Make installation more friendly

[ondrejmirtes]

Hi, I found out about this project and I'm trying out Zed with it for the first time, and I'm running into problems.

I downloaded the binary (phpantom_lsp-x86_64-apple-darwin) from GitHub Releases. I'm trying to follow the setup (https://github.com/AJenbo/phpantom_lsp/blob/main/docs/SETUP.md#editor-setup) without success.

It says:

1. Open Zed
2. Open the Extensions panel
3. Click Install Dev Extension
4. Select the zed-extension/ directory

Errr, what directory? I can't find it on disk. Oh, it's in the repository. I guess I need to clone the repository instead of downloading the binary? Alright.

I cloned the repository. I clicked on Install Dev Extension and selected the zed-extension from the cloned repo. Zed says:

Error: Failed to install dev extension: failed to compile Rust extension

Not sure how I should continue. Why would it try to compile it? The setup guide says:

The extension automatically downloads the correct pre-built binary from GitHub releases for your platform.

When I read further:

If you'd prefer to use a locally built binary, ensure phpantom_lsp is on your PATH and the extension will use it instead.

Oh, I have that. Moving it into my $PATH. When I try to run it to verify it's in my $PATH with phpantom_lsp, I am presented with macOS screen about malware. So I guess the editor can't run it either. I guess the binary should be notarized or signed or something like that. I went to System Settings -> Privacy & Security and enabled it manually from there. Now I when I try to run it on CLI, it says:

phpantom_lsp

2026-03-28T08:09:36.698006Z ERROR tower_lsp::transport: failed to decode message: missing required `Content-Length` header
Content-Length: 75

{"jsonrpc":"2.0","error":{"code":-32700,"message":"Parse error"},"id":null}

So I guess the binary works now. I'm trying Install Dev Extension in Zed one more time, but it still says:

Error: Failed to install dev extension: failed to compile Rust extension

I'd love to try this out, it really sounds like a great project, but it needs a better out-of-the-box experience for people that never tried to use Zed before, and that never compiled Rust on their machines before.

Also, I'm not sure if this is the only thing that I need in Zed for great PHP experience, or if I need this as well:

Thank you.

[AJenbo]

Thanks for looking at the project. Yeah, installation is still a bit manual. My plan was to work on that as part of sprint 5, where I want to tackle rough corners for users (currently working on sprint 4, which is about refactoring). One of the blockers was that Neovim requires a project to have 100 stars before you can be included, and we only just crossed that bar yesterday.

For Zed, I haven't been sure if I should publish the extension or make a PR for the existing PHP extension, where they already have the 3 other major LSPs built in. But since the project seems to be taking off, maybe now is the time to decide.

I guess I need to clone the repository instead of downloading the binary?

In the case of Zed, it's kinda both.

So I guess the editor can't run it either. I guess the binary should be notarized or signed or something like that.

Yes, this is a big hurdle for all the software I write. I don't have a Mac (I'm on Linux), and I'm not paying the $99 yearly fee to Apple that this process requires. I honestly don't know how to solve this. You're my first confirmed Apple user, though downloads show that there are now a lot more at least trying it.

Error: Failed to install dev extension: failed to compile Rust extension

Right, ok. I think this means your Rust is a little outdated; some of my dependencies mean it requires 2024 syntax. Updating rustc on your system should get you through this last step.

Also, I'm not sure if this is the only thing that I need in Zed for great PHP experience, or if I need this as well:

I just double-checked, and you do need this. It tells Zed that .php files contain PHP, so without it, it won't even invoke the LSP or get fancy colors.

I'd love to try this out, it really sounds like a great project

Thanks, I'm really glad to hear that. I'm trying to make this the best tool for someone working with PHPStan (using Editor Mode for the integration, support for most PHPStan PHPDoc syntax, quick fixes for some errors (5 so far), Phar support, configurable PHPStan path).

It even has a little subcommand, phpantom_lsp analyze, which is an homage to PHPStan. It’s meant to highlight where a codebase should improve their type coverage to help with better code completion and better error detection from PHPStan.

[ondrejmirtes]

Alright, I installed the extension but I'm not sure if it's actually doing anything.

For example, I opened this file: https://github.com/phpstan/phpstan-src/blob/2.2.x/src/DependencyInjection/Configurator.php

I can Cmd-click to open definition of LoaderFactory (the promoted property type in constructor), but I can't click on the extended parent class.

Also I don't get autocompletion of properties when I start typing $this->, see the screenshot:

(This is usually my first test when I try some alternative to PhpStorm.)

[ondrejmirtes]

About notarization - one would hope this can completely be automated in GitHub Actions, but I didn't look into it yet. If I started using this daily I'd definitely sponsor you so you could have the Apple developer account.

[ondrejmirtes]

Oh it works now, Zed was in restricted mode.

[AJenbo]

My best guess here is that you didn't tell Zed to trust the project:

Before doing so I get the exact same result as you are describing. After clicking it and then the trust button I get this instead:

[ondrejmirtes]

Why does it reformat the whole file? Is that a Mago/LSP thing or Zed thing?

I didn't do myself.

[AJenbo]

By default "Format on save" is switched on in Zed. By default it uses a JS tool called Prettier, I don't like it's PHP style.

Here is my Zed config:

{
  "inlay_hints": {
    "enabled": true,
  },
  "auto_signature_help": true,
  "show_signature_help_after_edits": true,
  "format_on_save": "off",
  "languages": {
    "PHP": {
      "formatter": "language_server",
      "format_on_save": "off",
      "language_servers": [
        "phpantom_lsp",
        "!intelephense",
        "!phpactor",
        "!phptools",
        "...",
      ],
    },
  },
}

"formatter": "language_server" tells it to use the LSP instead of Prettier for formatting. PHPantom will look for php-cs-fixer and phpcs (phpcbf) and use them for formatting, or fall back to the build in Mago formatter which uses PER-CS style.

[ondrejmirtes]

Cool! I will probably be opening feature requests 😊

[AJenbo]

They will be very welcome. I see that we currently have a few things that we can't resolve for the PHPStan src:

There are still a few things it's not handeling correctly, I'm down to 800 issues on a large code base that's all PHPStan level max which is really useful for finding internal issues in the LSP.

Since PHPStan it self is only level 8 (afaik) there will be some noise from that in the error list. My plan is to start going over the PHPStan src once I get a clean pass on the 7 level max projects I have all pass. But feel free to point our specific issues and I will handle them first.

[ondrejmirtes]

As an example, autocompletion of classes inside #[…] should only offer attributes, and only those filtered by the correct target.

[AJenbo]

Right, I keep forgetting about that one, it's easier to track if there is an issue for it though since it's not related to Zed installation :)

New issue created:

• Restrict Autocompletion in #[…] to Targeted Attributes Only #46