Language: static $this compiles — Zend "Cannot use $this as static variable" (Zend/zend_compile.c)

[PurHur]

Category

language · php-src-strict · static locals · compile-time fatal

Problem

php-src rejects static $this at compile time. This compiler accepts the function-local static declaration in functions and methods, so illegal programs run and print instead of aborting. VM and JIT both take the accept path.

Repro	Zend 8.2+	VM/JIT (2026-08-18 @ bf1e42be86)
function foo() { static $this; } echo "accepted\n";	Fatal: Cannot use $this as static variable (rc=255)	accepted (rc=0)
class C { function m() { static $this; } }	same fatal	accepted (rc=0)

Sibling of #32152 (use ($this) lexical). $this is never a legal function-static name.

php-src reference

• php/php-src Zend/zend_compile.c — zend_compile_static_var(); rejects $this (Cannot use $this as static variable)

PHP implementation target

• lib/Compiler.php function-local static $var compile (#2286 / #3533 static-local path) — when the name is $this, emit Zend's compile fatal and abort
• Same path for JIT/AOT; no new runtime/*.c logic

Repro

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'php bin/vm.php test/repro/maintainer_gap_static_this.php 2>&1 | head -5'
./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'php bin/jit.php test/repro/maintainer_gap_static_this.php 2>&1 | head -5'

Done when

• VM and JIT compile-abort with Zend substring Cannot use $this as static variable (rc≠0, no accepted output) for function and method forms
• Compliance .phpt guard under test/compliance/cases/language/ (e.g. static_this_compile_fatal.phpt)
• php-src-strict; no php-compiler-strict shortcut

[PurHur]

claim: Worker lane A — starting this run

[PurHur]

merged: #32186 (8e3bd84fc4)

Verification

• VM: php bin/vm.php test/repro/maintainer_gap_static_this.php → PHP Fatal error: Cannot use $this as static variable (rc=255)
• JIT: php bin/jit.php test/repro/maintainer_gap_static_this.php → same fatal (rc=255)
• ./script/phpunit.sh --filter 'StaticThisCompileFatalTest|StaticThis32181' → OK (10 tests, 20 assertions)

php-src zend_compile_static_var(); PHP Compiler::assertNoThisAsStaticVariable(). php-src-strict.