nikic/PHP-Parser · error · LogicException

Type must be a string, or an instance of Name, Identifier or

Error message

Type must be a string, or an instance of Name, Identifier or ComplexType

What it means

Error "Type must be a string, or an instance of Name, Identifier or ComplexType" thrown in nikic/PHP-Parser.

Source

Thrown at lib/PhpParser/BuilderHelpers.php:167

    }

    /**
     * Normalizes a type: Converts plain-text type names into proper AST representation.
     *
     * In particular, builtin types become Identifiers, custom types become Names and nullables
     * are wrapped in NullableType nodes.
     *
     * @param string|Name|Identifier|ComplexType $type The type to normalize
     *
     * @return Name|Identifier|ComplexType The normalized type
     */
    public static function normalizeType($type) {
        if (!is_string($type)) {
            if (
                !$type instanceof Name && !$type instanceof Identifier &&
                !$type instanceof ComplexType
            ) {
                throw new \LogicException(
                    'Type must be a string, or an instance of Name, Identifier or ComplexType'
                );
            }
            return $type;
        }

        $nullable = false;
        if (strlen($type) > 0 && $type[0] === '?') {
            $nullable = true;
            $type = substr($type, 1);
        }

        $builtinTypes = [
            'array',
            'callable',
            'bool',
            'int',
            'float',

View on GitHub (pinned to fbd47f7ebc)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at lib/PhpParser/BuilderHelpers.php:167 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of nikic/PHP-Parser@fbd47f7ebc (2026-08-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/eb765c75e47ce9a8. Report an issue: GitHub.