Stdlib: similar_text() must TypeError on int operands — VM coerces to string (ext/standard/string.c)

[PurHur]

Category

stdlib · php-src-strict

Problem

With declare(strict_types=1), Zend similar_text() requires string operands and throws TypeError when argument #1 is an int. This compiler coerces scalars to string (prints match count 3 for similar_text(123, '123')), diverging from php-src convert_to_string guards on internal string functions.

Distinct from enum-case operand bugs tracked in #8797 — this issue is scalar int/float coercion, not enum objects.

php-src reference

• php/php-src ext/standard/string.c — PHP_FUNCTION(similar_text), _php_similar_text
• php/php-src Zend/zend_operators.c — zend_parse_parameters / Z_PARAM_STR strict paths

Repro

In-tree: test/repro/issue_4543_similar_text.php

<?php
declare(strict_types=1);
echo similar_text(123, '123'), "\n";

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
php test/repro/issue_4543_similar_text.php 2>&1 | head -3
php bin/vm.php test/repro/issue_4543_similar_text.php 2>&1 | head -3
'

Engine	similar_text(123, '123')
Zend PHP 8.2	TypeError: similar_text(): Argument #1 ($string1) must be of type string, int given
VM today	3 (coerced) ❌

Scope (this repo)

Path	Work
ext/standard/similar_text.php	Use shared VmString::coerceStringBuiltinArg / strict Z_PARAM_STR parity
lib/JIT/Builtin/	Align JIT lowering with VM TypeError (reuse string builtin arg helpers)
Tests	Extend test/compliance/cases/stdlib/similar_text*.phpt

PHP-in-PHP: fix in ext/standard + JIT arg helpers — no new runtime/*.c.

Done when

• Repro throws Zend-equivalent TypeError on VM
• similar_text('hello', 'hello world', $p) percent-by-ref path still works (rest of issue_4543_similar_text.php)
• JIT/AOT match VM for int operand (or document VM-only v1 with issue link)
• ./script/ci-fast.sh --filter similar_text green

Ref: #8797 (enum operands) · #1492

[PurHur]

claim: PHP Compiler STD Lib — starting this run

[PurHur]

Merged via #9530.

Fix: VM/JIT similar_text() string args now use InternalStrictArg::requireString at strict call sites (declare(strict_types=1)), matching Zend ext/standard/string.c — int operands TypeError instead of coercion.

Verification:

• `php test/repro/issue_4543_similar_text.php` — Zend + VM: TypeError, percent-by-ref still works
• `./vendor/bin/phpunit test/compliance/SimilarTextVMTest.php test/compliance/SimilarTextJITTest.php` — OK (9 tests)
• `./vendor/bin/phpunit test/aot/AotTest.php --filter similar_text` — OK