Illuminate\Support requires ext/ctype, missing from composer.json

[JoshyPHP]

The current version of Illuminate\Support\Str uses ctype_lower() but ext/ctype is missing from its composer.json.

Note that this is currently the only occurence of ext/ctype used in the codebase so you can either add the requirement to composer.json or replace that lone use with a regexp.

[alexbowers]

It appears that the reason ctype_lower has been used is to allow support for different locales.

Since its usecase is in the snake method, it may be possible to simply use something like this to compare:

$string === strtolower($string)

instead, however this does have some downsides, where it returns differently to ctype_lower. An example of this is string being stringβ.

Demonstration: https://3v4l.org/K4AvC

I think the best thing here would be to change the composer.json file to require it as an ext/ctype as you suggested.

[alexbowers]

It is worth noting however, that these have been available by default since php 4.2

Beginning with PHP 4.2.0 these functions are enabled by default.
http://php.net/manual/en/ctype.installation.php

Have you actually ran into an issue where you didn't have this enabled?

If so, was this a custom compilation where you specifically disabled support with --disable-ctype?

The actual chances of this occurring for the vast majority of people is pretty slim.

[JoshyPHP]

Have you actually ran into an issue where you didn't have this enabled?

I haven't. I became aware of this issue after reading this thread on the Flarum discussion board: https://discuss.flarum.org/d/3437-fatal-error-call-to-undefined-function-illuminate-support-ctype-lower

[alexbowers]

That's interesting. I guess there is no harm in marking it as a requirement for laravel. Its included by default for pretty much everybody, but I guess that goes to show that there are at least some people who have ran into this in the wild.

[allanfreitas]

@JoshyPHP @alexbowers ,
I think, ctype it's a default ext since php 4.2, for performance reasons it's better to use a "compiled" C code instead any other function.
And Laravel 5.3+ requires PHP 5.6.*+ :)

[timvdalen]

Just to provide a data point: I just did a fresh install of PHP 7.1.16 on Cygwin, and the ctype extension is not included by default.