Support installing the PHAR via Composer

[HypeMC]

It would be great if the PHAR version could be installed via Composer. PHP-CS-Fixer/shim already supports this approach.

This would allow installing the tool through standard Composer workflows while still keeping the PHAR format, avoiding dependency conflicts with the user's application.

[VincentLanglet]

This would require for me to maintain another repository no ?

Also, I'm not sure about the need of the PHAR when looking at my dependencies when looking at the composer.json

Twig-CS-Fixer/composer.json

Lines 12 to 22 in 503eed7

	"require": {
	"php": ">=8.0",
	"ext-ctype": "*",
	"composer-runtime-api": "^2.0.0",
	"symfony/console": "^5.4.9 || ^6.4 || ^7.0 || ^8.0",
	"symfony/filesystem": "^5.4 || ^6.4 || ^7.0 || ^8.0",
	"symfony/finder": "^5.4 || ^6.4 || ^7.0 || ^8.0",
	"symfony/string": "^5.4.42 || ^6.4.10 || ~7.0.10 || ^7.1.3 || ^8.0",
	"twig/twig": "^3.4",
	"webmozart/assert": "^1.10 || ^2.0"
	},

which conflict could you have ?

[VincentLanglet]

Also, I'm unsure about the benefit when phive install twig-cs-fixer is a one liner to install phar.

[HypeMC]

@VincentLanglet Hi, thank you for the feedback.

This would require for me to maintain another repository no ?

Yes, but it could be very lightweight.
It would mainly contain the released PHAR file (and the minimal Composer metadata needed to install it), similar to how PHP-CS-Fixer/shim works.

Also, I'm not sure about the need of the PHAR when looking at my dependencies when looking at the composer.json, which conflict could you have ?

Potentially any dependency conflict. For example, hypothetically, if webmozart/assert v3 were released and a project wanted to use it, but this tool still required v2, Composer wouldn't be able to resolve both versions and the install/update would fail.

That's exactly why distributing the PHAR via Composer is useful: it isolates the tool's dependencies from the user's project dependencies.

Also, I'm unsure about the benefit when phive install twig-cs-fixer is a one liner to install phar.

That would require using a completely different package manager just for this single tool. It's much easier (and more consistent) to be able to install it via Composer, so users can stick to one tool for dependency management across their project and dev tooling.

[VincentLanglet]

@VincentLanglet Hi, thank you for the feedback.

This would require for me to maintain another repository no ?

Yes, but it could be very lightweight. It would mainly contain the released PHAR file (and the minimal Composer metadata needed to install it), similar to how PHP-CS-Fixer/shim works.

If you look at https://github.com/PHP-CS-Fixer/shim/commits/master/ the phar seems to be manually updated. And honestly that extra-work I'm not looking for. So this would require automation.

That's exactly why distributing the PHAR via Composer is useful: it isolates the tool's dependencies from the user's project dependencies.

You could also use https://github.com/bamarni/composer-bin-plugin#why-a-hard-problem-with-a-simple-solution

Also, I'm not sure about the need of the PHAR when looking at my dependencies when looking at the composer.json, which conflict could you have ?

Potentially any dependency conflict. For example, hypothetically, if webmozart/assert v3 were released and a project wanted to use it, but this tool still required v2, Composer wouldn't be able to resolve both versions and the install/update would fail.

I feel like you're too hypothetically cause

• I'm supporting very old Symfony version to avoid conflict
• The Twig dependency constraint makes sens because my fixer rely on the fact some twig syntax are supported.
• I have very few dependencies
• I always add compatibility in a very short amount of time

That would require using a completely different package manager just for this single tool. It's much easier (and more consistent) to be able to install it via Composer, so users can stick to one tool for dependency management across their project and dev tooling.

IMHO It's like asking to be able to install npm package with composer to be consistent.
Composer has a better usage for conflict/dependencies resolution.
Phive means PHar Installation and Verification Environment. That's THE tool to use for Phar.