Keeping code clean and updated is important in software development, but refactoring can take a lot of time, especially in big projects. PHP Rector is a tool that helps automate these changes, making sure your code follows best practices and modern PHP standards.
What is PHP Rector?
Rector is a tool that automatically updates and improves PHP code based on predefined rules. it Can:
- Upgrade PHP versions.
- Apply coding standards automatically.
- Remove old and unnecessary code.
- Replace outdated function or method calls.
- Add type hints to properties, function parameters, and return values.
- Convert old docblocks into modern attributes.
Installation
You can install Rector using composer:
composer require --dev rector/rector
Configs
To configure Rector, create a rector.php file in your project's root folder:
<?php
declare(strict_types=1);
use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
use Rector\Php74\Rector\Property\TypedPropertyRector;
use Rector\Php80\Rector\Class_\DoctrineAnnotationToAttributeRector;
use Rector\Php81\Rector\Class_\SpreadingVariadicArgumentsRector;
return static function (RectorConfig $rectorConfig): void {
$rectorConfig->rule(TypedPropertyRector::class);
$rectorConfig->rule(DoctrineAnnotationToAttributeRector::class);
$rectorConfig->rule(SpreadingVariadicArgumentsRector::class);
};
This example enables:
- Typed properties (PHP 7.4+).
- Conversion of Doctrine annotations to attributes (PHP 8+).
- Modern variadic argument syntax (PHP 8.1+).
Running Rector
To apply Rector to your code, run:
vendor/bin/rector process src
This will analyze and update the code inside the src folder.
Examples
Adding Type Hints to Properties
Before:
<?php
class User {
/** @var string */
private $name;
}
After:
<?php
class User {
private string $name;
}
Converting Annotations to Attributes
Before:
<?php
/**
* @ORM\Entity()
* @ORM\Table(name="users")
*/
class User {
/** @ORM\Id */
/** @ORM\GeneratedValue */
/** @ORM\Column(type="integer") */
private $id;
}
After:
<?php
use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
#[ORM\Entity]
#[ORM\Table(name: "users")]
class User {
#[ORM\Id]
#[ORM\GeneratedValue]
#[ORM\Column(type: "integer")]
private int $id;
}
Updating Variadic Argument Syntax
Before:
<?php
function sum(...$numbers) {
return array_sum($numbers);
}
$values = [1, 2, 3];
echo sum(...$values);
After:
<?php
function sum(int ...$numbers): int {
return array_sum($numbers);
}
$values = [1, 2, 3];
echo sum(...$values);
Conclusion
PHP Rector is a great tool for keeping your code clean and updated with less manual work. You can also add it to a CI/CD pipeline to make sure your project follows best practices automatically.
Do you use Rector in your projects? Share your experience in the comments!
Top comments (1)
Rector isn't a tool it's a coach. Never judge, always teach you on how to better code.
I love it since years.