Prefer $this return type over static

[dpi]

Hi there,

We have a codebase where there are many @return $this. We've run Rector with just a handful of return type rules* and found its adding static as a return type. We'd prefer to keep our methods return type-less until something like https://wiki.php.net/rfc/this_return_type comes along. I believe it may also have different semantics for PHPStan and code style tools as you can tell its the same object being chained.

Is there a recommendation for working with this scenario.

*The rules used are: AddVoidReturnTypeWhereNoReturnRector, ReturnTypeFromStrictNativeCallRector, ReturnTypeFromStrictScalarReturnExprRector, ReturnTypeDeclarationRector.

Thanks!

[TomasVotruba]

Hi,

the best way is to add rule that add what you don't want via skip() method:
https://github.com/rectorphp/rector/blob/main/docs/how_to_ignore_rule_or_paths.md

On the other hand, the static return type is far better than docblocks, as it give PHPStan and Rector 100 % confidence about type.
So more rule can work with it and build on it :)

[dpi]

Thanks @TomasVotruba ,

So there isn't a way to configure specific types?

We need to disabling a rule entirely by path :/

[TomasVotruba]

It's not, as the point of these rules is to improve type declarations in your code :)
I'd not use Rector if you want to keep your code unchanged.