protocolbuffers/protobuf

PHP: C extension has undocumented "append" function that has no package parity.

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#26188 opened on Mar 3, 2026

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help wanted

Description

What version of protobuf and what language are you using? Version: Any/all. Has existed from the introduction of the package Language: PHP

What did you do? https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/main/php/ext/google/protobuf/array.c#L245-L263

RepeatedField and the now removed Internal\RepeatedField in the C extension have an append() function that has never had a matching append() function in the php-only package, which can cause static analysis and type confusion.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
cphp
Domain
backend
Issue type
documentation
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of PHP C extensionsFamiliarity with protobuf PHP package
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
40
Research direction
The issue points to the file `php/ext/google/protobuf/array.c` at lines 245-263, which defines an `append()` function in the C extension. This function is undocumented and has no equivalent in the pure PHP package. Research should first verify the current state of the `append()` function in the C extension, then check the pure PHP package's `RepeatedField` class for any existing `append()` method. If none exists, the solution could involve adding documentation for the C extension or implementing the function in the pure PHP package. Review the protobuf PHP codebase for related tests and maintainer comments.