Developing OpenAPI Specs

Guide for contributing to the OpenAPI layer at src/Shared/Application/OpenApi/.

This skill covers architecture patterns, complexity management techniques, and best practices for maintaining OpenAPI specifications while keeping code quality high.

Related Skills:

• implementing-ddd-architecture - Domain layer must stay pure; OpenAPI code belongs in Application layer

When to Use This Skill

• Adding new OpenAPI endpoint factories
• Creating processors for spec transformation
• Adding parameter descriptions or validation
• Modifying OpenAPI generation logic
• Fixing OpenAPI validation errors
• Reducing cyclomatic complexity in OpenAPI code

Architecture Overview

The OpenAPI layer follows a Processor Pattern with clear separation of concerns:

src/Shared/Application/OpenApi/
├── Builder/              # Schema and parameter builders
├── Factory/
│   ├── Endpoint/         # Custom endpoint factories
│   ├── Request/          # Request body schemas
│   ├── Response/         # Response schemas
│   └── UriParameter/     # Path parameter factories
├── Processor/            # Spec transformation processors
└── OpenApiFactory.php    # Main coordinator for tagged factories/processors

Key Principles

1. Single Responsibility: Each processor/factory handles ONE concern
2. Immutability: Use with*() methods, never mutate directly
3. Functional Programming: Prefer array_map, array_filter over loops
4. Flat Control Flow: Prefer guard clauses, extracted helpers, and explicit branches
5. Early Returns: Guard clauses reduce nesting and complexity

Quick Pattern Reference

Pattern 1: OPERATIONS Constant

private const OPERATIONS = ['Get', 'Post', 'Put', 'Patch', 'Delete'];

private function processPathItem(PathItem $pathItem): PathItem
{
    foreach (self::OPERATIONS as $operation) {
        $pathItem = $pathItem->{'with' . $operation}(
            $this->processOperation($pathItem->{'get' . $operation}())
        );
    }
    return $pathItem;
}

Pattern 2: Guard Clauses and Explicit Branches

private function processOperation(?Operation $operation): ?Operation
{
    if ($operation === null) {
        return null;
    }

    if ($operation->getParameters() === []) {
        return $operation;
    }

    return $operation->withParameters(...);
}

Pattern 3: Functional Array Operations

// ✅ Functional (complexity: 2)
private function collectRequired(array $params): array
{
    return array_values(
        array_map(
            static fn (Parameter $p) => $p->name,
            array_filter($params, static fn (Parameter $p) => $p->isRequired())
        )
    );
}

// ❌ Procedural (complexity: 3+)
private function collectRequired(array $params): array
{
    $required = [];
    foreach ($params as $param) {
        if ($param->isRequired()) {
            $required[] = $param->name;
        }
    }
    return $required;
}

Pattern 4: Extract Methods (Keep Under 20 Lines)

// Split long methods into focused helpers
private function processContent(Operation $operation): Operation
{
    $content = $operation->getRequestBody()->getContent();
    $modified = false;

    foreach ($content as $mediaType => $mediaTypeObject) {
        $fixedProperties = $this->fixProperties($mediaTypeObject);  // Extracted!
        if ($fixedProperties !== null) {
            $content[$mediaType]['schema']['properties'] = $fixedProperties;
            $modified = true;
        }
    }

    return $modified ? $operation->withRequestBody(...) : $operation;
}

// Extracted method with single responsibility
private function fixProperties(array $mediaTypeObject): ?array
{
    if (!isset($mediaTypeObject['schema']['properties'])) {
        return null;
    }

    $properties = $mediaTypeObject['schema']['properties'];
    return array_map(
        static fn ($prop) => self::fixProperty($prop),
        $properties
    );
}

Complexity Target Metrics

• Min Complexity: 93% (source code threshold)
• Max Cyclomatic Complexity/Method: 10
• Max Method Length: 20 lines
• Max Class Complexity: ≤ 8

Quick Start Guide

Adding a Processor

1. Create class in src/Shared/Application/OpenApi/Processor/
2. Implement OpenApiProcessorInterface
3. Use OPERATIONS constant, guard clauses, and functional style
4. Tag the service with app.openapi_processor and an explicit priority
5. Do not add a new dedicated constructor argument to OpenApiFactory

See REFERENCE.md - Adding Processors for complete examples.

Adding an Endpoint Factory

1. Implement EndpointFactoryInterface
2. Tag with app.openapi_endpoint_factory in services.yaml
3. Auto-discovered by OpenApiFactory

See REFERENCE.md - Adding Endpoint Factories for step-by-step guide.

Adding Parameter Descriptions

Extend ParameterDescriptionProcessor with a focused provider and wire it into getParameterDescriptions():

private function getYourFilterDescriptions(): array
{
    return [
        'yourParam' => 'Description of parameter',
        'yourParam[]' => 'Array variant description',
    ];
}

private function getParameterDescriptions(): array
{
    return array_merge(
        $this->getOrderDescriptions(),
        $this->getYourFilterDescriptions(),
    );
}

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

1. ❌ Don't Mutate: Use withX() methods, not direct assignment
2. ❌ Don't Use empty(): Explicitly check $array === [] or $string === ''
3. ❌ Don't Create God Classes: Split into focused processors
4. ❌ Don't Repeat HTTP Methods: Use OPERATIONS constant
5. ❌ Don't Write Nested Branch Mazes: flatten control flow with guard clauses and helper extraction

Testing Your Changes

make generate-openapi-spec       # Generate spec
make validate-openapi-spec        # Validate with Spectral
make phpinsights                 # Check quality scores
make unit-tests                  # Run tests

Expected Results:

• OpenAPI validation: "No results with severity 'hint' or higher"
• PHPInsights: Code 100%, Complexity ≥93% (src), Architecture 100%, Style 100%
• Unit tests: 100% coverage

Architecture Layer (DDD)

OpenAPI code belongs in the Application layer:

• ✅ Application Layer: src/Shared/Application/OpenApi/
• ❌ Never in Domain: Domain must have zero framework dependencies
• See implementing-ddd-architecture for layer rules

OpenAPI components can depend on:

• Domain entities (for type information)
• Symfony/API Platform components
• DTOs and transformers

Detailed Documentation

For comprehensive patterns, step-by-step guides, and examples:

• REFERENCE.md - Full directory structure, all patterns with examples, troubleshooting guide
• Codebase Examples:
  • ParameterDescriptionProcessor.php - Parameter-description provider pattern
  • IriReferenceTypeProcessor.php - Schema transformation pattern
  • PathParametersProcessor.php - Delegation pattern for path cleanup

Quick Checklist

Before committing OpenAPI changes:

• Used OPERATIONS constant for HTTP methods
• Kept branching flat with guard clauses or extracted helpers
• Methods under 20 lines
• Cyclomatic complexity under 10 per method
• Used functional array operations
• Pure functions are static
• No empty() - explicit type checks
• Early returns and guard clauses
• Delegated to specialized classes
• make validate-openapi-spec passes
• make phpinsights meets thresholds
• make unit-tests pass with 100% coverage

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Remember: Low complexity and high quality go hand-in-hand. Use functional programming, guard clauses, and method extraction to keep code maintainable.