Write PHP following best practices, PSR standards, and code quality guidelines. Use when writing PHP following PSR standards, SOLID principles, or improving code quality.
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---
name: php-best-practices
description: Write PHP following best practices, PSR standards, and code quality guidelines. Use when writing PHP following PSR standards, SOLID principles, or improving code quality.
metadata:
triggers:
files:
- '**/*.php'
keywords:
- psr-12
- camelCase
- PascalCase
- dry
- solid
---
# PHP Best Practices
## **Priority: P1 (HIGH)**
## Structure
```text
src/
├── {Domain}/ # e.g., Services, Repositories
└── Helpers/ # Pure functions/Traits
```
## Implementation Guidelines
### Coding Style (PSR Standards)
- **PSR-12**: Enforce **4-space indentation** and **opening braces on same line** for functions/methods.
- **Organization**: One class per file; use statements follow namespace. Run **PHP CS Fixer** with **PSR-12** preset.
- **Naming Conventions**: Use **`PascalCase`** (UserService) for classes, **`camelCase`** (getUserById) for methods/variables, and **`SNAKE_CASE`** (MAX_RETRIES) for class constants.
### SOLID Principles in PHP
- **SRP**: Single Responsibility Principle — extract each into its own focused class; keep classes under ~200 lines.
- **Dependency Inversion**: inject via constructor with interface type-hints. Inject dependencies via constructor for testability. Favor composition over deep inheritance chains.
- **Separation of Concerns**: Use **Interfaces** for decoupling integrations and logic.
### Logic & Performance
- **Guard Clauses**: Return early for error conditions (e.g., if (!$user) return null); no else after return to reduce nesting depth.
- **Traits**: Define trait HasTimestamps (e.g., `use HasTimestamps`) for cross-cutting behavior. Keep traits focused and lightweight.
- **Helper Functions**: Avoid global-namespace logic; organize in classes.
## Anti-Patterns
- **No monolithic classes**: Each class one responsibility (SRP).
- **No hardcoded magic numbers**: Define as named class constants.
- **No deep nesting**: Use guard clauses to return early.
- **No `echo` in services**: Return data; let controller output.
## References
- [Clean Code Patterns](references/implementation.md)
