rectorphp/rector · error · InvalidConfigurationException

The "->withPhpSets()" method uses named arguments. Its suita

Q: What causes "The "->withPhpSets()" method uses named arguments. Its suitable for PHP 8.0+. Use "->withPhpLevel()" in lower PHP versions instead." in rectorphp/rector?

Replace withPhpSets(...) with withPhpLevel(\Rector\ValueObject\PhpVersion::PHP_74) — a plain int argument valid on all PHP versions

Error message

The "->withPhpSets()" method uses named arguments. Its suitable for PHP 8.0+. Use "->withPhpLevel()" in lower PHP versions instead.

What it means

withPhpSets() uses PHP 8.0 named arguments (php82: true), which cannot even be parsed by PHP 7.x. When Rector itself runs under PHP_VERSION_ID < 80000, Notifier::errorWithPhpSetsNotSuitableForPHP74AndLower() throws InvalidConfigurationException and directs you to withPhpLevel(), whose positional int argument works on every PHP version.

Source

Thrown at src/Console/Notifier.php:27

use RectorPrefix202608\Symfony\Component\Console\Style\SymfonyStyle;
final class Notifier
{
    public static function notifyNotSuitableMethodForPHP74(string $calledMethod): void
    {
        if (\PHP_VERSION_ID >= 80000) {
            return;
        }
        $message = sprintf('The "%s()" method uses named arguments. Its suitable for PHP 8.0+. In lower PHP versions, use "withSets([...])" method instead', $calledMethod);
        $symfonyStyle = new SymfonyStyle(new ArgvInput(), new ConsoleOutput());
        $symfonyStyle->warning($message);
        sleep(3);
    }
    public static function errorWithPhpSetsNotSuitableForPHP74AndLower(): void
    {
        if (\PHP_VERSION_ID >= 80000) {
            return;
        }
        throw new InvalidConfigurationException('The "->withPhpSets()" method uses named arguments. Its suitable for PHP 8.0+. Use "->withPhpLevel()" in lower PHP versions instead.');
    }
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 408fcb0ff1)

Solutions

Replace withPhpSets(...) with withPhpLevel(\Rector\ValueObject\PhpVersion::PHP_74) — a plain int argument valid on all PHP versions
Or execute Rector with a PHP 8+ binary while keeping the downgrade target: php8.1 vendor/bin/rector process
If staying on the old API, use withSets([LevelSetList::UP_TO_PHP_74]) with an explicit import

Example fix

// before
return RectorConfig::configure()
    ->withPhpSets(php74: true);

// after
use Rector\ValueObject\PhpVersion;

return RectorConfig::configure()
    ->withPhpLevel(PhpVersion::PHP_74);

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// choose API by interpreter, before loading rector.php
if (PHP_VERSION_ID < 80000) {
    // positional int works everywhere
    $configurator->withPhpLevel(\Rector\ValueObject\PhpVersion::PHP_74);
} else {
    $configurator->withPhpSets(php74: true);
}

Prevention

Pin the RCTOR interpreter in CI: use a php:8.x image or an explicit php8.x binary for vendor/bin/rector
Prefer withPhpLevel() in shared configs so one file works under any PHP the team runs
Document the minimum PHP needed to RUN Rector separately from the PHP you TARGET for refactoring

When it happens

Trigger: A rector.php containing ->withPhpSets(php74: true) (or the no-argument form) executed by a PHP 7.4 interpreter, e.g. vendor/bin/rector resolved to a PHP 7.4 binary via composer config platform or a CI image pinned to 7.4.

Common situations: Legacy project pinned to PHP 7.4 where composer runs scripts with the project interpreter; developer's default php on PATH is old; CI matrix reuses a 7.4 job to run Rector for a still-supported branch.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of rectorphp/rector@408fcb0ff1 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/bc95714b041e2e90. Report an issue: GitHub.