Fluent Validation Rector

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Detection and limitations ​

Detected without configuration ​

The converters find rules-shaped methods by content signature: a string-keyed return [...] whose values include a recognized rule string, a Rule::*() call, a FluentRule chain, or a constructor-form rule object. No config needed for any of these:

  • Validator::validate(...) and the global validator(...) helper, when prefixed with \ or in the global namespace.
  • Custom-named rules methods (editorRules(), rulesWithoutPrefix()) on classes that qualify: FormRequest descendants, trait users, Livewire components, and #[FluentRules]-marked methods.
  • Dynamic args inside non-conditional tuples: ['max', $cond ? 15 : 20], ['between', config('a'), config('b')], ['max', $this->limit ?? 10].
  • #[Validate] args: the rule string, as: / attribute: (→ ->label()), and onUpdate: false as a real-time opt-out marker.

Left untouched ​

  • A SCHEMA inheritance chain split across runs. ConvertToFluentSchemaRector rewrites a child's parent::rules() when the parent would convert if processed, and Rector gives a rule no way to confirm the parent's file is in this run. Process the chain together.

  • Namespace-less files. Classes at file root with no namespace are skipped by the grouping and trait rectors. Laravel projects normally namespace, so this rarely comes up.

  • Rules built inside withValidator(). That is a post-validation hook for adding errors via $validator->after(...), not a rules definition. Imperative code stays.

  • Collection::put()->merge()->all() pipelines. Runtime-resolved, so not statically determinable.

  • Multi-statement helper bodies. Detection needs a single return [...];. A helper that assigns then returns stays untouched. Inline the return, or convert by hand.

  • A ternary picking the rule NAME. ['nullable', $flag ? 'email' : 'url'] is left alone. A ->when(cond, thenFn, elseFn) conversion is tractable, but three codebase audits found near-zero usage (single digits across 100+ FormRequests), and the closure form loses the terseness people reach for ternaries to get. Use Rule::when(...), or branch the array outside the ternary. Ternaries, calls, match and nullsafe fetches as a rule's argument convert fine.

  • #[Validate(..., onUpdate: true)] and translate: false. No FluentRule equivalent and no migration path; both land in the skip log for manual migration to Livewire's hooks or project config. message: is opt-in through MIGRATE_MESSAGES; with it off, those args are logged too.