FetchPHP: A Modern HTTP Client for PHP

FetchPHP is a modern HTTP client for PHP that mimics the JavaScript fetch() API, providing both synchronous and asynchronous request handling. Whether you're familiar with JavaScript's fetch() or Laravel's HTTP client, FetchPHP provides a similar, intuitive API. It is powered by the Guzzle HTTP client for synchronous requests and Matrix for asynchronous task management using PHP Fibers.

Core Features

FetchPHP simplifies HTTP requests in PHP by providing several key features:

• JavaScript-like fetch() API: A familiar interface for developers already accustomed to JavaScript’s fetch() API.

• Fluent API: Chainable methods for flexible and readable HTTP request construction.

• Asynchronous Support: Manage asynchronous tasks seamlessly with PHP Fibers, powered by Matrix.

• Powered by Guzzle: Reliable synchronous requests powered by the Guzzle HTTP client.

• Error Handling: Robust error management for both synchronous and asynchronous requests.

Installation

Prerequisites

Ensure your environment meets the following requirements before installing FetchPHP:

• PHP 8.1 or higher: FetchPHP requires PHP Fibers, introduced in PHP 8.1, so make sure you’re running PHP 8.1 or later.

• Composer: FetchPHP is distributed via Composer. Ensure Composer is installed in your environment.

Installing FetchPHP

To install FetchPHP, run the following Composer command:

composer require jerome/fetch-php

This will download and install FetchPHP along with its required dependencies, including Guzzle for HTTP client handling and Matrix for asynchronous task management.

Configuration

FetchPHP uses Guzzle as the underlying HTTP client. You can configure various Guzzle options by passing them into the fetch() function or by creating a custom Guzzle client. Here are some commonly used configuration options:

Guzzle Client Options

• base_uri: The base URI to use with requests. Example: https://example.com.
• timeout: Timeout in seconds for the request. Example: timeout => 5.
• connect_timeout: Timeout in seconds for establishing a connection. Example: connect_timeout => 2.
• allow_redirects: Controls whether redirects are allowed (can be true, false, or an array of options; default is true).

For a complete list of Guzzle configuration options, refer to the Guzzle Client Options documentation.

Checking Installation

To confirm FetchPHP is correctly installed, you can create a simple HTTP request using the fetch() function:

<?php
 
$response = fetch('https://example.com');
 
if ($response->ok()) {
    echo "FetchPHP is working correctly!";
}

Uninstalling FetchPHP

To remove FetchPHP from your project, run:

composer remove jerome/fetch-php

This will uninstall FetchPHP and update your composer.json file accordingly.

Usage Examples

FetchPHP makes it easy to perform synchronous and asynchronous HTTP requests. Below are examples of both.

Synchronous Example

<?php
 
$response = fetch('https://example.com', [
    'method' => 'POST',
    'headers' => [
        'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
    ],
    'body' => json_encode(['key' => 'value']),
]);
 
$data = $response->json();

This example sends a POST request with a JSON body and retrieves the JSON response.

Asynchronous Example

FetchPHP also supports asynchronous requests using a syntax similar to JavaScript’s async/await.

<?php
use Fetch\Interfaces\Response as ResponseInterface;
 
$data = null;
 
async(fn () => fetch('https://example.com', [
    'method' => 'POST',
    'headers' => [
        'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
    ],
    'body' => json_encode(['key' => 'value']),
]))
    ->then(fn (ResponseInterface $response) => $data = $response->json())  // Success handler
    ->catch(fn (Throwable $e) => $e->getMessage());                // Error handler
 
echo $data;

This example asynchronously sends a POST request and processes the JSON response, or handles an error using .catch().

Conclusion

FetchPHP is a powerful HTTP client for PHP that simplifies both synchronous and asynchronous requests with an intuitive API. By mimicking JavaScript’s fetch() API, FetchPHP offers a familiar experience for developers. Whether you’re building a simple API client or a complex web application, FetchPHP can streamline your HTTP request handling in PHP.