PHP command line help text doesn't match behaviour (double dash usage)

[bug-fix0r]

Description

When I run php --help it says:

Usage: php [options] [-f] <file> [--] [args...]

The following code (when run using php test.php -- test):

<?php
var_dump($argv);

Resulted in this output:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(8) "test.php"
  [1]=>
  string(2) "--"
  [2]=>
  string(4) "test"
}

But I expected this output instead:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(8) "test.php"
  [1]=>
  string(4) "test"
}

So in my opinion either the help text or the code needs a fix.

PHP Version

PHP 8.5.4 (cli)

Operating System

Kubuntu 26.04 LTS

[iluuu1994]

What do you suggest? FWIU -- has very narrow use-cases. For example:

<?php
var_dump($argv);

php -- --foo=bar < test.php

Without -- PHP will error due to an unrecognized flag --foo. Normally, the file name already acts as a separator for PHP and program input arguments.

[ndossche]

The comparison does not make sense anyway.
OP says they expect the $argv to match the args part indicated by the help text. But then their expected output shouldn't include test.php.
The reality is that $argv are the arguments to the php binary, like any other programming language. The usage option help text is unrelated to this (the help text makes no mention of argv, just args).

[iluuu1994]

The reality is that $argv are the arguments to the php binary, like any other programming language.

This is not entirely accurate, as php -d x=x test.php -d y=y will indeed hide the -d x=x input args, but not -d y=y. Regardless, I don't think hiding the -- from input args is correct, even if it's the first argument. PHP scripts may also use it as a "end of args" marker themselves.

[iluuu1994]

Let's close this then, I don't think this is actionable. Thanks for the report.