A linter is a tool used in software development to analyze source code for potential errors, stylistic issues, and adherence to coding standards. It essentially acts as a static code analyzer, examining the code without actually executing it. Linters help developers catch issues early in the development cycle, improving code quality and maintainability
Linters are useful tools for maintaining code quality and consistency in your PHP applications. They analyze code for potential issues, enforce coding standards, and help catch errors before they are pushed into production. Linters are not necessarily a quick fix, can be a distraction, and it’s not inconceivable that they may not be helpful with old, large code bases.
This article picks some useful tools to help you fix PHP code. Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.
Click the links in the table below to learn more about each tool.
| PHP Linters | |
|---|---|
| PHPStan | PHP static analysis tool |
| PHP Coding Standards Fixer | Fixes your code to follow the standards |
| Mago | Extremely fast PHP linter, formatter, and static analyzer |
| Psalm | Static analysis tool |
| Phan | Static analyzer for PHP |
| PHP_CodeSniffer | Tokenizes PHP files and detects violations |
| Deptrac | Static code analysis tool for PHP projects |
| PHP Parallel Lint | Checks the syntax of PHP files in parallel |
| PHPLint | Speed up linting PHP files |
| PHPCompatibility | Coding standard for PHP_CodeSniffer |
| PHPArkitect | Define architectural rules as executable PHP code |
This article has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in our recent announcement.
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