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Error Identifier: property.onlyWritten

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 UserProcessor
{

	private string $lastProcessed;

	public function process(string $name): void
	{
		$this->lastProcessed = $name;
	}

}

Why is it reported? #

A private property is being written to but is never read anywhere in the class. This indicates dead code – the property stores a value that is never used. Writing to a property without ever reading it has no observable effect and is likely a leftover from a refactoring or a mistake.

How to fix it #

If the property is not needed, remove it along with its assignments:

 <?php declare(strict_types = 1);
 
 class UserProcessor
 {

-	private string $lastProcessed;
-
 	public function process(string $name): void
 	{
-		$this->lastProcessed = $name;
+		// process the name
 	}

 }

If the property is meant to be read, add the code that reads it:

 <?php declare(strict_types = 1);
 
 class UserProcessor
 {

 	private string $lastProcessed;

 	public function process(string $name): void
 	{
 		$this->lastProcessed = $name;
 	}

+	public function getLastProcessed(): string
+	{
+		return $this->lastProcessed;
+	}

 }

If the property is read by a framework or library through reflection, you can use the @phpstan-use annotation or configure PHPStan to always mark certain properties as read.

How to ignore this error #

You can use the identifier property.onlyWritten to ignore this error using a comment:

// @phpstan-ignore property.onlyWritten
codeThatProducesTheError();

You can also use only the identifier key to ignore all errors of the same type in your configuration file in the ignoreErrors parameter:

parameters:
	ignoreErrors:
		-
			identifier: property.onlyWritten

Rules that report this error #

• PHPStan\Rules\DeadCode\UnusedPrivatePropertyRule [1]

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