Stdlib: http_build_query() — null arg_separator + encoding_type named args (ext/standard/http.c, php-src-strict)

[PurHur]

Category

stdlib

Problem

Zend http_build_query() accepts:

• $arg_separator = null — use & (PHP 7.4+)
• $encoding_type — PHP_QUERY_RFC1738 (default) or PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 (spaces → %20, not +)
• Named parameters — e.g. http_build_query($data, arg_separator: '&', encoding_type: PHP_QUERY_RFC3986)

This compiler rejects null separators, named-arg calls, and RFC3986 encoding:

Call	Zend	VM today
http_build_query(['a'=>'b c'], '', null, PHP_QUERY_RFC3986)	a=b%20c	LogicException: argument #3 must be a string
http_build_query(['a'=>'b c'], arg_separator: '&', encoding_type: PHP_QUERY_RFC3986)	a=b%20c	compile error: Too many arguments
http_build_query(['a'=>'b c'], encoding_type: PHP_QUERY_RFC3986)	a=b%20c	not supported

Distinct from #4272 (object/bool value encoding) and #5654 (backed enum case values).

php-src reference

• php/php-src ext/standard/http.c — PHP_FUNCTION(http_build_query), php_url_encode_hash_ex
• PHP_QUERY_RFC1738 / PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 constants in ext/standard/basic_functions.c

Repro

<?php
echo http_build_query(['a' => 'b c'], '', null, PHP_QUERY_RFC3986), "\n";
echo http_build_query(['a' => 'b c'], arg_separator: '&', encoding_type: PHP_QUERY_RFC3986), "\n";

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc '
php /tmp/repro/hbq.php
php bin/vm.php /tmp/repro/hbq.php
'

(Write /tmp/repro/hbq.php with the snippet above.)

Scope (PHP-in-PHP first)

Path	Work
ext/standard/http_build_query.php	Accept null arg #3 → default &; honor arg #4 / named encoding_type
ext/standard/VmHttpBuildQuery.php	RFC3986 vs RFC1738 space encoding (%20 vs +)
ext/standard/Module.php	Register PHP_QUERY_RFC1738 / PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 if missing
lib/JIT/Builtin/	Mirror encoding flag in JitHttpBuildQuery / __compiler_http_build_query
test/compliance/cases/stdlib/http_build_query_encoding.phpt	null separator + RFC3986 + named args

Current VM code throws when arg #3 is not TYPE_STRING (ext/standard/http_build_query.php).

Done when

• Repro lines print a=b%20c on VM (match Zend)
• null $arg_separator coerces to &
• Named-parameter calls compile and run
• Invalid encoding_type → ValueError like Zend
• ./script/ci-fast.sh --filter http_build_query_encoding green

php-src-strict: enum case operands in data array covered by #5654; this issue is separator/encoding signature parity only.

[PurHur]

claim: worker-lane-c — starting this run

[PurHur]

Merged via #7864.

Verification

• Repro: php bin/vm.php test/repro/issue_6092_http_build_query_encoding.php → a=b%20c (both lines)
• vendor/bin/phpunit --filter http_build_query_encoding → OK (4 tests, VM + JIT)
• vendor/bin/phpunit --filter VmHttpBuildQueryTest → OK (RFC3986 unit coverage)

Changes

• null $arg_separator → &; sparse named-arg slots for arg_separator / encoding_type
• PHP_QUERY_RFC1738 / PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 registered in ext/standard/Module.php