PHP RFC: Simple Annotations

• Version: 0.1
• Date: 2016-05-13
• Author: Rasmus Schultz, rasmus@mindplay.dk
• Status: Draft
• First Published at: http://wiki.php.net/rfc/simple-annotations

This RFC proposes the introduction of simple value annotations - arbitrary meta-data values applicable to classes and class members, obtainable via the reflection API.

As an alternative proposal to attributes, this proposal aims to fully leverage existing language features, in order to provide more flexibility, lessen the learning curve, and expose meta-data in a manner that is more immediately useful, without having to build any run-time facilities.

Compared with annotation systems such as Doctrine Annotations, this proposal does not attempt to define or enforce any domain rules - it does not define inheritance semantics, rules about applicable source-code elements, or any other rules; these can be defined and implemented by userland packages.

The proposed syntax of a single annotation is extremely simple:

"<<" <php-expression> ">>"

Any valid PHP expression is a valid annotation.

Any number of annotations may be placed in front of any of the following applicable declarations:

• class, trait and interface declarations
• function and property declarations in classes/traits/interfaces
• function and method argument declarations
• anonymous function and class declarations (and their members)

For example:

class Table
{
 
    public function __construct($name) {
        $this->name = $name;
    }
}

Annotations are internally collected, for each annotated class or member, in a list which can be obtained via reflection.

None.

Next PHP 7.x.

TODO

TODO

TODO

Make sure there are no open issues when the vote starts!

Annotations are a new feature - it does not affect any existing functionality.

TODO file-level annotations? others?

TODO State whether this project requires a 2/3 or 50%+1 majority (see voting)

There is a draft with no available implementation at this time.

TODO After the project is implemented, this section should contain

1. the version(s) it was merged to
2. a link to the git commit(s)
3. a link to the PHP manual entry for the feature

* some notes in a gist

None.