PHP Code Sniffer

With phpcs you can check if your code matches the Joomla Coding Standards

Installation

With Pear (not for El Capitan)

The current Joomla! code style rules still need version 1.5.6 of phpcs. Install it using pear with the following command:

pear install PHP_CodeSniffer-1.5.6

After that we have to install the Joomla code style rules:

git clone https://github.com/joomla/coding-standards.git `pear config-get php_dir`/PHP/CodeSniffer/Standards/Joomla

For more details see also the Joomla Coding Standards Github repository

Composer

First install composer (See chapter Composer)

composer global require squizlabs/php_codesniffer=1.5.6

If you added the composer binary directory to your $PATH (in the .zshrc or .basrc file) you can now use phpcs as normal command on the command line.

After that download and add the Joomla! code style rules:

git clone https://github.com/joomla/coding-standards.git \
    $HOME/.composer/vendor/squizlabs/php_codesniffer/CodeSniffer/Standards/Joomla

Manual

You can also install it with curl

curl -OL https://squizlabs.github.io/PHP_CodeSniffer/phpcs.phar
php phpcs.phar -h

Usage

You can use phpcs as a standalone program, but most times you just want to integrate it into PHPStorm.

phpcs --standard=/usr/lib/php/pear/PHP/CodeSniffer/Standards/Joomla path/to/code.php