fluent-validation-migrate-messages

name: fluent-validation-migrate-messages description: "Migrate FormRequest messages(): array to inline message: on fluent chains. Dry-run, then apply. Activates when: user mentions migrate messages, messages array, inline message, remove messages()."

Migrate messages(): array → inline message:

Rewrite FormRequest messages(): array overrides into colocated message: named args on the rule chain in rules(). Remove the now-empty messages() method when all keys port. Keep only unportable entries behind a comment-stub.

When to Activate

• User asks to migrate messages(): array, "kill messages arrays", "inline messages"
• User mentions: migrate messages, messages array, inline message, remove messages(), pull messages into rules
• After Phase 3 of laravel-fluent-validation 1.19+ inline-message rollout lands in their app

Step 1: Verify installation

rg "sandermuller/laravel-fluent-validation" composer.json

Required: sandermuller/laravel-fluent-validation ^1.19 or newer (inline message: param). If older, tell the user to upgrade first — earlier versions lack the message: named arg.

Step 2: Find migration targets

rg "function messages\(\)" --type php -l

For each match, also verify it overrides rules(): array on the same class (FormRequests). Skip test files and non-FormRequest classes.

Step 3: Classify each messages(): array entry

For every 'field.rule' => 'msg' key, determine the migration path. Read the corresponding entry in rules() (same class) and walk the fluent chain.

Portable cases

Unportable cases — keep the messages() entry, flag with a comment

Each has a specific reason. Include the reason in the migration report so the user understands why.

1. Multi-rule-per-factory: one FluentRule::email() chain with three messages() keys 'email.required', 'email.string', 'email.email'. The factory emits multiple validator rules internally; message: carries one binding. The email key can port via FluentRule::email(message: '…'); required ports if the chain has ->required(); string has no method to attach to (it's a byproduct of FluentRule::email() setting $constraints = ['string']). Keep string in messages() array.
2. Variadic-trailing methods: 'field.required_with' + chain has ->requiredWith('email', 'phone'). PHP forbids params after variadic. Rewrite to ->requiredWith('email', 'phone')->message('msg') (shorter; ->message() binds to $lastConstraint which addRule set to 'required_with'). Not technically inline message:, but removes the messages() entry.
3. Composite method, non-last sub-rule: 'field.integer' + chain has ->digits(5). ->digits() adds integer then digits:N; message: binds to the last. Rewrite as ->digits(5)->messageFor('integer', 'msg').
4. DateRule build-time key: 'field.date_format' + chain is FluentRule::date()->format('Y-m-d'). DateRule's key varies between 'date' and 'date_format:...' at build. Rewrite to FluentRule::date()->format('Y-m-d')->messageFor('date_format', 'msg').
5. Dynamic key: "{$field}.required" => 'msg', match expression, interpolated variable. Static analysis can't resolve. Leave entirely.
6. Wildcard key on nested each()/children(): 'items.*.name.required'. Walk the outer chain's ->each(...) closure / array to find the matching inner FluentRule. Rewrite there. Flag complex cases (deeply-nested / multi-level wildcards) for manual review.
7. Chain interrupted by ->when(…, fn ($r) => $r->required()): target rule lives inside the closure. Rewrite inside the closure: ->when($cond, fn ($r) => $r->required(message: 'msg')).
8. ->rule('x:args') escape-hatch string: 'field.x' => 'msg' + ->rule('x:args'). No named method. Rewrite to ->rule('x:args', message: 'msg') (rule() accepts message: since Phase 3a).
9. Translated-value wrapper: 'field.required' => __('messages.required'). Value is still an expr, inline works: ->required(message: __('messages.required')). Port normally.
10. Helper-method extraction: 'field.required' => 'msg' where the corresponding rule in rules() is 'email' => $this->emailRules(). Cross-method resolution needed. Flag for manual review, tip: "inline the chain or move message into helper return."
11. Macroable method in chain: chain includes a method defined via Macroable::macro(...) at runtime. Not statically resolvable. Leave with messageFor / message.
12. Custom ValidationRule object via ->rule(new MyRule()): message key derived from class-basename at runtime ('myRule' from MyRule). Rewrite to ->rule(new MyRule(), message: 'msg') — rule() accepts message: and addRule resolves the key correctly.

Step 4: Present the migration report (DRY-RUN)

Before any edits, output a summary for each target file:

## Migration report: app/Http/Requests/ClearSelectedVideoContentRequest.php

### Portable (4)
- items.*.action.type.required → ->required(message: '…') inside each() closure
- search.value.string           → inline string(message: '…')
- name.max                      → ->max(255, message: '…')
- email.email                   → FluentRule::email(message: '…')

### Needs messageFor (2)
- items.*.qty.integer          → ->digits(5)->messageFor('integer', '…') (composite non-last sub-rule)
- required_with on email/phone → ->requiredWith(…)->messageFor('required_with', '…') (variadic method)

### Unportable, stays in messages() (1)
- email_address.string  →  FluentRule::email() emits 'string' implicitly; no chain method to target. Keep.

### messages() method
After migration: keeps 1 key, method retained.

Ask the user to confirm per-file before applying.

Step 5: Apply

One file at a time. For each:

1. Locate the target entry in rules().
2. Rewrite the chain with message: / messageFor / closure inline per the classification.
3. Remove the migrated key from messages().
4. If messages() returns [] after all migrations, delete the method.
5. Run tests on that file's FormRequest immediately (vendor/bin/pest --filter={ClassName}).
6. If tests fail, inspect and fix or revert — do not proceed to the next file until the current one is green.

Step 6: Preserve behaviour — test parity

Before migration, capture the actual error messages produced by each messages() entry:

# Write a snapshot test that exercises each rule with a failing input and asserts the custom message surfaces.

Run the snapshot test after migration. The custom messages must still surface identically. If they don't, the migration is wrong — the skip-log classification probably missed a case.

Guardrails

• Never delete messages() if ANY key survives. Keep the method with just the unportable keys.
• Do not migrate keys using dynamic expressions (interpolation, match, property access). Report and skip.
• Preserve translation wrappers. __(), trans(), Lang::get() values stay intact — they're just PHP expressions on the value side.
• One FormRequest at a time. Don't batch across files; each class may have subtle cross-references.
• Do not change rule semantics. Messages are cosmetic; any rewrite that changes WHICH rule fires or WHEN is out of scope for this skill.

Common Patterns

Simple unique key

// Before
public function rules(): array {
    return ['route' => ['required', FluentRule::string()->unique('workshops')]];
}

public function messages(): array {
    return ['route.unique' => __('WorkshopRouteAlreadyExists')];
}

// After
public function rules(): array {
    return [
        'route' => ['required', FluentRule::string()->unique('workshops', message: __('WorkshopRouteAlreadyExists'))],
    ];
}

// messages() method removed entirely.

each() inner closure

// Before
public function rules(): array {
    return [
        'items' => FluentRule::array()->required()->each([
            'qty' => FluentRule::numeric()->required()->integer(),
        ]),
    ];
}

public function messages(): array {
    return ['items.*.qty.required' => 'Qty required.'];
}

// After
public function rules(): array {
    return [
        'items' => FluentRule::array()->required()->each([
            'qty' => FluentRule::numeric()->required(message: 'Qty required.')->integer(),
        ]),
    ];
}

Composite method — messageFor for first sub-rule

// Before — `digits` fires after `integer`; custom message targets `integer`.
public function rules(): array {
    return ['code' => FluentRule::numeric()->digits(5)];
}

public function messages(): array {
    return ['code.integer' => 'Must be a whole number.'];
}

// After — messageFor retains the distinction; messages() deletable.
public function rules(): array {
    return [
        'code' => FluentRule::numeric()->digits(5)->messageFor('integer', 'Must be a whole number.'),
    ];
}

Unportable — keep messages() entry

// FluentRule::email() emits 'required' + 'string' + 'email' under some chains.
// 'email.string' has no method to attach to.
public function rules(): array {
    return ['email_address' => FluentRule::email()->when(..., fn ($r) => $r->required())];
}

public function messages(): array {
    return [
        'email_address.required' => 'Required.',   // portable via closure inline
        'email_address.email'    => 'Invalid.',    // portable via FluentRule::email(message: ...)
        'email_address.string'   => 'Must be text.', // UNPORTABLE — stays
    ];
}

// After
public function rules(): array {
    return [
        'email_address' => FluentRule::email(message: 'Invalid.')
            ->when(..., fn ($r) => $r->required(message: 'Required.')),
    ];
}

public function messages(): array {
    return [
        // email.string is emitted implicitly by FluentRule::email();
        // no chain method exists to target it, so it stays here.
        'email_address.string' => 'Must be text.',
    ];
}

See Also

• fluent-validation skill: full FluentRule API reference
• fluent-validation-optimize skill: broader validation improvements (labels, each(), children())