Coding Standards in PHP & Laravel with PSR-12: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Laravel, a widely acclaimed PHP framework for web development, has become a staple for web developers seeking to deliver top-notch web applications and services. However, in the ever-evolving landscape of software development, adherence to coding standards plays a pivotal role in the life of a Laravel web developer.

Today, let’s shine a light on an invaluable ally that simplifies the programmer’s journey and significantly contributes to maintaining impeccable coding standards. As the software development realm progresses, the developer community relies on a multitude of tools to uphold the highest quality in web development and web application development.

Coding standards are the unsung heroes of software development. They provide a set of guidelines and conventions that developers adhere to when writing code. These standards ensure that the code is clean, readable, maintainable, and readable, making it easier for developers to collaborate on projects and for organizations to maintain and update their software over time. In this article, we will delve deeper into coding standards, their importance, and how they apply to PHP, Laravel, with a specific focus on the PSR-12 coding style guide.

Coding standards, also known as coding conventions or coding guidelines, are a set of rules and best practices that dictate how source code should be written and formatted in a programming language. These standards are essential for maintaining code quality, readability, and consistency in software development.

Coding standards play a crucial role in software development by providing guidelines and best practices for writing code. They offer numerous use cases that benefit both individual developers and entire development teams.

The Significance of Coding Standards

Coding standards play a pivotal role in software development for several compelling reasons:

1. Readability

Clean and consistent code is easy to read and understand. This is not just beneficial for the original author but also for other developers who might collaborate on the project or inherit the codebase.

Example

2. Maintainability

Well-structured code is inherently more maintainable. When code adheres to established standards, developers can make changes and updates without inadvertently introducing bugs or complications.

3. Collaboration

In collaborative projects, adhering to coding standards is crucial. A unified coding style ensures that all team members are on the same page, reducing confusion and fostering smoother collaboration.

4. Code Reviews

Coding standards provide a predefined set of rules that can be used during code reviews. This helps in identifying potential issues early in the development process, improving code quality.

5. Portability

Code that follows coding standards is more portable between different projects and frameworks. It’s easier to integrate and adapt code when it conforms to a common standard.

PSR-12: A Closer Look

PSR-12, also known as the “PHP Standard Recommendation 12,” is a coding standard developed by the PHP Framework Interop Group (PHP-FIG). It builds upon the earlier PSR-1 and PSR-2 standards and aims to provide more comprehensive and detailed recommendations for PHP code.

Difference b/w psr-2 and psr-12:

PSR-2 and PSR-12 are both coding standards for PHP, with PSR-12 being an evolution of PSR-2. Here’s a brief comparison of the key differences between PSR-2 and PSR-12:

1. Brace Placement:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 recommends placing opening braces for control structures (if statements, loops, functions, etc.) on the same line as the control structure declaration.

• PSR-12: PSR-12 allows for more flexibility by permitting braces to be placed either on the same line or on the next line. However, it recommends a specific style for readability: placing braces on the next line for control structures and on the same line for function and method declarations.

2. Indentation:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 specifies using 4 spaces for each level of indentation.

• PSR-12: PSR-12 retains the recommendation for 4 spaces of indentation.

3. Line Length:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 suggests a maximum line length of 80 characters.

• PSR-12: PSR-12 extends the line length recommendation to 120 characters. This accommodates longer lines without compromising readability on modern displays.

4. Method and Function Names:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 recommends using camelCase for method and function names.

• PSR-12: PSR-12 maintains this recommendation for method and function names.

5. Class and Interface Names:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 suggests using CamelCase for class and interface names.

• PSR-12: PSR-12 maintains this recommendation for class and interface names.

6. Abstract Classes and Methods:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 recommends that abstract classes and methods be declared with the “abstract” keyword on a new line.

• PSR-12: PSR-12 retains this recommendation for abstract classes and methods.

7. Use Statements:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 suggests grouping “use” statements at the top of a file with separate groups for PHP core classes, classes from other namespaces, and classes from the current namespace.

• PSR-12: PSR-12 maintains this practice and provides more specific guidance on the order in which “use” statements should appear.

8. Visibility Keywords:

• PSR-2: PSR-2 recommends explicitly declaring the visibility of class methods and properties (e.g., using “public,” “protected,” or “private” keywords).

• PSR-12: PSR-12 maintains this recommendation for explicitly declaring visibility.

Key PSR-12 Guidelines

Let’s dive into some of the essential guidelines outlined in PSR-12:

1. Files

PHP code must use only <?php and <?=, and no other variations of the opening tag. This ensures consistency in code formatting.

Example:

2. Indentation

The standard specifies using an indent size of 4 spaces (no tabs) for code blocks. This helps maintain consistent and readable indentation.

Example:

3. Namespace and Use Declarations

Import statements and namespace declarations should be on separate lines, making it easier to manage namespaces.

Example:

4. Class Declarations

Classes must be declared on their own lines, and the opening brace must be on the same line as the class name. This format enhances code readability.

Example:

5. Method Declarations

Method names must be declared in camelCase, and opening braces must be on the same line as the method declaration.

Example:

6. Control Structures

Control structures (such as if, switch, for, etc.) must have a space before and after the control structure keyword. This spacing ensures consistency in code formatting.

Example:

7. Visibility

Class properties and methods must declare visibility explicitly (public, protected, or private). This explicit declaration enhances code clarity.

Example:

PSR-12 also provides guidelines for various other aspects of coding style, including comments, function arguments, and more.

Applying PSR-12 to Your Code

Now, let’s apply the PSR-12 guidelines to the code you provided as an example:

In this code snippet, you can observe how several PSR-12 guidelines are followed:

• Consistent indentation using 4 spaces.

• Namespace and use declarations on separate lines.

• Class and method declarations following the required format.

• Proper spacing around control structures (try, catch, return).

It’s essential to apply similar PSR-12 guidelines to the UserService class and other parts of your codebase to ensure consistency throughout your project.

Method Signature and Comment

Example:

• The comment above the method signature provides a concise description of the method’s purpose, which is to log in a specific user in the system.

• The @param tag documents the method’s parameter, $request, which is of type LoginRequest. This indicates that the method expects a request object that conforms to the LoginRequest class.

• The @return tag specifies that the method returns a JsonResponse, which is a common way to respond to API requests with JSON data.

Method Implementation

Example:

Data Validation

Example:

• This line extracts and validates the data from the $request object using the validated() method. Laravel’s validated() method automatically applies validation rules defined in the associated LoginRequest class.

• Data validation is a crucial step in ensuring that the incoming data meets the required criteria, such as valid email and password formats.

User Authentication

Example:

• Here, the validated data is passed to the login method of the userService object. This likely involves user authentication, where the user’s provided credentials are checked against a user database.

Response Generation

Example:

• This line generates a JSON response using Laravel’s response()->json() method and returns it. The $reply variable likely contains data related to the login attempt, such as a success message or error information.

Error Handling

Follow coding standards for error handling, including using try-catch blocks and creating custom exception classes. Avoid suppressing errors and ensure clear, user-friendly error messages. Implement robust error logging and centralized error handling. Write tests, document your approach, and handle resource cleanup properly. Notify administrators of critical errors and design code to recover gracefully from non-critical issues while keeping error-handling code concise and reusable.

Example:

• In case an exception is thrown during the login process (indicated by the try…catch block), this section handles it.

• It returns a JSON response with an error message if an exception occurs. The status code 500 indicates a server error.

try…catch

1. Exception Handling

In the login process, various exceptions can occur. For example:

• Database connection issues.

• Authentication errors (e.g., incorrect credentials).

• Unexpected errors or exceptions within the userService’s login method.

The try…catch block allows you to gracefully handle these exceptions. Without exception handling, an unhandled exception could lead to a fatal error and result in an application crash or the display of technical error messages to users, which is not user-friendly.

2. Improved User Experience

By catching exceptions and providing a meaningful error response, you can create a better user experience. Instead of encountering cryptic error messages, users receive clear and informative feedback about what went wrong during the login process. This helps users understand and troubleshoot issues, such as incorrect login credentials or temporary server problems.

3. Enhanced Application Reliability

Exception handling contributes to the overall reliability and robustness of your application. It ensures that even when unexpected issues arise, the application can gracefully recover or respond with an appropriate error message. This prevents the application from crashing or behaving unpredictably when encountering errors.

4. Debugging and Troubleshooting

try…catch blocks provide a structured way to catch and log exceptions, making it easier to identify and diagnose problems during development and in production. Developers can review logs or error messages to pinpoint the cause of issues, facilitating quicker troubleshooting and bug fixing.

5. Graceful Error Reporting

In the code snippet discussed, when an exception occurs, the catch block returns a JSON response with a user-friendly error message. This is crucial for API endpoints because it ensures that clients receive a consistent and understandable error format, making it easier for them to handle errors programmatically.

6. Maintainability

Well-handled exceptions contribute to code maintainability. By centralizing error handling in try…catch blocks, you keep error-related code in one place rather than scattering it throughout the application. This makes it easier to update error handling logic if needed and ensures a consistent approach to handling exceptions.

Laravel Packages for Coding Standards

Laravel offers several packages and tools that can help you manage and enforce coding standards in your projects. These packages can be integrated into your Laravel application to streamline code formatting, quality checks, and adherence to coding standards. Here are some popular Laravel packages for managing coding standards:

PHP-CS-Fixer:

• Laravel Mix PHP-CS-Fixer is a Laravel Mix extension that provides an easy way to integrate PHP-CS-Fixer into your Laravel project. PHP-CS-Fixer is a tool that can automatically fix many coding standards issues in your PHP code.

• GitHub Repository: laravel-mix-php-cs-fixer

PHP_CodeSniffer:

• PHP_CodeSniffer (PHPCS) is a widely-used tool for enforcing coding standards. While not specific to Laravel, you can use it in Laravel projects to ensure code compliance with various coding standards, including PSR-12.

• Laravel Package: laravel-phpcs

• Composer Package: squizlabs/php_codesniffer

Larastan:

• Larastan is a static analysis tool for Laravel that uses PHPStan under the hood. It helps you identify potential issues, type errors, and adherence to coding standards in your Laravel application.

• GitHub Repository: nunomaduro/larastan

Larastan Plugin:

• This Laravel package provides additional Laravel-specific features and support for Larastan, enhancing its capabilities for checking Laravel-specific code.

• GitHub Repository: nunomaduro/larastan-plugin

Laravel Shift:

• Laravel Shift is not a package but a service that automatically upgrades your Laravel application to the latest version. It helps you ensure that your codebase aligns with the latest Laravel coding standards and practices.

• Website: Laravel Shift

PHPMetrics:

• PHPMetrics is a tool for calculating various code metrics in your Laravel application. While it doesn’t enforce coding standards, it can help you identify areas of improvement and potential violations.

• GitHub Repository: halleck45/phpmetrics

Laravel Tinkerwell:

• Laravel Tinkerwell is a Laravel-specific debugging and exploration tool that can help you analyze code and identify issues related to coding standards.

• Website: Laravel Tinkerwell

Conclusion

Coding standards, such as PSR-12, serve as a vital foundation for producing clean and maintainable code. They promote consistency, readability, and collaboration within development teams. Adhering to these standards can significantly improve the quality of your code and make it more adaptable to different projects and frameworks. Whether you’re working with PHP 8.0, Laravel 10, or any other PHP project, coding standards provide a valuable framework for producing high-quality code.

How Bytes Technolab Can Help You?

Bytes Technolab is a top web development company that has had a successful journey of 10+ years now. Having provided end-to-end and transformational software consulting and development services to a global clientele, we are right on the preferred list of web solutions providers.

Our expertise in front-end technologies and backend technologies like PHP and Laravel is absolutely class and unparalleled. Our grit is tested in building some of the most complex business ideas to simplify them with the power of PHP and Laravel-based frameworks, tools, and technologies.

If you have a business idea cooking up, we can help you with the right ingredients to expertly put on a plate. You can hire dedicated PHP developers and also hire Laravel developers with the most flexible engagement models to create your own team of software engineers.

Whatever you fancy, explore our complete range of services to see whether we can be a good fit for you. Contact our business development team now to get started.