No Bracketless Blocks

PHP allows statement like for, if-elseif-then, do...while, while, foreach to be followed by one instruction. In such case, only the next instruction will be included in the statement. This is convenient when writing short instruction, as this keeps it easy to read.

<?php

$a = 1;
if ($a == 1) 
	$b = 2;
	$a = 3;
	
// now only $b was changed

?>

However, code tends to grow, and this convenience will be removed as soon as a second instruction needs to be added to the statement. Then, curly braces { } are necessary in order to have all next instructions to be processed within the statement.

There are situations where the brackets will remove ambiguity :

<?php

if ($a > 0 ) if ($a > 10) $b = 1; else $b = 2;

?>

In the code above, does the else apply to the first if or to the second if ? (Answer : The second).

Note also that PHP is not consistent is its allowing the bracketless blocks, as try/catch or switch statement won't support it.

As a precaution for future update in the code, it is recommended to always add brackets to statements.

Rule Details

The following snippets are considered a warning:

<?php

if ($a == 1) 
	$b = 2;
elseif ($b == 2) 
	$c = 3;
else 
	$d = 4;
	
do
	$e = 5;
while ($f == 6);

while ($g == 7)
	$h = 8;
	
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) 
	$j = 9;
	
foreach($k as $l) 
	$m = 4;
	
?>

The following pattern is considered legit:

<?php

if ($a == 1) {
	$b = 2;
} elseif ($b == 2) {
	$c = 3;
} else {
	$d = 4;
}
	
do {
	$e = 5;
} while ($f == 6);

while ($g == 7) {
	$h = 8;
}
	
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {
	$j = 9;
}

foreach($k as $l) {
	$m = 4;
}

?>