Implement short inline syntax for array parameters and return values

[php-stubs]

Implement short inline syntax for array parameters and return values

[johnbillion]

Potential solution for the machine-readable versus human-readable: Use @phpstan-param and @phpstan-return tags in addition to the existing @param and @return tags.

[szepeviktor]

There is room for improvement in core's source code.
That "hash-style" thing is from JavaScript. Only WordPress uses it in PHP.

This package does not alter the source code in any way, simply removes function contents.
I am open to add (rock solid) transformations!

[johnbillion]

A few observations:

• Core uses type string|array where the parameter technically also accepts a URL query string because the parameter gets passed through wp_parse_args(). I think in the context of using a tool such as PHPStan or Psalm this should be treated as array only because nobody in their right mind actually uses a query string.
• The error message from PHPStan when an incorrect type is used is not very useful if there is a large number of array elements:

  Parameter #2 $args of method WP_Http::request() expects array(?'method' => string, ?'timeout' => float, ?'redirection' => int, ?'httpversion' => string, ?'user-agent' => string, ?'reject_unsafe_urls' => bool, ?'blocking' => bool, ?'headers' => array|string, ...), array('blocking' => WP_User) given.

[johnbillion]

• Additional array elements that are not in the documented list are allowed by PHPStan:

( new WP_Http )->request( 'http://example.com', [
	'banana' => 'yellow',
] );

[OK] No errors

[szepeviktor]

• Developers above 14 years should be punished for storing various data in an array
• I'm just a single person, not capable of processing a huge codebase like WordPress

[szepeviktor]

Developers above 14 years should be punished for storing various data in an array

PHP has object properties for more than a decade. Code could be written in a human-friendly way.

https://github.com/szepeviktor/small-project/blob/de32f4b232967f43d0d9532febc97f81ba8ec6ad/plugin-name.php#L92-L99

[johnbillion]

PHP has object properties for more than a decade. Code could be written in a human-friendly way.

Oh yes I completely agree, these array-style arguments are a nightmare. I regret using them in some of my libraries such as Extended CPTs. This is why I started playing around with johnbillion/args. Unfortunately we're stuck with them in WordPress core unless we decided to implement such classes.

[szepeviktor]

Unfortunately we're stuck with them in WordPress core

Smart people started building dirt-hiding-layers between WordPress core and project-specific code - meaning what you write and read.

dirt=techdebt

[johnbillion]

Alternative: Convince PHPStan and Psalm to support this hash style notation.

[szepeviktor]

Alternative: Convince PHPStan and Psalm to support this hash style notation.

WordPress marches into a dead-end. Let's convince others to join :)