README

PHPThis

PHPThis is an experimental PHP 8.4 framework foundation for AI-first authoring with human accountability. It stays close to ordinary PHP so an AI can follow the real execution path and a human can review it without first reconstructing hidden framework behavior.

PHPThis favors code that is local, literal, typed, bounded, and mechanically checked. It does not provide AI or LLM APIs; “AI-first” describes the code-authoring and knowledge workflow.

PHPThis is prerelease evaluation software. APIs may change between prereleases. Do not use it in production.

Why PHPThis

Ordinary typed PHP with visible manual composition and zero third-party framework runtime dependencies.
Explicit finite routes, immutable HTTP values, and one traceable request path.
Direct engine-specific SQL through a thin PDO transport boundary, with bound data, query budgets, and scale-sensitive tests.
No ORM, Active Record, lazy loading, query builder, repository layer, service container, facade, autowiring, or runtime discovery.
A versioned checked PHP subset with permanent, repair-oriented PHT diagnostics.
Installed contracts, task-routed context, source, and tests that an AI can cite and a human can audit.
Application-owned product policy, configuration, authentication, authorization, caching, jobs, migrations, deployment, and operational evidence.

The framework supplies a small execution foundation and strict verification boundary. It does not turn application decisions into hidden framework services.

Current release state

Boundary	Recorded state
Latest framework tag	Alpha 8, `v0.1.0-alpha.8`, Consumer Contract version 18, Strict Profile version 4, and diagnostics `PHT001` through `PHT008`
Latest proved application starter	Alpha 8 is the matching public framework/skeleton pair with complete clean Packagist-only installation evidence in Issue #81
Coordinated release evidence	Issue #81 records Alpha 8 exact candidates, approvals, signed tags, packages, public proof and continuing GitHub prerelease/announcement state; closed Issue #53 preserves the completed Alpha 7 predecessor
Current post-tag `main`	Mutable availability/evidence follow-ups do not change the immutable Alpha 8 tag, artifacts or accepted scope; inspect the requested tag for historical authority

Alpha 8 package/public-install evidence is tracked in Issue #81, with accepted scope and upgrade notes. The tagged notes retain source-preparation facts; the external issue owns later candidate approvals and observed publication results.

Package availability and current release state are external facts: verify the exact framework and skeleton versions before installation. The Alpha 8 release notes describe the compatibility changes and carried-forward limits.

Framework and skeleton Alpha 8 tags preserve the exact approved source. Current main documentation is mutable and is not historical artifact authority. The release process owns publication gates; recorded package proof authorizes no production deployment or later release operation.

Start a PHPThis application

Consumers install PHPThis through Composer. Do not clone or copy the PHPThis framework repository to start an application.

Create the latest proved public framework/skeleton pair explicitly:

composer create-project --stability=alpha --prefer-dist phpthis/skeleton my-app '0.1.0-alpha.8'
cd my-app
composer check
php -d error_reporting=-1 -d display_errors=0 -d display_startup_errors=0 -d log_errors=1 -d zend.exception_ignore_args=1 -S 127.0.0.1:8080 -t public
curl -i http://127.0.0.1:8080/health

phpthis/skeleton becomes the application root and Composer installs phpthis/framework under vendor/phpthis/framework. The runtime requires PHP 8.4.x, PDO, and ext-session.

Do not infer a matching starter release from a framework tag alone. Issue #81 records the exact Alpha 8 skeleton and clean public-install evidence; verify current package-host state before installation. Existing applications must reconcile the Alpha 7 to Alpha 8 upgrade. The getting-started guide covers installation, existing-application adoption and source evaluation.

Ask the project AI

Every application owns a thin AGENTS.md and task-routed .ai/ context. Ask the AI working in that application to inspect those files, the installed PHPThis contract, and the concrete source and tests before explaining or changing behavior.

Useful requests include:

Explain this request path and cite the installed PHPThis contract, application wiring, and nearest tests.
Add a bounded database read using this application's canonical pattern and prove its query count stays constant.
Explain this PHT diagnostic, find the cause in this project, and repair it without weakening the profile.
Does PHPThis support this mechanism? Distinguish installed behavior, application policy, and a proposal.

The AI may author code and draft decisions. A human still supplies intent, approves consequential choices, and remains accountable for the result.

Key documentation

Vision — AI-first authoring, human accountability, and framework non-goals.
Getting started — installation and deliberate adoption.
Consumer Contract — the portable application validity floor.
Knowledge map — the smallest relevant guide, source, and evidence route for each task.
Reviewer walkthrough — an optional human companion tracing one request, its evidence, and a diagnostic repair at a pinned source revision.
Request handling and database boundaries — the core HTTP and PDO patterns.
Alpha 8 release notes — compatibility changes and the carried-forward boundary.
Architecture decisions — accepted rationale and reconsideration triggers.
Security policy and release process — experimental support limits and publication gates.

Installed consumers use the packaged contract and knowledge map. The source repository’s .ai/ context is maintainer-only and is intentionally excluded from the Composer package.

Develop or evaluate PHPThis itself

Cloning this repository is for contributing to PHPThis or evaluating its framework source and checked example. It is not the consumer application installation path.

git clone https://github.com/balgf/PHPThis.git
cd PHPThis
composer install
composer check

composer check is the complete maintainer gate. PHPStan, PHPUnit, and the Strict Profile are development and verification dependencies; they do not affect the framework runtime or require consumers to select the same test runner. See CONTRIBUTING.md and the guardrail catalogue before changing the framework.

License

PHPThis is open-source software licensed under the MIT License.

phpthis / framework

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