vosiz / php-enum

v2.4.0 2026-10-10 01:30 UTC

Requires

• php: >=7.4
• vosiz/php-utils: ~1.12.0

Requires (Dev)

• phpunit/phpunit: ^9.6

MIT

• enum
• enumeration
• enums
• Dynamic-Enum
• csharp-style

Published on Packagist.org on 2026-10-10 01:31 UTC

README

Utility to have enum-like classes. We love ENUMS!

Motivation

True enumeration with integers seems to be impossible to achieve in PHP (at least for me), so this is my take on it. Designed to be dynamical - not only for compile time, you can read values from DB f.e. and make dynamic enums. Built on php-utils. Made by personal need, so feel free to use it if it fits yours. MIT - use it however you like.

Requirements

• PHP 7.4 or newer
• Composer
• vosiz/php-utils 1.12 (installed by Composer)

Bug tracker

No tracked

Features

Everything checked in the Roadmap.

Roadmap

• Enum classes with integer values
• Access by key and search by value
• Display name next to the key
• Values added at runtime (dynamic enums)
• Tests
• Flag enums (bit masks)

Setup

composer require vosiz/php-enum

Your own enum

Implement your own enums! Lets say, you have a game and want elemental magic defined other way than with defines or constants. You want to do something like this:

use Vosiz\Enums\Enum;

class Elements extends Enum {

    public static function Init(): void {

        $vals = [
            'Fire' => 0,
            'Water' => 1,
            'Air' => 2,
            'Earth' => 3,
        ];
        self::AddValues($vals);
    } 
}

Important

You can have multiple same values allocated to different keys (some classic enums do not allow it) - here it is permitted. But you can lose consistency if you base on integers (values) too much.

Important

Keys are unique and they are kept in CamelCase, so dark_air and DarkAir are the same key. Adding a key which is already there throws EnumException.

Usage sample - int-like

Now you can simply use it for example like this. It is value based - integers.

$elements = Elements::GetValues(); // all enum values - foreach usage f.e.

$armor->ResistanceType = Elements::GetEnumVal('Fire'); // allocate enum variable

if($armor->ResistanceType == Elements::GetEnumVal('Water')) { // comparation
    
    ...
}

GetValues() gives you a copy, so you can do whatever you want with it and the enum stays as it is.

Usage sample - enum-like

If you need to track or operate with naming of enum (enum key and value in general), you should use something like this:

$enum = Elements::GetEnum('Earth');

// access key or value
$key = $enum->GetKey(); // alt GetName()
$val = $enum->GetValue();

// compare - same enum class and same value
$is_water = $enum->Compare(Elements::GetEnum('Water'));

// if you know value but not name
$what_is_the_key = Elements::Find(2)->GetKey(); // Find returns enum or null

Dynamic values

Values do not have to be known in Init(). Add them later, from DB f.e. - they land after the preset ones.

Elements::AddValues(['Ether' => 4]);

$ether = Elements::GetEnum('Ether');

A value is an integer, or a string holding one ('4'), anything else throws EnumException.

Useful tips

If you want to distinct 'key' from 'shown key', there is Display property. It is automatically set to key, but you can set it up in custom enum definition. Example.

class EdibleEnum extends Enum {

    public static function Init(): void {

        $vals = [
            'apple'     => 0,
            'leek'      => [100, 'pure poison'],
            'peach'     => 69,
            'pear'      => [1, 'apple relative'],

        ];
        self::AddValues($vals);
    } 
}

Important

You have to still keep first value of array as int (core functionality of enum).

More to look at in samples/.

Tests

Docker is all you need, the suite runs on every supported PHP version.

./tests.sh