php-ecosystem-reference

PHP Ecosystem Reference (Orientation)

Scope (read this first)

This skill is a routing / orientation map, NOT an implementation expert. It answers "which tool fits this problem, and where do I go next?" It does not carry deep, version-specific how-to knowledge for Symfony full-stack, API Platform, or Slim.

For actual implementation:

• Laravel → route to the laravel-expert agent (out of scope here).
• Framework-agnostic HTTP (PSR-7/15/17/18) → use [[php-http-psr]].
• Deep Symfony full-stack → there is no dedicated expert agent; flag this to the user (see boundaries.md).

Agent Workflow (MANDATORY)

Before relying on any detail here, use TeamCreate to spawn 2 agents:

1. fuse-ai-pilot:research-expert - Verify current versions/APIs on symfony.com, api-platform.com, slimframework.com
2. fuse-ai-pilot:explore-codebase - Detect which of these are already in composer.json

This skill orients; the research agent supplies verified specifics before any code.

---

Overview

Area	What it is	Reference
Symfony Components	Decoupled PHP libraries, each installable standalone via Composer — no full framework needed	symfony-components.md
API Platform 4.3	API-first framework built on Symfony (REST, GraphQL, OpenAPI from resource classes)	api-platform.md
Slim 4.15	PSR-7/PSR-15 micro-framework for small APIs and services	slim-framework.md
Boundaries	Where this skill stops and who to route to	boundaries.md

---

Critical Rules

1. Orientation only - Never present ecosystem details as authoritative; the research agent verifies before code.
2. Standalone ≠ framework - Symfony components run WITHOUT the Symfony framework; composer require symfony/console is enough.
3. HttpFoundation is not PSR-7 - Symfony's HTTP model differs from PSR-7; bridge via symfony/psr-http-message-bridge ([[php-http-psr]]).
4. Laravel is out of scope - Any Laravel task routes to laravel-expert.
5. No deep Symfony expert exists - For full-stack Symfony depth, tell the user explicitly rather than improvising.

---

Reference Guide

Concepts

Topic	Reference	When to Consult
Symfony Components	symfony-components.md	Picking a standalone library (CLI, process, events, validation…)
API Platform	api-platform.md	Building an API-first app on Symfony
Slim	slim-framework.md	Small PSR-based micro-service or API
Boundaries	boundaries.md	Deciding whether to route elsewhere

---

Quick Reference

Install a standalone Symfony component

composer require symfony/console       # CLI apps
composer require symfony/process       # run sub-processes
composer require symfony/event-dispatcher
composer require symfony/validator
composer require symfony/serializer

Decision shortcut

Need	Route to
Full Laravel app	laravel-expert agent
Framework-agnostic HTTP messages/middleware	[[php-http-psr]]
One utility (CLI, events, validation) without a framework	Symfony component, see symfony-components.md
API-first product on Symfony	API Platform, see api-platform.md
Tiny PSR-7 API/service	Slim, see slim-framework.md
Deep Symfony full-stack MVC	No expert — flag to user (boundaries.md)

---

Best Practices

DO

• Use this map to choose a direction, then hand off to the research agent for specifics
• Prefer a single standalone component over a full framework for a narrow need
• State clearly when a task falls outside any available expert

DON'T

• Present version-specific API details from here as verified — they are orientation
• Attempt deep Laravel or deep Symfony full-stack work under this skill
• Assume Symfony HttpFoundation and PSR-7 are interchangeable