Bug: getVar() behaves inconsistently with GET parameters

PHP Version

8.4

CodeIgniter4 Version

4.6.4

CodeIgniter4 Installation Method

Composer (using codeigniter4/appstarter)

Which operating systems have you tested for this bug?

macOS

Which server did you use?

cli-server (PHP built-in webserver)

Environment

development

Database

What happened?

In some cases, using $validator->withRequest() will not work correctly. Let's consider this test:

CodeIgniter4/tests/system/HTTP/SiteURIFactoryDetectRoutePathTest.php

Lines 226 to 241 in 11f0130

    
           public function testQueryStringWithQueryString(): void 
        
           { 
        
               // /index.php?/ci/woot?code=good#pos 
        
               $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']  = '/index.php?/ci/woot?code=good'; 
        
               $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] = '/ci/woot?code=good'; 
        
               $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME']  = '/index.php'; 
        
               $_GET['/ci/woot?code'] = 'good'; 
        
               $factory = $this->createSiteURIFactory($_SERVER); 
        
               $expected = 'ci/woot'; 
        
               $this->assertSame($expected, $factory->detectRoutePath('QUERY_STRING')); 
        
               $this->assertSame('code=good', $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']); 
        
               $this->assertSame(['code' => 'good'], $_GET); 
        
           }

As you may notice in the above test, SiteURIFactory updates some superglobals, here:

CodeIgniter4/system/HTTP/SiteURIFactory.php

Lines 162 to 175 in 11f0130

    
           if (trim($path, '/') === '' && str_starts_with($query, '/')) { 
        
               $parts    = explode('?', $query, 2); 
        
               $path     = $parts[0]; 
        
               $newQuery = $query[1] ?? ''; 
        
               $this->superglobals->setServer('QUERY_STRING', $newQuery); 
        
           } else { 
        
               $this->superglobals->setServer('QUERY_STRING', $query); 
        
           } 
        
           // Update our global GET for values likely to have been changed 
        
           parse_str($this->superglobals->server('QUERY_STRING'), $get); 
        
           $this->superglobals->setGetArray($get);

The problem is that while $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] and $_GET are being updated, the $_REQUEST isn't. And $_REQUEST is needed to make getVar() work correctly.

CodeIgniter4/system/Validation/Validation.php

Lines 505 to 527 in 11f0130

    
           public function withRequest(RequestInterface $request): ValidationInterface 
        
           { 
        
               /** @var IncomingRequest $request */ 
        
               if (str_contains($request->getHeaderLine('Content-Type'), 'application/json')) { 
        
                   $this->data = $request->getJSON(true); 
        
                   if (! is_array($this->data)) { 
        
                       throw HTTPException::forUnsupportedJSONFormat(); 
        
                   } 
        
                   return $this; 
        
               } 
        
               if (in_array($request->getMethod(), [Method::PUT, Method::PATCH, Method::DELETE], true) 
        
                   && ! str_contains($request->getHeaderLine('Content-Type'), 'multipart/form-data') 
        
               ) { 
        
                   $this->data = $request->getRawInput(); 
        
               } else { 
        
                   $this->data = $request->getVar() ?? []; 
        
               } 
        
               return $this; 
        
           }

CodeIgniter4/system/HTTP/IncomingRequest.php

Lines 496 to 506 in 11f0130

    
           public function getVar($index = null, $filter = null, $flags = null) 
        
           { 
        
               if ( 
        
                   str_contains($this->getHeaderLine('Content-Type'), 'application/json') 
        
                   && $this->body !== null 
        
               ) { 
        
                   return $this->getJsonVar($index, false, $filter, $flags); 
        
               } 
        
               return $this->fetchGlobal('request', $index, $filter, $flags); 
        
           }

Steps to Reproduce

public function testQueryStringWithQueryStringAndRequest(): void 
{ 
     // /index.php?/ci/woot?code=good#pos 
     $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']  = '/index.php?/ci/woot?code=good'; 
     $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] = '/ci/woot?code=good'; 
     $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME']  = '/index.php'; 
  
     // these are always the same at the beginning
     $_GET['/ci/woot?code'] = 'good';
     $_REQUEST['/ci/woot?code'] = 'good'; 
  
     $factory = $this->createSiteURIFactory($_SERVER); 
  
     $expected = 'ci/woot'; 
     $this->assertSame($expected, $factory->detectRoutePath('QUERY_STRING')); 
     $this->assertSame('code=good', $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']); 
     $this->assertSame(['code' => 'good'], $_GET); 
     // this will fail
     $this->assertSame(['code' => 'good'], $_REQUEST); 
}

Expected Output

Validation method $validator->withRequest() should work correctly.

The most tempting solution is to add syncRequestAfterGetChange() to Superglobals and call it from SiteURIFactory whenever $_GET is modified. This would keep $_REQUEST synchronized with current values.

The downside is it introduces "magic" behavior that violates standard PHP semantics where $_REQUEST is populated once and never auto-updated. However, since we update $_GET as a "standard", behavior, then updating $_REQUEST may be acceptable?

I was thinking about something like this:

public function syncRequestAfterGetChange(): void
{
    $requestOrder = ini_get('request_order') ?: ini_get('variables_order');

    $this->request = [];

    foreach (str_split($requestOrder) as $type) {
        match ($type) {
            'G' => $this->request = array_merge($this->request, $this->get),
            'P' => $this->request = array_merge($this->request, $this->post),
            'C' => $this->request = array_merge($this->request, $this->cookie),
            default => null,
        };
    }

    $_REQUEST = $this->request;
}

But I'm unsure if this is the right direction.

Anything else?

https://forum.codeigniter.com/showthread.php?tid=93652

I don't think auto-synchronization is necessary. Since this is a test problem, it is worth calling the method only in certain cases. In production, everything should work as intended.

I'm not sure, but a similar behavior can be seen when merging ENV and SERVER. If we change the value, it may remain the same in another array.

This is not a test-related problem. The test only serves as an example to reliably reproduce the issue.

We are modifying $_GET, but getVar() relies on $_REQUEST, which has not been modified.

The core issue is how getVar() is currently handled. While we already discourage users from using it, $validation->withRequest() is still available, and it may not work correctly when validating parameters that originate from $_GET.

I'm not sure, but a similar behavior can be seen when merging ENV and SERVER. If we change the value, it may remain the same in another array.

The difference with $_REQUEST is that this superglobal is expected to contain values combined from $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE (depending on configuration). However, it is populated only once at the beginning of the request. Since we modify $_GET early in the request lifecycle, those changes are not reflected in $_REQUEST.

I understand the problem. That's why I mentioned the SERVER.

I'm worried about the reverse problem - we've changed the REQUEST or GET and expect the other array not to change as intended in PHP. As a result, we will get synchronization.

Will getVar() be eventually get deprecated? If not, can we not just return a merged array from the 3 other superglobals that always get updated and leave $_REQUEST as is?

I'm not proposing permanent synchronization, as that is not how superglobals are intended to work. The proposal is to synchronize $_REQUEST only once, at a single, well-defined point during the request lifecycle in SiteURIFactory:

CodeIgniter4/system/HTTP/SiteURIFactory.php

Lines 171 to 175 in 11f0130

    
           // Update our global GET for values likely to have been changed 
        
           parse_str($this->superglobals->server('QUERY_STRING'), $get); 
        
           $this->superglobals->setGetArray($get);

The alternative would be to change how $validation->withRequest() works by avoiding getVar() and replacing the call to it with the merged $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE data.

However, a one-time synchronization seems like the better approach. It is more reliable and makes getVar() work correctly.

@paulbalandan

@paulbalandan That is also a valid solution. This would eventually allow us to get rid of getVar(), which is probably a good idea.

fix: sync $_REQUEST after modifying $_GET in SiteURIFactory

fix: sync \ after \ is updated in SiteURIFactory

fix: make getVar() read merged superglobals instead of stale $_REQUEST

fix: sync \ after \ is updated in SiteURIFactory

fix: make getVar() read merged superglobals instead of stale $_REQUEST

fix: sync \ after \ is updated in SiteURIFactory

fix: make getVar() read merged superglobals instead of stale $_REQUEST

fix: sync \ after \ is updated in SiteURIFactory

fix: make getVar() read merged superglobals instead of stale $_REQUEST

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Bug: `getVar()` behaves inconsistently with GET parameters #9872

PHP Version

CodeIgniter4 Version

CodeIgniter4 Installation Method

Which operating systems have you tested for this bug?

Which server did you use?

Environment

Database

What happened?

Steps to Reproduce

Expected Output

Anything else?

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	public function testQueryStringWithQueryString(): void
	{
	// /index.php?/ci/woot?code=good#pos
	$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] = '/index.php?/ci/woot?code=good';
	$_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] = '/ci/woot?code=good';
	$_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] = '/index.php';

	$_GET['/ci/woot?code'] = 'good';

	$factory = $this->createSiteURIFactory($_SERVER);

	$expected = 'ci/woot';
	$this->assertSame($expected, $factory->detectRoutePath('QUERY_STRING'));
	$this->assertSame('code=good', $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']);
	$this->assertSame(['code' => 'good'], $_GET);
	}

	if (trim($path, '/') === '' && str_starts_with($query, '/')) {
	$parts = explode('?', $query, 2);
	$path = $parts[0];
	$newQuery = $query[1] ?? '';

	$this->superglobals->setServer('QUERY_STRING', $newQuery);
	} else {
	$this->superglobals->setServer('QUERY_STRING', $query);
	}

	// Update our global GET for values likely to have been changed
	parse_str($this->superglobals->server('QUERY_STRING'), $get);
	$this->superglobals->setGetArray($get);

	public function withRequest(RequestInterface $request): ValidationInterface
	{
	/** @var IncomingRequest $request */
	if (str_contains($request->getHeaderLine('Content-Type'), 'application/json')) {
	$this->data = $request->getJSON(true);

	if (! is_array($this->data)) {
	throw HTTPException::forUnsupportedJSONFormat();
	}

	return $this;
	}

	if (in_array($request->getMethod(), [Method::PUT, Method::PATCH, Method::DELETE], true)
	&& ! str_contains($request->getHeaderLine('Content-Type'), 'multipart/form-data')
	) {
	$this->data = $request->getRawInput();
	} else {
	$this->data = $request->getVar() ?? [];
	}

	return $this;
	}

	public function getVar($index = null, $filter = null, $flags = null)
	{
	if (
	str_contains($this->getHeaderLine('Content-Type'), 'application/json')
	&& $this->body !== null
	) {
	return $this->getJsonVar($index, false, $filter, $flags);
	}

	return $this->fetchGlobal('request', $index, $filter, $flags);
	}

Bug: getVar() behaves inconsistently with GET parameters #9872

Description

PHP Version

CodeIgniter4 Version

CodeIgniter4 Installation Method

Which operating systems have you tested for this bug?

Which server did you use?

Environment

Database

What happened?

Steps to Reproduce

Expected Output

Anything else?

Activity

neznaika0 commented on Jan 6, 2026

michalsn commented on Jan 6, 2026

neznaika0 commented on Jan 6, 2026

paulbalandan commented on Jan 6, 2026

michalsn commented on Jan 6, 2026

michalsn commented on Jan 6, 2026

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Bug: `getVar()` behaves inconsistently with GET parameters #9872