Platform Reflection Implementation Strategy

Overview

This document outlines the implementation strategy for Platform Reflection, a cross-platform reflection system for Dart that serves as the foundation for our Laravel implementation.

Core Requirements

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Must run on all Dart targets (VM, Web, Flutter)
No dependency on dart:mirrors
Pure Dart implementation for maximum portability

Runtime Capabilities Required for Laravel

Dynamic class instantiation with constructor resolution
Property get/set with proper type handling
Method invocation with parameter matching
Annotation/attribute support for Laravel decorators
Service container bindings support
Dependency injection resolution
Route reflection for controllers
Middleware reflection
Model reflection for ORM
Event/listener reflection
Policy/authorization reflection

Reference Implementation Inspirations

From Dart Mirrors (mirrors.cc/mirrors.dart)

Mirror hierarchy design for clean abstraction
Symbol resolution approach
Type information handling
Method and constructor parameter matching
Library and declaration organization

From fake_reflection

Pure runtime reflection techniques
Dynamic instance creation patterns
Property access mechanisms
Method invocation strategies

Missing Critical Features to Implement

Core Reflection

Dynamic member lookup without hardcoding
Complete constructor resolution system
Proper method parameter matching
Type hierarchy reflection

Laravel Support

Service container reflection
Controller action reflection
Model property/relationship reflection
Policy method reflection
Event handler reflection

Type System

Generic type handling
Interface/mixin support
Inheritance chain resolution
Type alias support

Member Access

Dynamic property access
Flexible method invocation
Static member support
Proper constructor resolution

Implementation Plan

1. Enhance Type System

Implement proper type hierarchy reflection
Add generic type support
Support interfaces and mixins
Handle type aliases

2. Improve Member Access

Implement dynamic property access
Add flexible method invocation
Support static members
Enhance constructor resolution

3. Add Laravel-Specific Features

Service container reflection support
Controller reflection capabilities
Model reflection support
Policy/authorization reflection
Event system reflection

4. Optimize Performance

Implement metadata caching
Optimize member lookup
Efficient type checking
Smart instance creation

Conclusion

This implementation strategy focuses on building a robust reflection system that can serve as the foundation for our Laravel implementation while maintaining cross-platform compatibility and avoiding dart:mirrors dependencies. The approach draws inspiration from established reflection implementations while addressing the specific needs of our platform.

2.9 KiB Raw Blame History