/Preferences dialog Ctrl+Alt+S, navigate to Languages & Frameworks | PHP | Quality Tools.

b. On the Quality Tools page that opens, expand the Mess Detector area and click the Browse button next to the ** Configuration** list.

c. In the PHP Mess Detector dialog that opens, specify the location of the phpmd.bat or phpmd PHP Mess Detector executable in the PHP Mess Detector path field. Type the path manually or click the Browse button and select the relevant folder in the dialog that opens.

To check that the specified path to phpmd.bat or phpmd ensures interaction between PhpStorm and PHP Mess Detector, that is, the tool can be launched from PhpStorm and PhpStorm will receive problem reports from it, click the ** Validate** button. This validation is equal to running the phpmd --version command. If validation passes successfully, PhpStorm displays the information on the detected PHP Mess Detector version.

Configure a PHP Mess Detector script associated with a PHP interpreter #

In the Settings/Preferences dialog Ctrl+Alt+S, navigate to Languages & Frameworks | PHP | Quality Tools.
On the Quality Tools page that opens, expand the Mess Detector area and click the … (Browse button) next to the Configuration list. The PHP Mess Detector dialog opens showing the list of all the configured PHP Mess Detector scripts in the left-hand pane, one of them is of the type Local and others are named after the PHP interpreters with which the scripts are associated. Click the Add button on the toolbar.
In the PHP Mess Detector by Remote Interpreter dialog that opens, choose the remote PHP interpreter to use the associated script from. If the list does not contain a relevant interpreter, click the Browse button and configure a remote interpreter in the CLI Interpreters dialog as described in Configuring Remote PHP Interpreters.

When you click OK, PhpStorm brings you back to the PHP Mess Detector dialog where the new PHP Mess Detector configuration is added to the list and the right-hand pane shows the chosen remote PHP interpreter, the path to the PHP Mess Detector associated with it, and the advanced PHP Mess Detector options.

psalm #

vimeo/psalm

A static analysis tool for finding errors in PHP applications https://psalm.dev

Install psalm #

Install via Composer:

composer require --dev vimeo/psalm

Add a config:

./vendor/bin/psalm --init

Then run Psalm:

./vendor/bin/psalm

Example `psalm.xml` #

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<psalm
        autoloader="psalm-autoload.php"
        stopOnFirstError="false"
        useDocblockTypes="true"
>
    <projectFiles>
        <directory name="app"/>
        <directory name="tests"/>
    </projectFiles>
    <issueHandlers>
        <RedundantConditionGivenDocblockType errorLevel="info"/>
        <UnresolvableInclude errorLevel="info"/>
        <DuplicateClass errorLevel="info"/>
        <InvalidOperand errorLevel="info"/>
        <UndefinedConstant errorLevel="info"/>
        <MissingReturnType errorLevel="info"/>
        <InvalidReturnType errorLevel="info"/>
    </issueHandlers>
</psalm>

Rector #

Instant Upgrades and Instant Refactoring of any PHP 5.3+ code https://getrector.org

rectorphp/rector

Installation of Rector using Composer #

composer require rector/rector --dev

Example `rector.yaml` #

parameters:
  sets:
    - 'code-quality'
    - 'php71'
    - 'php72'
    - 'php73'

  php_version_features: '7.2' # your version is 7.3

  paths:
    - 'src'
    - 'tests'

Demo #

git clone <forked> https://github.com/rectorphp/demo.git
cd demo
composer install

parameters:
  php_version_features: '7.2'

# demo
# 1. php
# vendor/bin/rector process src/PhpCodeUpgrade/CountOnNullableAndArrayAssign.php --set php71 --dry-run
# vendor/bin/rector process src/PhpCodeUpgrade/CreateFunction.php --set php72 --dry-run

# 2. code quality
# vendor/bin/rector process src/CodeQuality --set code-quality --dry-run
# vendor/bin/rector process src/PhpCodeUpgrade --set type-declaration --dry-run

# 3. twig
# vendor/bin/rector process src --set twig-underscore-to-namespace --dry-run

# 4. phpunit
# vendor/bin/rector process src tests --set phpunit70 --dry-run

# typed properties - @todo change param to the PHP 7.4
# not only improve, but also fix BC breaks
# vendor/bin/rector process src --set php74 --dry-run

# list all available sets:
# vendor\bin\rector sets

Example rector-ci.yaml #

parameters:
  paths:
    - "src"
    - "tests"

  sets:
    - 'dead-code'
    - 'code-quality'
    - 'coding-style'
    - 'nette-utils-code-quality'

  exclude_rectors:
    - 'Rector\DeadCode\Rector\Class_\RemoveUnusedDoctrineEntityMethodAndPropertyRector'
    - 'Rector\SOLID\Rector\ClassMethod\UseInterfaceOverImplementationInConstructorRector'

  exclude_paths:
    - 'src/Model/Translatable/TranslatableMethodsTrait.php'

Example rector-ci.yaml from symplify / symplify

services:
  Rector\SOLID\Rector\Property\ChangeReadOnlyPropertyWithDefaultValueToConstantRector: null
  Rector\SOLID\Rector\ClassMethod\ChangeReadOnlyVariableWithDefaultValueToConstantRector: null

parameters:
  auto_import_names: true
  autoload_paths:
    - 'tests/bootstrap.php'

  sets:
    - 'code-quality'
    - 'dead-code'
    - 'coding-style'
    - 'php-70'
    - 'php-71'
    - 'php-72'

  paths:
    - "packages"

  exclude_paths:
    - '/vendor/'
    - '/init/'
    - '/Source/'
    - '/ChangedFilesDetectorSource/'
    # parameter Symfony autowire hack
    - 'packages/changelog-linker/src/DependencyInjection/Dummy/ResolveAutowiringExceptionHelper.php'
    - 'packages/monorepo-builder/packages/init/templates/*'

  exclude_rectors:
    # too free
    - 'Rector\SOLID\Rector\ClassMethod\UseInterfaceOverImplementationInConstructorRector'
    # needs to skip dev classes
    - 'Rector\Php55\Rector\String_\StringClassNameToClassConstantRector'
    # this should skip preg_match etc. patterns
    - 'Rector\CodingStyle\Rector\String_\SymplifyQuoteEscapeRector'
    # buggy
    - 'Rector\CodingStyle\Rector\Use_\RemoveUnusedAliasRector'

    # many edge cases on known array key contents
    - 'Rector\Php71\Rector\FuncCall\CountOnNullRector'

    # fixed in master
    - 'Rector\Php70\Rector\MethodCall\ThisCallOnStaticMethodToStaticCallRector'

Phan #

Phan is a static analyzer for PHP. Phan prefers to avoid false-positives and attempts to prove incorrectness rather than correctness. https://github.com/phan/phan/wiki

phan/phan

composer require phan/phan