How PHP Beautifier Works
A PHP Beautifier is a code formatting utility used to standardize the style of PHP scripts. This tool is essential for backend developers and WordPress engineers cleaning up legacy code, enforcing PSR-12 standards, and debugging spaghetti code.
The formatting engine handles the standardization through a tokenizer pipeline:
- Tokenization: Splits the code into PHP tokens (
T_OPEN_TAG,T_VARIABLE, etc.). - Rule Application: Applies the PSR-12 style guide:
- Indentation: 4 Spaces (no tabs).
- Braces: Classes and Methods must have the opening brace on the next line.
- Control Structures:
if,for,whilemust have a space after them.
- Reconstruction: Rebuilds the code string with correct spacing.
The History of PSR
Standardizing chaos.
- The Wild West: In the early 2000s, every PHP project had a different style.
- PHP-FIG (2009): The Framework Interop Group formed to create standards.
- PSR-2 (2012): The first major style guide.
- PSR-12 (2019): The modern standard replaces PSR-2, handling new features like return types.
Technical Comparison: Styles
Why standards matter.
| Style | K&R (Java/JS) | Allman (C#) | PSR-12 (PHP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Brace | Same Line | Next Line | Next Line |
| Method Brace | Same Line | Next Line | Next Line |
| If Brace | Same Line | Same Line | Same Line |
| Indent | 2/4 Spaces | 4 Spaces | 4 Spaces |
By using this tool, you ensure your Codebase is compliant.
Security and Privacy Considerations
Your formatting is performed in a secure, local environment:
- Local Logical Execution: All parsing logic is performed locally in your browser. Your specialized algorithms never touch our servers.
- Zero Log Policy: We do not store or track your inputs. Your Database Credentials and API Keys remain entirely confidential.
- W3C Security Compliance: The tool operates within the standard browser sandbox, ensuring no interaction with your local file system or Private Metadata.
- Privacy First: To maintain absolute Data Privacy, the tool functions as an anonymous utility.