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PHP CS Fixer

A PHP tool that automatically fixes code to follow coding standards.

GitHub Download v3.95.27
Stars
13.6k
Forks
1.7k
Licence
MIT
Language
PHP
Last update
5 days ago
Type
Dev tool

What it is

PHP CS Fixer is a command-line tool that detects and automatically fixes style problems in PHP code so it follows a chosen coding standard. It ships with built-in rule sets such as PER-CS, Symfony and its own opinionated set, and teams can define their own style in a configuration file. It can also help modernise code toward newer PHP and PHPUnit versions.

  • Run fix across a whole project to bring files in line with a chosen rule set
  • Run check in a CI pipeline to flag files that do not match the standard without changing them
  • Generate a base configuration file with the init command
  • Use editor integrations such as PhpStorm or community plugins for VS Code and Vim

Great for

  • PHP teams that want consistent code style without manual review comments
  • Developers working on large PHP projects where hand-fixing style is tedious
  • Projects that want to follow the PER-CS or Symfony coding standards
  • Teams planning to migrate older PHP or PHPUnit code to newer syntax

Not ideal for

  • Projects not written in PHP, since the tool only targets PHP code
  • Users on PHP versions outside the supported range (7.4 to 8.5) unless they accept the README's 'at your own risk' option
  • Anyone who wants a tool that changes code behavior checks only; some migration rules are marked risky and should be reviewed
Step-by-step guide: how to use PHP CS FixerInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
PHP CS Fixer vs PHPStanPHP CS Fixer vs Rector

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    You'll need: PHP 7.4 to 8.5 · Composer

    Install with Composer (recommended)

    composer require --dev friendsofphp/php-cs-fixer

    Install alternative package if dependency conflicts occur

    composer require --dev php-cs-fixer/shim
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install the tool with Composer as a dev dependency
    • Run ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer init to create a base configuration
    • Run ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer check to see which files would change
    • Run ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix to apply the fixes
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Pick a built-in rule set such as @PER-CS, @Symfony or @PhpCsFixer in your configuration file
    • Write a team configuration file to define your own style
    • Use the @autoPHPMigration rule sets to modernise code toward newer PHP versions
    • Use check instead of fix in continuous integration to catch style drift
    • Install an editor integration to format code while you work

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHubRelease v3.95.272 files incl. php-cs-fixer.phar.ascOfficial website & docscs.symfony.com

Strengths

  • Automatically fixes issues rather than only reporting them
  • Offers several established built-in rule sets to choose from
  • Supports custom rules and team-specific configuration files

Trade-offs

  • Support for the newest PHP versions can lag behind their release, as the README notes
  • Some migration rule sets are marked risky and need careful review before use
  • Editor support is native only for PhpStorm; other editors rely on community plugins

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
PHP-CS-Fixer (this)13.6kDev toolbeginner5 days agoPHP teams that want consistent code style without manual review comments
phpstan14.1kDev toolintermediate4 days agoPHP developers who want to catch bugs earlier than tests alone allow
code-review-graph32.6kDev toolbeginner8 days agoDevelopers who use an MCP-compatible AI coding assistant on a large repository
composer29.6kDev toolbeginner4 days agoPHP developers starting a new project who want standard third-party libraries
SwiftLint19.8kDev toolbeginner21 days agoiOS and macOS developers who want consistent Swift style across a team
BookStack19.1kAppintermediate4 days agoTeams that want an internal knowledge base they can host themselves

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.