## About PHP\_CodeSniffer is a set of two PHP scripts; the main `phpcs` script that tokenizes PHP, JavaScript and CSS files to detect violations of a defined coding standard, and a second `phpcbf` script to automatically correct coding standard violations. PHP\_CodeSniffer is an essential development tool that ensures your code remains clean and consistent. [](https://travis-ci.org/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer) [](http://squizlabs.github.io/PHP_CodeSniffer/analysis/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer) [](https://gitter.im/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge&utm_content=badge) ## Requirements PHP\_CodeSniffer requires PHP version 5.4.0 or greater, although individual sniffs may have additional requirements such as external applications and scripts. See the [Configuration Options manual page](https://github.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer/wiki/Configuration-Options) for a list of these requirements. ## Installation The easiest way to get started with PHP\_CodeSniffer is to download the Phar files for each of the commands: ``` # Download using curl curl -OL https://squizlabs.github.io/PHP_CodeSniffer/phpcs.phar curl -OL https://squizlabs.github.io/PHP_CodeSniffer/phpcbf.phar # Or download using wget wget https://squizlabs.github.io/PHP_CodeSniffer/phpcs.phar wget https://squizlabs.github.io/PHP_CodeSniffer/phpcbf.phar # Then test the downloaded PHARs php phpcs.phar -h php phpcbf.phar -h ``` ### Composer If you use Composer, you can install PHP_CodeSniffer system-wide with the following command: composer global require "squizlabs/php_codesniffer=*" Make sure you have the composer bin dir in your PATH. The default value is `~/.composer/vendor/bin/`, but you can check the value that you need to use by running `composer global config bin-dir --absolute`. Or alternatively, include a dependency for `squizlabs/php_codesniffer` in your `composer.json` file. For example: ```json { "require-dev": { "squizlabs/php_codesniffer": "3.*" } } ``` You will then be able to run PHP_CodeSniffer from the vendor bin directory: ./vendor/bin/phpcs -h ./vendor/bin/phpcbf -h ### Phive If you use Phive, you can install PHP_CodeSniffer as a project tool using the following commands: phive install phpcs phive install phpcbf You will then be able to run PHP_CodeSniffer from the tools directory: ./tools/phpcs -h ./tools/phpcbf -h ### PEAR If you use PEAR, you can install PHP\_CodeSniffer using the PEAR installer. This will make the `phpcs` and `phpcbf` commands immediately available for use. To install PHP\_CodeSniffer using the PEAR installer, first ensure you have [installed PEAR](http://pear.php.net/manual/en/installation.getting.php) and then run the following command: pear install PHP_CodeSniffer ### Git Clone You can also download the PHP\_CodeSniffer source and run the `phpcs` and `phpcbf` commands directly from the Git clone: git clone https://github.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer.git cd PHP_CodeSniffer php bin/phpcs -h php bin/phpcbf -h ## Documentation The documentation for PHP\_CodeSniffer is available on the [Github wiki](https://github.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer/wiki). ## Issues Bug reports and feature requests can be submitted on the [Github Issue Tracker](https://github.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer/issues). ## Contributing See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for information. ## Versioning PHP_CodeSniffer uses a `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH` version number format. The `MAJOR` version is incremented when: - backwards-incompatible changes are made to how the `phpcs` or `phpcbf` commands are used, or - backwards-incompatible changes are made to the `ruleset.xml` format, or - backwards-incompatible changes are made to the API used by sniff developers, or - custom PHP_CodeSniffer token types are removed The `MINOR` version is incremented when: - new backwards-compatible features are added to the `phpcs` and `phpcbf` commands, or - backwards-compatible changes are made to the `ruleset.xml` format, or - backwards-compatible changes are made to the API used by sniff developers, or - new sniffs are added to an included standard > NOTE: Backwards-compatible changes to the API used by sniff develpers will allow an existing sniff to continue running without producing fatal errors but may not result in the sniff reporting the same errors as it did previously without changes being required. The `PATCH` version is incremented when: - backwards-compatible bug fixes are made > NOTE: As PHP_CodeSniffer exists to report and fix issues, most bugs are the result of coding standard errors being incorrectly reported or coding standard errors not being reported when they should be. This means that the messages produced by PHP_CodeSniffer, and the fixes it makes, are likely to be different between PATCH versions.