README

Transfer Object Generator

Would you like to build Symfony-compatible Transfer Objects?

You're in the right place! 🎉

Imagine you have a Rest API response:

{
    "firstName": "Jan",
    "lastName": "Kowalski"
}

Running the following interactive console command:

$ ./vendor/bin/definition-generate

Generates a YML definition file:

Customer:
  firstName:
    type: string
  lastName:
    type: string

Then, running console command:

$ ./vendor/bin/transfer-generate [-c|--configuration CONFIGURATION]

Builds the Transfer Object:

$customerTransfer = new CustomerTransfer();
$customerTransfer->firstName = 'Jan';
$customerTransfer->lastName = 'Kowalski';

Key Features

Symfony Compatability:

• Provides Symfony console command:
  • TransferGeneratorCommand
  • TransferGeneratorBulkCommand
  • DefinitionGeneratorCommand
• Includes Symfony services:
  • TransferGeneratorFacade
  • DefinitionGeneratorFacade
• Enables automatic Symfony request query data mapping
• Supports Symfony validator attributes

Transfer Object:

• Offers methods:
  • fromArray()
  • toArray()
• Implements standard interfaces:
  • IteratorAggregate
  • JsonSerializable
  • Countable
• Handles embedded and collection Transfer Objects.
• Works with PHP primitive data types.
• Extends compatibility to advanced types:
  • BackedEnum
  • DateTime
  • DateTimeImmutable
  • BcMath\Number
• Supports asymmetric property visibility.
• Integrates with external Transfer Objects.

Installation

Composer installation:

$ composer require picamator/transfer-object

Examples

• Definition Generator
• Transfer Generator
• Advanced Transfer Generator

Usage Tests

Definition Files and Transfer Object generators have been tested against the following APIs:

• NASA Open Api
• OpenWeather
• Content API for Shopping
• Frankfurter is a free, open-source currency data API
• Tagesschau API
• Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)

Scenario

1. Rest API response is used as a blueprint to generate Definition Files
2. Transfer Objects are generated based on Definition Files
3. Transfer Object instance is created with the API response
4. Transfer Object is converted back to the array
5. The converted array is compared with the API response

For all APIs, data are ✅ matched.

For detailed information, please check DefinitionGeneratorFacadeTest.

Documentation

For more details, please visit project's wiki.

Publications

1. Sergii Pryz, "Data Transfer Objects and Property Hooks" PHP Architect Magazine, June 2025

Acknowledgment

Many thanks ❤️ for your contribution, support, feedback and simply using the Transfer Object Generator!

Contribution

If you find this project useful, please ⭐ star the repository. Follow the project to stay updated with all activities.

If you have suggestions for improvements or new features, feel free to:

• Create an issue
• Submit a pull request

Here is a Contribution Guide.

This project is released with a Code of Conduct. By participating in this project and its community, you agree to abide by those terms.

License

Transfer Object Generator is free and open-source software licensed under the MIT License.

For more details, please see the LICENSE file.