FAQ

FAQ

Common questions and pitfalls. See also Migration from 1.x.

Are keys case-insensitive?

No. get('name') and get('Name') are different keys, and hasGet('Name') is false when the stored key is name. This mirrors how HTTP query and body parameters actually behave.

Version 1.x folded keys to lower-case. 2.0 matches them exactly. If you relied on the old behaviour, normalise the key yourself: get(strtolower($key)).

Why did get() return a string for a number?

Query and form values are always strings ('2', not 2) — that is what PHP's SAPI provides. JSON-body values keep their decoded type. Cast explicitly, or validate with a rule like ['integer'] and convert after:

$page = (int) $input->get('page', 1, ['integer']);

In a priority helper, why didn't it use the valid value from the next source?

Priority is decided by presence, not validity. The first source that contains the key is committed to. If that value fails validation you get the default — the helper does not roll over to the next source.

$input = new Inputs(
    get:  ['year' => '3000'], // present but invalid
    post: ['year' => '1999'], // valid, never reached
);
$input->getPost('year', 2015, ['range(1970...2070)']); // 2015

If you need the next source's value, read the sources separately, or order the helper so the trusted source comes first. See Source Priority and Validation.

My JSON body isn't showing up in raw(). Why?

Three common causes:

1. The body was already read. php://input can usually be read only once per request. Build Inputs once (or use the facade) and reuse it; or decode the body yourself and pass it via new Inputs(raw: ...).
2. The payload is a scalar or invalid JSON. Only a JSON object or array becomes data; 42, "x", true or malformed JSON decode to an empty set by design.
3. Nested access. Each source is a flat bag — raw('user.name') looks up the literal key user.name, it does not descend. Read the nested array and index it: $input->raw('user')['name'] ?? null.

Does the facade share data with a new Inputs() I create?

No. They are independent objects. The facade caches its own instance; your new Inputs() reads its own sources. To put specific data behind the facade, use Facade\Inputs::setInstance(new Inputs(...)). See The Facade.

How do I test code that uses the facade?

Inject a seeded instance and reset afterwards:

use InitPHP\Input\Facade\Inputs as Input;
use InitPHP\Input\Inputs;

Input::setInstance(new Inputs(get: ['name' => 'Jane']));
// ... exercise the code under test ...
Input::reset(); // in tearDown()

See Testing.

Can I use my own validator configuration?

Yes. Pass a preconfigured InitPHP\Validation\Validation as the fourth constructor argument — for example one with a custom locale or extend()-ed rules — and it is used for every validated lookup:

$validator = (new \InitPHP\Validation\Validation())
    ->extend('even', static fn ($v): bool => is_numeric($v) && (int) $v % 2 === 0);

$input = new Inputs(get: ['n' => '4'], validation: $validator);
$input->get('n', null, ['even']); // '4'

Can I read all values at once?

Not through this package — it is deliberately a single value reader. If you need the whole array, read the source you want directly ($_GET, $_POST, or the decoded body) or wrap it in initphp/parameterbag.

Does it support nested / dotted keys?

No. Sources are stored as flat bags, so get('a.b') is a lookup for the literal key a.b. For nested structures, read the parent and index into it, or use initphp/parameterbag in multi mode.

Which PHP versions are supported?

PHP 8.1 and later. The package is tested on 8.1–8.4 in CI.

Where do I report a bug or request a feature?

Open an issue on the repository, or start a thread in Discussions.

Next

• API Reference
• Migration from 1.x