How do I reflect on a class without loading it using Better Reflection?

Use the Reflector instance from BetterReflection to call reflectClass() with the class name, ensuring a source locator is configured to find the class definition in your codebase without autoloading. This is ideal for static analysis tools that need to inspect code offline.

Better Reflection vs native PHP reflection: which should I use?

Choose Better Reflection for advanced needs like AST extraction or analyzing unloaded code in static analysis tools. For simple, runtime reflection with better performance, PHP's built-in API is sufficient and faster.

Can Better Reflection analyze PHP closures?

Yes, Better Reflection supports full reflection on closures, allowing access to their parameters, body structure, and AST, which is useful for static analysis of anonymous functions in codebases.

How to extract the abstract syntax tree from a method with Better Reflection?

After reflecting on a class or method using the reflector, call getAst() on the reflection object to retrieve the AST. This requires proper setup with a source locator to parse the PHP source code accurately.

What is the performance impact of using Better Reflection in production?

Better Reflection is designed for static analysis, not runtime, and its performance is much worse than native reflection. Avoid it in production environments where speed is critical, as emphasized in the README.

Does Better Reflection work with all PHP versions?

Better Reflection targets PHP 7.2 and above, with support for PHP 7+ type declarations. Check the documentation for specific compatibility details, as some features may depend on the PHP version used.

Open-Awesome

Better Reflection

MITPHP6.72.0

A PHP reflection API that improves upon the native one with features like reflecting on unloaded classes and extracting ASTs.

GitHub

1.2k stars138 forks0 contributors

What is Better Reflection?

Better Reflection is a PHP library that provides an enhanced reflection API with more features than PHP's built-in reflection. It allows developers to inspect classes, functions, and closures without loading them, extract abstract syntax trees, and access detailed type information for static analysis purposes.

Target Audience

PHP developers building static analysis tools, code generators, IDE plugins, or any tool requiring deep introspection of PHP code without execution.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Better Reflection over the native PHP reflection API because it offers advanced capabilities like reflecting on unloaded classes, analyzing code from strings, and extracting ASTs, which are essential for static analysis and development tooling.

Overview

:crystal_ball: Better Reflection is a reflection API that aims to improve and provide more features than PHP's built-in reflection API.

Use Cases

Best For

Building static analysis tools for PHP codebases
Developing IDE plugins that require deep code introspection
Creating code generation or scaffolding utilities
Analyzing PHP code without loading classes into memory
Extracting and manipulating abstract syntax trees from PHP methods
Inspecting closures and their structure programmatically

Not Ideal For

Runtime applications where reflection performance is critical and native PHP reflection suffices
Projects focused exclusively on function analysis without class introspection
Simple development tasks that only require basic class metadata and can use built-in reflection

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unloaded Class Reflection

Allows analysis of classes without loading them into memory, essential for static analysis tools that inspect codebases without execution.

AST Extraction

Provides access to abstract syntax trees from methods, functions, and closures, enabling deep code inspection and manipulation for tooling.

Enhanced Type Information

Fetches detailed type declarations including PHP 7+ features, improving the accuracy of static analysis and code generation.

Closure and String Parsing

Can reflect on closures and parse classes directly from PHP code strings, offering flexibility for various analysis scenarios.

Cons

Performance Overhead

Significantly slower than PHP's native reflection API, making it impractical for performance-sensitive runtime applications, as admitted in the README.

Limited Function Support

Cannot statically reflect on functions due to PHP's autoloading limitations, restricting its use in function-centric analysis tools, as noted in the limitations section.

Complex Setup for Beginners

Requires familiarity with advanced reflection concepts and ASTs, which may pose a steep learning curve for developers new to static analysis, despite detailed documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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