AOT: require-as-expression fixture (config.php return array pattern, #783)

[PurHur]

Problem

examples/003-MiniWebApp/public/index.php bootstraps with:

$config = require __DIR__ . '/../config.php';

#783 tracks project-level AOT execute for this pattern; #752 ✅ proves multi-TU link works. There is no focused @group aot-link fixture that isolates require as an expression (return value from an included file) without the full Router graph.

Regressions in require-return lowering are hard to bisect inside the 003 tree.

Goal

test/fixtures/aot/cases/require_return_config.phpt passes AOT lint + link + execute:

• entry.php assigns $cfg = require 'config.php';
• config.php returns ['app_name' => 'FixtureApp'];
• stdout contains FixtureApp

Scope

• Fixture directory under test/fixtures/aot/cases/require_return_config/
• PHPT in @group aot-link (and execute when LLVM ready)
• Document relationship to manifest_includes.phpt (link order) vs this issue (runtime return value)

Implementation hints

Area	Files	Notes
Compiler	lib/Compiler.php	require expr lowering vs statement
AOT	lib/AOT/	Compare VM lib/VM.php stack for include return
Reference	examples/003-MiniWebApp/config.php	Same return-array shape
Parent	#783, blocker umbrella #764	Land fixture before or with project fix

Reproduce (after fixture exists)

./script/ci-local.sh --filter require_return_config
docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/compiler" -w /compiler php-compiler:22.04-dev \
  ./script/ci-local.sh --filter require_return_config

On harness hosts with empty bind-mount: ./script/docker-ci-local.sh --filter require_return_config.

Acceptance criteria

• Fixture green in VM + AOT execute (non-empty stdout)
• Failure message points to AOT: Project entry require-as-expression bootstrap (config.php → Router) (#764) #783 / AOT: MiniWebApp native binary CLI execute emits empty stdout (post-link) #764 when still broken
• No GitHub Actions required — local/Docker only

Dependencies

• AOT: MiniWebApp phpc build --project native link fails on master (post-#568/#734) #752 ✅ — multi-file link
• AOT: Project entry require-as-expression bootstrap (config.php → Router) (#764) #783 — project integration
• AOT: MiniWebApp native binary CLI execute emits empty stdout (post-link) #764 — MiniWebApp execute umbrella

Links

• AOT: Project entry require-as-expression bootstrap (config.php → Router) (#764) #783, AOT: layout.php title-branch partial includes (second template tier, #764) #784, AOT: Router render* void methods — template include must emit stdout (#764) #776, Testing: MiniWebAppAotExecuteTest CLI smoke (#485, #676 step 2) #747
• ROADMAP 🗺️ ROADMAP: Compile a small PHP web application (living document) #78 Phase 3 Web AOT

[PurHur]

Closed via merged PR #810. require_return_config @group aot-link fixture passes VM + AOT execute in Docker; require-as-expression lowering was already green from #798 — this lands the focused bisect gate for #783/#764.