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Error Identifier: method.visibility

Every error reported by PHPStan has an error identifier. Here’s a list of all error identifiers. In PHPStan Pro you can see the error identifier next to each error and filter errors by their identifiers.

Code example #

<?php declare(strict_types = 1);

class Foo
{
	public function doFoo(): void
	{
	}
}

class Bar extends Foo
{
	private function doFoo(): void
	{
	}
}

Why is it reported? #

An overriding method has a more restrictive visibility than the parent method. PHP enforces that overriding methods must not reduce visibility: a public method cannot be overridden with protected or private, and a protected method cannot be overridden with private.

This is a requirement of the Liskov Substitution Principle and is enforced by PHP at runtime with a fatal error.

How to fix it #

Match or widen the visibility of the overriding method:

 <?php declare(strict_types = 1);
 
 class Bar extends Foo
 {
-	private function doFoo(): void
+	public function doFoo(): void
 	{
 	}
 }

Non-ignorable error #

This error cannot be ignored using @phpstan-ignore or the ignoreErrors configuration. Non-ignorable errors indicate code that would cause a crash or a fatal error at runtime, or a fundamental problem in the analysed code that must be addressed.

Rules that report this error #

• PHPStan\Rules\Methods\ConsistentConstructorRule [1] [2]
• PHPStan\Rules\Methods\MethodVisibilityInInterfaceRule [1]
• PHPStan\Rules\Methods\OverridingMethodRule [1] [2]

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