Language: PHP 8 attributes — JIT/AOT reflection (phase 2 of #1354)

[PurHur]

Problem

#1354 ✅ landed VM v1: attributes parse, lint, and compile; runtime ignores #[Attr] metadata. docs/roadmap-wave3.md and #1354 explicitly defer JIT/AOT reflection (ReflectionClass::getAttributes(), attribute targets on methods/properties).

Framework code and future self-host bundles may rely on reflection without Zend — today that path is VM-only or unsupported in native binaries.

Goal

Layer	Target
VM	Optional: store attribute metadata on class/method nodes (not required for phase 2 if reflection is stubbed)
JIT	Lower attribute tables for jittable units used in spine smoke
AOT	Same metadata in linked binaries; Reflection* reads native tables

Phase 2 scope: read path for ReflectionAttribute / getAttributes() on declared items — not full newInstance() with arbitrary attribute constructors.

Implementation hints

Piece	Path	Notes
Parser	vendor/ircmaxell/php-parser	Already emits attribute nodes (#1354)
Compiler	lib/Compiler.php	Attach attribute list to class/method IR
VM	lib/VM.php, lib/VM/Reflection*.php	Backing store for reflection API
JIT	lib/JIT.php	Emit const attribute name/args blobs
AOT	lib/AOT/	Link metadata section or globals
Tests	test/compliance/cases/attribute_reflection_*.phpt	Mirror Zend subset
Capabilities	php script/capability-syntax.php	Flip row from “ignored” to JIT/AOT yes

Acceptance criteria

./phpc run test/compliance/cases/attribute_reflection_class.phpt
ATTRIBUTES_COMPLIANCE_GATE=1 ./script/ci-fast.sh --filter attribute_reflection
# When LLVM ready:
vendor/bin/phpunit --group llvm --filter AttributeReflection

• ReflectionClass::getAttributes() returns count/name for #[Attr] on a compiled class in VM and AOT binary
• Documented in docs/capabilities-syntax.md (deferred note removed)

Verification (local / Docker only)

docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/compiler" -w /compiler php-compiler:22.04-dev \
  ./script/ci-fast.sh --filter attribute_reflection

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Dependencies

• Language: PHP 8 attributes (#[Attr] on classes, methods, properties) #1354 ✅ — parse + VM ignore path
• Language: PHP 8 attributes — compliance PHPT pack (#1354 VM v1) #1912 ✅ — compliance PHPT pack
• CI: Default ATTRIBUTES_COMPLIANCE_GATE=1 in ci-fast after #1354 lands #1904 — default-on attribute compliance gate (VM regressions)
• Language: Class methods and property access in JIT #58 / Language: Visibility, constructors, and destructors #145 — OOP reflection surface

Non-goals

• Arbitrary newInstance() on attribute classes with complex ctor args
• Attributes on parameters (PHP 8.0+) in v1 phase 2

Links

• Wave 3 Roadmap wave 3: full PHP language + stdlib gaps tracker (#1354–#1379) #1380 ✅ · ROADMAP 🗺️ ROADMAP: Self-host + web-capable PHP subset (living) #78 Phase 1 Language
• Language features wave 2: JIT/syntax gaps tracker (#1222–#1235) #1238 — wave 2 JIT deferrals umbrella

[PurHur]

PM batch 120

PR #2106 open (~10m) — do not close until merged.

Harness: Attribute filter 2 errors / 1 failure on PR tip (AllowDynamicProperties expectation). Implementation owner: fix tests + re-run ./script/apply-patches.sh before merge.