A static analysis tool that detects magic numbers in PHP code to improve readability and maintainability.
PHPMND is a static analysis tool for PHP that detects magic numbers—numeric literals that should be defined as constants—in source code. It helps developers identify hard-coded numbers that lack semantic meaning, making code harder to read, understand, and maintain. By flagging these magic numbers, it encourages better coding practices and reduces technical debt.
PHP developers and teams who want to improve code quality, enforce coding standards, and reduce maintenance costs in their projects. It's particularly useful for projects with long-term maintenance needs or strict code review processes.
Developers choose PHPMND because it provides a focused, configurable tool specifically for magic number detection in PHP, with flexible ignore rules and extension support. Unlike generic linters, it offers targeted analysis for a common code smell that directly impacts readability and maintainability.
PHP Magic Number Detector
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Specifically targets numeric literals that should be constants, with smart defaults like excluding 0 and 1, making it more precise than generic linters for this common code smell.
Offers extensive ignore options for numbers, functions, files, and directories, plus customizable extensions to analyze numbers in various code contexts, as detailed in the README.
Can suggest replacements for magic numbers based on existing constants in your codebase via the --hint option, aiding in refactoring and improving code readability.
Supports XML report generation with --xml-output and progress display with --progress, facilitating easy integration into continuous integration pipelines.
By default, it only analyzes conditions, return statements, and switch cases, requiring explicit configuration with extensions to cover other contexts like assignments or properties, which can lead to missed detections.
While it detects and suggests hints, PHPMND does not automatically fix magic numbers, leaving the refactoring work entirely to developers, unlike some more advanced linters.
To avoid false positives, users must carefully set up ignore rules and extensions, which can be complex and time-consuming for large or diverse codebases, as seen with options like --ignore-funcs and --extensions.