project-analysis-symfony

When to use

Use this skill when:

• The project uses Symfony
• A deep Symfony-specific analysis is needed
• universal-project-analysis routes here after framework detection
• The issue spans kernel boot, DI, Doctrine, security, or Messenger

Do NOT use when:

• The task is a small isolated Symfony code change
• The issue is already narrowed to a different specialist skill
• The project is not actually Symfony

Core principles

• Symfony behavior is highly container-driven
• Environment-specific config changes meaningfully affect runtime
• Service wiring and priority/order issues are common
• Doctrine and Messenger often hide critical operational behavior
• Security configuration must be traced end-to-end

Procedure

1. Confirm Symfony version and app shape

Check: composer.lock, composer.json, Symfony packages/components, PHP version, environment config structure. Validate: Symfony version is explicit, major bundles/components are identified, environment-specific config layout is known.

2. Analyze kernel and container boot

Inspect: Kernel bootstrap, bundle registration, compiler passes, services.yaml, autowiring/autoconfigure patterns, manual aliases/bindings, cache warmup/compiled container assumptions.

Check:

• autowiring conflicts
• decoration order
• tagged service priority
• circular dependency symptoms
• private/public service misuse

3. Trace request-to-response flow

Trace: route → request listeners/subscribers → controller → service layer → repository/Doctrine → serializer/forms → response. Validate: request lifecycle is visible, security checks are visible, serializer/form behavior is explicit, response transformation path is clear.

4. Analyze Doctrine and persistence

Inspect: entity mapping, repositories, lifecycle callbacks, subscribers/listeners, migration posture, DQL/QueryBuilder/native SQL usage.

Check:

• schema drift
• proxy/lazy-loading issues
• N+1 behavior
• wrong lifecycle hook usage
• transaction boundaries

5. Analyze security and Messenger

Inspect: firewalls, authenticators, voters, access rules, Messenger transports, handler routing, retry/failed-message behavior.

Check:

• auth flow correctness
• firewall separation/context sharing
• voter assumptions
• failed-message handling
• serialization/transport issues

6. Validate Symfony analysis quality

Check:

• kernel/container behavior is explicit
• request/security/doctrine paths are mapped
• version-specific Symfony behavior was considered
• Messenger/security risks are evidence-based
• next specialist skill is clear if needed

Output format

1. Symfony version and app summary
2. Kernel/container findings
3. Request/security flow
4. Doctrine findings
5. Messenger/async findings
6. Key risks and next steps

Gotcha

• In Symfony, configuration and service wiring often explain more than the controller code.
• Compiler passes, decorators, tags, and priorities can change behavior in non-obvious ways.
• Doctrine and Messenger issues often appear as "application bugs" but originate in framework integration details.

Do NOT

• Do NOT analyze Symfony without explicit version context
• Do NOT ignore service wiring and container behavior
• Do NOT treat Doctrine entities as simple data objects without lifecycle effects
• Do NOT skip security/firewall flow when access issues exist
• Do NOT ignore Messenger transport and retry behavior in async problems