space-placement.md

Space placement

No extra space should be placed after a control structure keyword or function name

Please see the PHP docs for a list of all control structure keywords.

Good example:

require("file.php");

function goodExample() {
	while(true) {
		if(true) {
			break;
		}
	}

	return;
}

Bad example:

require ("file.php");

function badExample () {
	while (true) {
		if (true) {
			break;
		}
	}

	return ;
}

Opening brackets should not have a space after, closing brackets should not hace a space before

Good example:

function goodExample(int $number, string $word) {
	if($number == $word) {
		for($i = 0; $i < $number; $i++) {
			doSomething($word);
		}
	}
}

Bad example:

function badExample( int $number, string $word ) {
	if( $number == $word ) {
		for( $i = 0; $i < $number; $i++) {
			doSomething( $word );
		}
	}
}

Commas separating variable lists should have a space or newline after, no whitespace before

Variable lists include function parameters and array contents.

Good example:

function goodExample(int $number, string $word, bool $truth):array {
	$defaultArray = [$number, $word];

	return array_merge($defaultArray, [
		$truth,
		123,
		456,
	]);
}

Bad example:

function badExample(int $number , string $word , bool $truth):array {
	$defaultArray = [$number , $word];

	return array_merge($defaultArray, [
		$truth ,
		123    ,
		456    ,
	]);
}

A space should surround binary and ternary, but not unary operators

Unary operators take one value, such as the logical not operator, !.

Binary operators take two values, such as the addition operator, +.

Ternary operators take three values. In PHP there is only one ternary operator, ? : and is often referred to as the ternary operator.

Good example:

$continue = !$stop;
$five = 2 + 3;
$action = empty($_POST["action"]) ? "default" : $_POST["action"];
$action = $_POST["action"] ?? "default";

Bad example:

$continue = ! $stop;
$five = 2+3;
$action = empty($_POST["action"])?"default":$_POST["action"];
$action = $_POST["action"]??"default";

A space should surround all type operators

String, array and type operators should always be surrounded by a single space, so it is clear that they are affecting the variable on the left side. This includes concatenation, pushing and instance checking.

Most importantly, the array push operator should be surrounded by spaces so that it is not confused with an array assignment operator. $a []= 1 has a totally different meaning to $a[0] = 1.

Good example:

$array = []; // Assignment operator, surrounded by spaces.
$array []= "Hello"; // Push operator, surrounded by spaces.
$array[0] .= "World"; // Concatenation operator, surrounded by spaces.

Bad example:

$array= []; // Assignment operator is not surrounded both sides by a space.
$array[] = "Hello"; // Push operator is disguised as an assignment operator.
$array [0]. = "World"; // Confusing spaces - what is happening here?