Docs: Replace void with null in union return types in class-wpdb.php by apermo · Pull Request #11009 · WordPress/wordpress-develop

apermo · 2026-02-23T09:54:10Z

Co-Authored-By: xateman

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/64703

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Used AI for research, documentation and for the replacements. Everything was reviewed by myself and @xateman before opening this PR.

This Pull Request is for code review only. Please keep all other discussion in the Trac ticket. Do not merge this Pull Request. See GitHub Pull Requests for Code Review in the Core Handbook for more details.

Drafted Commit Message

Docs: Replace void with null in union return types in class-wpdb.php.

This also adds a @return never to dead_db() in addition to fixing the syntax in the conditional @phpstan-return for wp_die().

Developed in #11009

Follow-up to r61699, r47944, r32654.

Props apermo, westonruter, xate, mukesh27, SergeyBiryukov.
See #64694, #64238.
Fixes #64703.

Fixes #64703. See #64694. Co-Authored-By: xateman

xateman

Looks good! 👍

src/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php

github-actions · 2026-02-23T10:01:37Z

The following accounts have interacted with this PR and/or linked issues. I will continue to update these lists as activity occurs. You can also manually ask me to refresh this list by adding the props-bot label.

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Props apermo, westonruter, xate, mukesh27.

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Co-authored-by: Mukesh Panchal <mukeshpanchal27@users.noreply.github.com>

src/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php

github-actions · 2026-02-24T08:28:33Z

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PHPStan cannot verify that wp_die() always terminates due to its conditional return type and treatPhpDocTypesAsCertain being disabled.

src/wp-includes/functions.php

Co-authored-by: Christoph Daum <christoph.daum@coding-pioneers.com>

src/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <westonruter@gmail.com>

westonruter · 2026-03-04T03:32:26Z

I've cherry-picked the never return types into #11151 since they directly fix issues for PHPStan rule level 1.

* trunk: (330 commits) Media: Guard against `false` return values from `wp_get_attachment_image_src()` and `wp_getimagesize()`. Code Quality: Replace `is_integer()` with `is_int()` for consistency. Tests: Prevent unconditional HTTP request in `PluralFormsTest` data provider. Code Quality: Simplify boolean assignments. Admin reskin: Remove line-height from input fields. Tests: Fix test that checks MySQL version recommendation. Exports: Exclude `wp_sync_storage` post type from exports. Code Quality: Unwrap `sprintf()` with one argument. Build/Test Tools: Add 7.0-RC2 to upgrade testing workflows. Upgrade/Install: Use new default admin color scheme for language dropdown on the setup screen. Post 7.0 branching version bump. Build/Test Tools: Post-branching updates for `trunk`. Build/Test Tools: Remove unintentional change in [62157]. Build/Test Tools: Remove PHP requirement for the build script. Tests: Add unit tests for `wp_timezone_choice()`. Build/Test: Set svn:global-ignore for built block files. Admin: Add CSS fallback values in button and media views. Post WordPress 7.0 RC 2 version bump. WordPress 7.0 RC 2. Follow-up to [62150]. Bump script versions with `npm run dev`. ...

Add explicit return null at the end of the method to match the documented return type. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

When show_errors is true, wp_die() is called which never returns. When false, it returns false. So the only actual return value is false. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Add explicit return null when the version check passes. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

@return

Two early-exit paths used bare return; instead of return null; to match the documented @return string|null type. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

When col_info is empty, the method fell through without an explicit return statement. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

…elated functions. Replace `void` in union return types with `null`, `false`, or `never` as appropriate, and add explicit `return null` statements where methods previously fell through without a return value. Methods updated in `wpdb`: `prepare()`, `print_error()`, `check_connection()`, `get_row()`, `get_col_info()`, `bail()`, `check_database_version()`. Also adds `@return never` to `dead_db()` and fixes the `@phpstan-return` syntax for `wp_die()`. Developed in #11009 Props apermo, westonruter, xate, mukesh27, SergeyBiryukov. Fixes #64703. git-svn-id: https://develop.svn.wordpress.org/trunk@62177 602fd350-edb4-49c9-b593-d223f7449a82

github-actions · 2026-03-30T05:07:13Z

A commit was made that fixes the Trac ticket referenced in the description of this pull request.

SVN changeset: 62177
GitHub commit: 232266b

This PR will be closed, but please confirm the accuracy of this and reopen if there is more work to be done.

…elated functions. Replace `void` in union return types with `null`, `false`, or `never` as appropriate, and add explicit `return null` statements where methods previously fell through without a return value. Methods updated in `wpdb`: `prepare()`, `print_error()`, `check_connection()`, `get_row()`, `get_col_info()`, `bail()`, `check_database_version()`. Also adds `@return never` to `dead_db()` and fixes the `@phpstan-return` syntax for `wp_die()`. Developed in WordPress/wordpress-develop#11009 Props apermo, westonruter, xate, mukesh27, SergeyBiryukov. Fixes #64703. Built from https://develop.svn.wordpress.org/trunk@62177 git-svn-id: http://core.svn.wordpress.org/trunk@61459 1a063a9b-81f0-0310-95a4-ce76da25c4cd

Docs: Replace void with null in union return types in class-wpdb.php

f132601

Fixes #64703. See #64694. Co-Authored-By: xateman

xateman approved these changes Feb 23, 2026

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mukeshpanchal27 reviewed Feb 23, 2026

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src/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php Outdated Show resolved Hide resolved

Update src/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php

80da52a

Co-authored-by: Mukesh Panchal <mukeshpanchal27@users.noreply.github.com>

westonruter requested changes Feb 24, 2026

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src/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php Show resolved Hide resolved

Docs: Add @return never to dead_db().

254b439

fix(phpstan): Ignore return.never on dead_db()

0b5d819

PHPStan cannot verify that wp_die() always terminates due to its conditional return type and treatPhpDocTypesAsCertain being disabled.

westonruter reviewed Feb 24, 2026

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src/wp-includes/functions.php Outdated Show resolved Hide resolved

westonruter and others added 2 commits February 24, 2026 15:18

Fix phpstan-return syntax

8cf9443

Co-authored-by: Christoph Daum <christoph.daum@coding-pioneers.com>

Remove now-unnecessary phpstan-ignore

7b4fbe7

westonruter force-pushed the trac-64703 branch from 3206f60 to 7b4fbe7 Compare February 24, 2026 23:19

westonruter approved these changes Feb 24, 2026

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westonruter reviewed Feb 25, 2026

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src/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php Outdated Show resolved Hide resolved

docs: Refine phpdoc of dead_db()

fffe2f6

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <westonruter@gmail.com>

westonruter approved these changes Feb 25, 2026

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westonruter mentioned this pull request Feb 28, 2026

Fix documented return type for add_link(), edit_link(), wp_update_link() #11094

Closed

westonruter mentioned this pull request Mar 4, 2026

Bump PHPStan rule level to 1 #11151

Draft

westonruter and others added 9 commits March 29, 2026 20:48

Remove never from unions

9e7c83d

Document exiting

f57015e

Add explicit return null to wpdb::get_row()

612def3

Fix print_error() return type: void|false → null|false

cffb2a2

Add explicit return null at the end of the method to match the documented return type. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Fix bail() return type: void|false → false

972bbb6

When show_errors is true, wp_die() is called which never returns. When false, it returns false. So the only actual return value is false. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Fix check_database_version() return type: void|WP_Error → WP_Error|null

7327f0c

Add explicit return null when the version check passes. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Fix bare return statements in prepare() to return null

a669b85

Two early-exit paths used bare return; instead of return null; to match the documented @return string|null type. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Add explicit return null to get_col_info() fallthrough path

31173c3

When col_info is empty, the method fell through without an explicit return statement. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

github-actions bot closed this Mar 30, 2026

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Docs: Replace void with null in union return types in class-wpdb.php#11009

Docs: Replace void with null in union return types in class-wpdb.php#11009
apermo wants to merge 16 commits intoWordPress:trunkfrom
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apermo commented Feb 23, 2026 •

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