Language: declare(strict_types=1) folds define() user constants at compile time — Undefined constant fatal (zend_compile.c) #17678

Category

language · php-src-strict

Problem

Under declare(strict_types=1);, bareword references to user constants registered via define() later in the same file are resolved at compile time and fatal with Undefined constant before define() executes. Zend resolves these names at runtime after define() runs.

php-src reference

• php/php-src Zend/zend_compile.c — constant lookup must remain runtime for user constants defined in-file
• php/php-src ext/standard/basic_functions.c — define() registration timing

PHP implementation target

• lib/ compile path — do not treat in-file define() targets as compile-time constants when emitting bareword fetches under strict_types
• VM/JIT shared constant resolution (ConstantExpr, FetchConst lowering)

Repro

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'php bin/vm.php test/repro/maintainer_gap_define_runtime_constant_strict.php'

Done when

• test/repro/maintainer_gap_define_runtime_constant_strict.php prints ok on VM/JIT/AOT
• Compliance guard under test/compliance/cases/language/define_runtime_constant_strict.phpt
• php-src-strict; no php-compiler-strict shortcut