Zemit PHP Style Guide

This style guide outlines the coding conventions for PHP development in the Zemit project.

General Principles

Readability and Clarity: Write code that is clear and easy to understand.
Consistency: Follow the established patterns in the codebase.
Practicality Over Purity: Practicality should be preferred over adhering strictly to theoretical purity.

Coding Standards

PHP-FIG Standards

Adhere to PHP-FIG standards, specifically:

Naming Conventions

Classes: PascalCase.
Methods/Functions: camelCase.
Variables: camelCase; be descriptive.
Constants: UPPERCASE_WITH_UNDERSCORES.

File Structure

Follow one class per file. The filename should match the class name.
Use <?php declare(strict_types=1); at the top of each PHP file for strict typing.

Indentation and Whitespace

Use 4 spaces for indentation, not tabs.
Place a single blank line after namespace declarations.
Method and function calls should have no spaces between the method name, the opening parenthesis, and the first parameter; spaces between commas and each parameter, and no space between the last parameter, the closing parenthesis, and the semicolon.

Comments and Documentation

Use /** ... */ for docblocks and // for inline comments.
Every class and method should have a docblock that describes its purpose.
Avoid obvious comments; comment to explain the "why," not the "how."

Control Structures

Use braces to indicate control structure body.
Place the opening brace on the same line as the control statement and the closing brace on its own line.

Error Handling

Use exceptions rather than error handling functions.
Always handle exceptions at the appropriate level in your application.

Best Practices

DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself): Reuse code where possible.
YAGNI (You Aren't Gonna Need It): Don't write code that isn't necessary.
KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid): Avoid unnecessary complexity.
Separation of Concerns: Organize code into distinct layers.

Code Reviews

All contributions to the Zemit project are subject to code reviews to ensure compliance with this style guide.