Use better error message for non-numeric strings in implicit contexts
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Description
Description
When a "non-numeric" string is coerced to an integer or float, PHP raises an error rather than proceeding with the implicit cast. This is a good thing.
However, the error message implies that any string would be invalid, rather than that the content of the string is the problem.
Additionally, a common cause in my experience is that the string is empty, for instance, missing from some input data. It would be helpful for debugging to highlight when this is the case.
Proposal
When coercion to a numeric, float, or int context fails:
- If the string being coerced is empty, use "empty string" as a pseudo-type in the error message
- Otherwise, use "non-numeric string" as a pseudo-type in the error message
Current Behaviour
Mathematical operators:
echo 1 + "1";
// 2
echo 1 + "hello";
// TypeError: Unsupported operand types: int + string
echo 1 + "";
// TypeError: Unsupported operand types: int + string
Function calls in coercive-call mode:
declare(strict_types=0);
function foo(int $a) { echo $a; }
foo("1");
// 1
foo("a");
// TypeError: foo(): Argument #1 ($a) must be of type int, string given
foo("");
// TypeError: foo(): Argument #1 ($a) must be of type int, string given
Proposed behaviour
Mathematical operators:
echo 1 + "1";
// 2
echo 1 + "hello";
// TypeError: Unsupported operand types: int + non-numeric string
echo 1 + "";
// TypeError: Unsupported operand types: int + empty string
Function calls in coercive-call mode:
declare(strict_types=0);
function foo(int $a) { echo $a; }
foo("1");
// 1
foo("a");
// TypeError: foo(): Argument #1 ($a) must be of type int, non-numeric string given
foo("");
// TypeError: foo(): Argument #1 ($a) must be of type int, empty string given
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
The issue does not identify files or tests; start by tracing the numeric coercion and coercive-call argument type-error paths in php-src, then locate their existing coverage. Done means errors distinguish empty strings from other non-numeric strings in both mathematical operators and coercive function calls.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- php
- Domain
- backend
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100