Analyzer

The “Analyzer” class checks PHP files for disallowed output functions to ensure proper separation between logic (actions) and presentation (views), maintaining clean MVC architecture.

Execute

Analyzer::execute(): void

Execute the analyzer to check all action and view files in the current request. This is automatically called by the framework when debug mode is enabled.

The analyzer checks:

• Template actions
• Page actions
• Views
• Template views

For disallowed functions that could break the MVC pattern.

Example:

if (Debugger::$enabled) {
    Analyzer::execute();
}

What It Checks

The Analyzer looks for these disallowed functions in your code:

In Actions (*.php files)

Actions should not directly output content. These functions are not allowed:

• echo - Use variables instead
• print - Use variables instead
• exit - Use Router::redirect() instead
• die - Use Router::redirect() instead
• var_dump - Use d() function instead
• eval - Security risk, avoid entirely

In Views (*.phtml files)

Views should use the e() function for safe output. These are not allowed:

• echo - Use e() function instead
• print - Use e() function instead
• <?= ?> short tags - Use <?php e($var); ?> instead
• exit, die - Should not be in views
• var_dump - Use d() function instead
• eval - Security risk, avoid entirely

Why This Matters

The analyzer enforces MintyPHP’s clean separation of concerns:

Actions (*.php) handle logic:

<?php
// Good: Store data in variables
$users = DB::select('SELECT * FROM users');
$total = count($users);

// Bad: Direct output in action
echo "Total users: " . $total;  // Will trigger warning

Views (*.phtml) handle presentation:

<?php
// Good: Use e() function for safe output
<h1>Users</h1>
<p>Total: <?php e($total); ?></p>

// Bad: Use of echo
<p>Total: <?php echo $total; ?></p>  // Will trigger warning

Example Warnings

When the analyzer detects violations, it triggers warnings like:

Warning: MintyPHP action "pages/users/list().php" should not use "echo". Error raised in...

Warning: MintyPHP view "pages/users/list(default).phtml" should not use "echo". Error raised in...

Best Practices

In Actions

✅ Good:

<?php
use MintyPHP\DB;
use MintyPHP\Router;

// Fetch data
$users = DB::select('SELECT * FROM users');

// Process data
$activeUsers = array_filter($users, fn($u) => $u['active']);

// Handle redirects properly
if (empty($activeUsers)) {
    Router::redirect('error/not_found');
}

❌ Bad:

<?php
// Don't output directly
echo "<h1>Users</h1>";
print_r($users);

// Don't use exit/die
if (empty($users)) {
    die('No users found');
}

// Don't use var_dump
var_dump($users);

In Views

✅ Good:

<?php
use MintyPHP\Session;

<form method="post">
    <input name="username" />
    <button type="submit">Login</button>
    <?php Session::getCsrfInput(); ?>
</form>

<?php foreach ($users as $user): ?>
    <p><?php e($user['name']); ?></p>
<?php endforeach; ?>

❌ Bad:

<!-- Don't use short echo tags -->
<p><?= $user['name'] ?></p>

<!-- Don't use echo directly -->
<p><?php echo $user['name']; ?></p>

<!-- Don't use print -->
<?php print $message; ?>

Debugging Output

Instead of var_dump() or print_r(), use the d() function which integrates with the debugger:

<?php
// In actions
$user = DB::selectOne('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?', $userId);
d($user); // Outputs to debugger panel, not page

// Multiple values
d($user, $permissions, $settings);

The d() function:

• Only works when debugger is enabled
• Logs to the “Logging” panel in the debugger
• Includes file and line number information
• Limits output to prevent memory issues

Configuration

The Analyzer runs automatically when the debugger is enabled. Enable it in config/config.php:

use MintyPHP\Debugger;

Debugger::$enabled = true; // Analyzer runs automatically

When It Runs

The Analyzer is executed automatically:

1. After routing is complete
2. Before actions and views are loaded
3. Only when Debugger::$enabled is true

This means violations are caught during development but don’t affect production performance.