North Star 1: layout-edge AOT bisect ladder (post-#764, not blocking #1044 close)

[PurHur]

Problem

Core 003-MiniWebApp route matrix is green on master (#764 ✅, #1529 ✅). Four layout-edge bisect items remain open — they reproduce partial stdout / template-chain failures not covered by the main execute PHPUnit gate:

Issue	Pattern
#866	$_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] inside runtime-included layout.php
#846	Private method call before nested include chain
#831	Global user function called from class method (contact validation)
#784 / #807	Title-branch partial includes

These are not required to close #1044 (definition of done is full route matrix + default-on CI gates). They matter for template fidelity, contributor reproducers, and closing the bisect ladder cleanly.

Goal

Land minimal PHPT fixtures + fixes in priority order; mark ladder complete when all four patterns execute with non-empty stdout under AOT.

Scope

• Fixture per row in table above (many partially exist — wire into @group aot-link execute)
• Update 🌐 North Star 1: Web-capable PHP application (living tracker) #1044 bisect ladder section when each closes
• Optional: fold into script/miniwebapp-aot-bisect.sh (DevEx: script/miniwebapp-aot-bisect.sh — ordered #764 fixture runner #879 ✅)

Implementation hints

Piece	Path	Notes
Bisect script	script/miniwebapp-aot-bisect.sh	Run ladder locally
Fixtures	test/fixtures/aot/cases/	One PHPT per pattern
Superglobals	lib/AOT/runtime/superglobals_refresh.c	#866 — $_SERVER in includes
Global fn	lib/Compiler.php	#831 — TYPE_CALL to file-scope fn from method
Includes	lib/AOT/	#846 — private method → include chain

Verify (local / Docker only)

./script/miniwebapp-aot-bisect.sh
./script/ci-local.sh --filter server_in_include
docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/compiler" -w /compiler php-compiler:22.04-dev \
  ./script/docker-ci-local.sh --filter global_fn_from_class

No GitHub Actions.

Acceptance criteria

• All four child issues closed or explicitly deferred with capability-matrix note
• 🌐 North Star 1: Web-capable PHP application (living tracker) #1044 bisect ladder shows no open 🚧 rows (or documents deferral)
• ./script/miniwebapp-aot-bisect.sh exits 0 when LLVM present

Dependencies

• AOT: MiniWebApp native binary CLI execute emits empty stdout (post-link) #764 ✅ — core execute
• Testing: isset_object_property_array.phpt AOT execute green (resolveAppName, #764) #848 ✅, Testing: nested_include_two_tier.phpt AOT execute (layout scope, #764) #878 ✅, Testing: aot phpt miniwebapp_render_home — resolveAppName + layout include (#764) #867 ✅ — earlier ladder steps
• Testing: MiniWebApp AOT unskip matrix after #568 (orchestrate #454 #485 #478 #610) #676 ✅ — orchestration

Links

• 🌐 North Star 1: Web-capable PHP application (living tracker) #1044 North Star 1 tracker
• ROADMAP 🗺️ ROADMAP: Self-host + web-capable PHP subset (living) #78 Phase 4 Polish
• examples/003-MiniWebApp/templates/layout.php, src/Router.php

[PurHur]

Batch 70 audit: Core #764 ✅ closed — layout-edge children #866, #831, #846, #784, #807 are also ✅ on master. This ladder issue remains open for:

• Close or explicitly defer each child with capability-matrix note
• Run ./script/miniwebapp-aot-bisect.sh exit 0 on Docker harness
• Update 🌐 North Star 1: Web-capable PHP application (living tracker) #1044 bisect section (not blocking NS1 close per DoD)

Not required for #1760 / #1044 close. ROADMAP #78 Phase 4 polish.

[PurHur]

Parent tracker #1044 closed batch 77 — this bisect ladder remains non-blocking for North Star 1; continue as layout-edge / contributor repro work.

[PurHur]

North star realignment (May 2026): Web-app work is no longer a project north star. This issue remains optional regression / layout-edge bisect for examples/003-MiniWebApp AOT — not blocking prioritized work.

• Docs/status now list self-host #1492 as the sole north star.
• Example gates still run via make north-star1-verify / make miniwebapp-gates (legacy target name).
• Closing as superseded by the realignment unless someone wants to keep it open for bisect tracking only.

[PurHur]

Superseded: web examples are integration-test fixtures only; self-host #1492 is the project north star.