codeguard-php

PHP Codeguard Gate

Goal: turn "looks fine" into repeatable tool evidence, and honestly distinguish between pass, fail, unable to verify, and planned.

30-Second Start

1. At the repository root, confirm that composer.json or the target file exists.
2. Probe tools:php --version。
3. Read-only check first:bash -c 'find . -name '"'"'*.php'"'"' -type f -not -path '"'"'*/vendor/*'"'"' -print0 | xargs -0 -n1 php -l'。
4. Classify results as: code violations, missing configuration, missing tools, tool internal errors.
5. Only for safely fixable items, execute:php-cs-fixer fix。
6. Re-run lint, and execute the project's existing test/build gates.

Can be directly proposed:

• "Check this PHP project, don't modify anything first, give me the lint failure classification."
• "Only fix PHP formatting issues; list semantic issues first."
• "Verify PHP lint, test, and build evidence before committing."

Capability Boundaries

✅ Good At

1. Identify the PHP workspace based on .php and project markers.
2. Execute php -l '{file}' and retain exit codes, scope, and tool versions.
3. Distinguish between formatting, static rules, configuration, dependency, and environment failures.
4. Use php-cs-fixer fix to handle reversible issues and re-scan.
5. Report local results in layers alongside CI/build/test evidence.

⚠️ Requires Conditions

1. The target tools must be installed and versions must be compatible with project constraints.
2. Must be executed from the correct repository or module root directory.
3. If the project has custom configuration, the committed configuration takes precedence.
4. Whether generated code, vendor, and cache directories are scanned must follow repository rules.

❌ Out of Scope

1. Do not treat formatter passing as compilation, test, or security audit passing.
2. Do not silently install tools, upgrade dependencies, or modify team rules.
3. Do not use suppress/ignore/raise thresholds to mask real issues.
4. Do not claim "checks passed" when tools or configuration are missing.

When to Use

• The user requests checking or fixing PHP code standards.
• AI modified .php, requiring pre-commit verification.
• CI has failures related to php -l '{file}' .
• Need to determine whether an issue can be automatically fixed or must be handled manually.

When Not to Use

• When the main task is learning language syntax, framework design, or business modeling, use the corresponding language professional skill instead.
• When the main task is dependency vulnerabilities, security auditing, or license governance, use specialized security skills.
• When the user only asks to explain an error and there is no project context, provide a local explanation first, and do not claim the repository is all green.

Data and Security

This skill does not collect, upload, send, or store user code and credentials. By default, it only reads local repository configuration and runs local tools; it does not install dependencies over the network, and does not record tokens, passwords, or private source code. Before any automatic fix, check the diff first; destructive or large-scale changes must be explicitly confirmed by the user.

Execution Contract

Item	Current Fact
Status	stable(since Codeguard V0.2)
File Extensions	.php
Project Markers	composer.json
Integration Configuration	Based on the repository's existing configuration
Tool Preparation	composer require --dev php-cs-fixer
Probe Command	使用命令查找与项目配置检查
lint	php -l '{file}'
format/fix	php-cs-fixer fix
Project-level gate	bash -c 'find . -name '"'"'*.php'"'"' -type f -not -path '"'"'*/vendor/*'"'"' -print0 | xargs -0 -n1 php -l'

Standard Workflow

Step 1: Determine the Real Scope

Confirm the repository root, module roots, generated directories, vendor directories, and user-specified files. For multi-module projects, first list the modules to be scanned; do not guess based on the current directory.

Step 2: Read the Project Contract

Read the actual commands in the repository's existing configuration and CI. The repository configuration takes precedence over this skill's examples; if the two conflict, report the difference first.

Step 3: Probe Tools and Versions

Run 对应工具 --version. Missing tools, incompatible versions, or configurations that fail to load are all recorded as "unable to verify", not as passing.

Step 4: Perform Read-Only Checks

Run bash -c 'find . -name '"'"'*.php'"'"' -type f -not -path '"'"'*/vendor/*'"'"' -print0 | xargs -0 -n1 php -l', and record the command, working directory, exit code, tool version, and the first actionable error.

Step 5: Failure Classification

Type	Typical Signal	Handling
Formatting	Indentation, whitespace, import order	Formatter allowed, then check the diff
Static Rules	unused, complexity, naming, dangerous APIs	Minimal semantic fixes, no bulk guessing
Configuration	parser/config/schema not found	Fix integration or report prerequisites
Environment	command not found, version conflict	Report installation/version requirements, do not install silently
Tool Internal Error	crash, timeout, parser exception	Preserve raw evidence, narrow the reproduction scope

Step 6: Controlled Fixes

Prioritize running php-cs-fixer fix. Only handle issues that are certain and reversible; dependency upgrades, rule exemptions, generated files, and business semantic changes must be explained separately.

Step 7: Verification Closure

Re-run the same lint command, then run the project's existing tests and build. Only write "pass" when the command, scope, and exit code are all clear; otherwise write "not run" or "unable to verify".

Rules

1. Re-verify with the same command: after fixing, the original command that triggered the failure must be re-run.
2. Layer the evidence: report lint, format, compile, test, and security separately.
3. Minimal changes: do not refactor along the way, and do not expand style fixes into business rewrites.
4. Configuration first: do not override the project's existing ignore, dialect, target, or version constraints.
5. No making things up: tools not run, configurations not seen, and platforms not verified must be clearly marked.

Output Template

PHP Codeguard 结果
- 范围：<仓库/模块/文件>
- 工具：<名称与版本>
- 命令：<实际命令>
- 状态：PASS / FAIL / UNVERIFIED / PLANNED
- 发现：<按格式/规则/配置/环境分类>
- 修改：<文件与原因；无修改写 none>
- 复验：<命令、退出码>
- 未验证：<测试/构建/平台差异>

Gotchas

1. Missing tools are not a pass — you must output UNVERIFIED and a clear preparation method.
2. A formatter is not a linter — all-green formatting cannot override static rules or compilation errors.
3. The root directory determines the result — Running in the wrong module may miss detections or load the wrong configuration.
4. Placeholders are not literal arguments — {file} and must be replaced with real, authorized paths.
5. Auto-fixes may expand the diff — after fixing, review the diff first, then run the regression gate.
6. Generated and vendor directories require an explicit policy — do not scan or modify third-party content across the whole repository at will.

Domain pitfalls and fixes

1. Domain pitfalls — php -l only validate syntax; they do not cover type, style, or framework rules; do not write a syntax pass as all-green quality.

When information is insufficient

Do not just say "please provide more information." First give a safe read-only inspection plan, and list the specific items that still need confirmation:

1. Repository/module root directory;
2. Target tool and version;
3. Project configuration file;
4. Authoritative command in CI;
5. Whether auto-fix is allowed.

FAQ

Q1: If the tool is not installed, can we conclude the code is fine? No. The status must be UNVERIFIED。

Q2: Can ignore or suppression be added automatically? No. Exemptions are allowed only when the user explicitly accepts them and the reason is documented.

Q3: Why does it still fail after formatting? The formatter covers only formatting; static rules, configuration, compilation, and tests still need to be handled separately.

Q4: Should generated code be scanned? By default, follow the repository configuration; when there are no rules, exclude generated/vendor first, then explain to the user.

Q5: How can we avoid changing too much at once? First fix in batches by failure category and file; re-run the original command after each batch and review the diff.

Q6: If it passes locally, can we say CI will pass? No. The CI version, environment variables, operating system, and command scope must also be aligned.

Load resources on demand

• When encountering exit codes, failure categories, or exemption decisions, read references/rules/gate-rules.md。
• When you need to check this language's registry, toolchain, and project configuration, read references/tooling/toolchain.md。
• When you need copyable task examples, read by scenario examples/; there is no need to load all of them at once.