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Language: asymmetric visibility syntax (PHP 8.4 public private(set)) — parse fails Multiple access type modifiers #6861
Description
Category
language
Problem
PHP 8.4 asymmetric property visibility (public private(set), protected(set), etc.) is valid syntax in php-src but this compiler rejects it at parse/compile with:
Multiple access type modifiers are not allowed
That blocks all runtime/reflection parity work (#5060, #6772, #6771) because sources using asymmetric visibility never compile.
php-src reference
- php/php-src
Zend/zend_compile.c—zend_compile_property()asymmetric visibility flags - php/php-src
Zend/zend_language_parser.y—property_modifier_list/(set)visibility
Repro
<?php
declare(strict_types=1);
class Asym {
public private(set) string $name = 'x';
}
$a = new Asym();
echo $a->name, "\n";./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
php bin/vm.php test/repro/asymmetric_visibility_syntax.php 2>&1 | head -3
php -l test/repro/asymmetric_visibility_syntax.php 2>&1 | head -3 # PHP 8.4+ host if available
'| Engine | Result |
|---|---|
| php-src 8.4+ | compiles; getter public, setter private |
bin/vm.php (today) |
parseAndCompile failure: Multiple access type modifiers are not allowed |
Scope (PHP-in-PHP)
| Layer | Path |
|---|---|
| Parser/php-cfg | php-parser overlay or grammar for (set) visibility tokens |
| Compiler | lib/Compiler.php — map asymmetric flags to property metadata |
| VM | enforce get/set visibility in lib/VM.php property access paths |
| Tests | test/compliance/cases/language/asymmetric_visibility_syntax.phpt |
Do not add asymmetric rules to runtime/*.c; keep semantics in lib/ + ext/.
Done when
- Repro compiles and prints
x - External assignment
$a->name = 'y'from global scope throwsError(private(set)) -
./script/ci-fast.sh --filter asymmetric_visibility_syntaxgreen on VM (+ JIT/AOT lint when lowering exists)
Related
- Stdlib: ReflectionProperty::getAsymmetricVisibility() — set/get masks (ext/reflection/php_reflection.c) #5060 · Stdlib: ReflectionProperty::getAsymmetricVisibility() — static properties return wrong/null (ext/reflection/php_reflection.c) #6772 · Stdlib: get_class_vars() — static asymmetric properties missing from returned map (ext/standard/class.c) #6771 · Epic: Self-host critical path — compiler compiles itself (M3→M5) #1492
Activity
PurHur commentedon Jun 6, 2026
claim: worker-lane-B — starting this run
Fix public private(set) asymmetric visibility syntax (#6861) (#6890)
PurHur commentedon Jun 6, 2026
Merged via #6890.
Fix:
AsymmetricVisibilityRewriternow allows distinct read/set visibility pairs (public private(set), etc.) matching php-src 8.4. Only duplicate same-axis modifiers (public public(set)) compile-fatal. Promotedpublic private(set)still rejected byAsymmetricVisibilityCompileCheck(#6742).Verification: