PHP Enums

When to use

• The user needs a fixed, closed set of named values such as order status, role, or state.
• The user wants to replace magic strings or class constants with a type-safe enum on PHP 8.1+.
• The user maps untrusted HTTP or API input to a known enum set and must reject invalid values.

When NOT to use

• Do not use this skill when the value set is open-ended or third parties must add values at runtime.
• Do not use enums when the target runtime is PHP 7.4 or 8.0; use class constants with allow-list validation instead.

Core guidance