ProxyManager

ProxyManager is a PHP library that provides a set of utilities for creating proxy objects. Proxies serve as stand-ins for real objects and can defer their creation, intercept interactions, or observe how they are used. The library focuses on implementing several proxy patterns, including lazy loading, virtual proxies (value holders), and access interceptors.

At its core, ProxyManager separates the concerns of proxy creation from the business logic of the proxied class. It offers factories that generate proxy classes for a given target class or interface, using runtime code generation or, where available, dynamic evaluation. This allows the proxied object to remain uninitialized until a method is invoked or a property is read, at which point the real object can be created and initialized.

ProxyManager is framework-agnostic and designed to integrate with dependency injection containers and other components in the PHP ecosystem. It is commonly used to implement lazy loading in ORMs and to facilitate testing by enabling mocks or spies that preserve the interface of the proxied object.

The project is open-source and widely used in PHP projects. It is distributed via package managers such as Composer and is maintained by contributors in the PHP community.