Re: [RFC] [Discussion] Add ReflectionAttribute::getCurrent()

On Mon, May 4, 2026 at 2:13 PM Derick Rethans <derick@php.net> wrote: > On 4 May 2026 21:24:39 BST, Daniel Scherzer <daniel.e.scherzer@gmail.com> > wrote: > >Hi internals, > > > >I'd like to start the discussion for a new RFC about adding a new method, > >ReflectionAttribute::getCurrent(), to access the current reflection target > >of an attribute. > > > >* RFC: > >https://wiki.php.net/rfc/reflectionattribute-getcurrent > > > "a new static method, ReflectionAttribute::getCurrent(), that, when called > from an attribute constructor, returns a reflection object corresponding to > what the attribute was applied to." > > This sounds like an arbitrary new rule for just this functionality. I > don't think we should have special rules for a single static method call. > > I believe it's useful to have something like this, but I'm not in favour > of this approach. > > Would it not be possible for this to be a normal (dynamic) method on the > ReflectionAttrbute object? > > cheers > Derick In order to reduce the scope of the weird new method, I have updated the RFC to split it up: * ReflectionAttribute::getCurrent(), when called from an attribute constructor, returns a *ReflectionAttribute* matching the usage (replacing the currently-possible hacking with backtraces) * ReflectionAttribute::getReflectionTarget() is a normal (dynamic) method returning the ReflectionAttributeTarget These are expected to be used together in the constructors of attributes, e.g. ReflectionAttribute::getCurrent()->getReflectionTarget(), but the normal getReflectionTarget() method is also useful and usable elsewhere. -Daniel