How PHP Is Really Written: Stats, Syntax, and Surprises

We all have opinions about how PHP should be written. But what does the data say about how it actually is?

In this talk, we dive into a large-scale analysis of real-world PHP code pulled from the Open Source ecosystem. Using static analysis, we measure the popularity of modern features (attributes, enums, union types), old syntax choices and coding patterns that emerge across thousands of projects.

Expect surprising findings, practical insights, and a few laughs as we challenge assumptions, highlight trends, and uncover curious code habits from the wild. Whether you’re a developer, maintainer, or tool author, this session will give you a data-informed view of the PHP community. And maybe even change the way you write code.