How to convert annotations to attributes in PHP

Table of Contents

Introduction
Install dependencies
Configure
Result

Introduction

With the release of PHP 8.0, many PHP libraries started deprecating annotations in favor of native attributes. In Symfony 7.0+, attributes are the recommended and default approach.

Install dependencies

First, let's install Rector library.

NOTE

Rector is a PHP tool that you can run on any PHP project to get an instant upgrade or automated refactoring.

composer require rector/rector --dev

Run command to generate configuration

./vendor/bin/rector

Configure

Put the following code into the rector.php file.

rector.php


<?php

use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
use Rector\Php80\Rector\Class_\AnnotationToAttributeRector;
use Rector\Php80\ValueObject\AnnotationToAttribute;

return static function (RectorConfig $rectorConfig): void {
    $rectorConfig->paths([
        __DIR__ . '/src/',
    ]);

    $rectorConfig->ruleWithConfiguration(AnnotationToAttributeRector::class, [
        new AnnotationToAttribute(
            \App\Annotations\RequestParam::class,  // Annotation class
            \App\Attributes\RequestParam::class    // Attribute class
        ),
    ]);
};

Run command

./vendor/bin/rector process --dry-run

This allows you to review all planned changes before applying them to your codebase. When you are ready, run

./vendor/bin/rector process

Result

Before:

/**
 * @RequestParam(name="id", type="int")
 */
public function action() {}

After:

#[RequestParam(name: 'id', type: 'int')]
public function action() {}

That's it - your annotations are now safely converted to PHP attributes using Rector.