Why is this an issue?

The elseif keyword is preferred over the else if keywords in PHP due to its consistency with other programming languages.

elseif is a single token, making it more efficient for the PHP parser to process. Additionally, using elseif encourages developers to follow a unified coding style and maintain a consistent syntax throughout their PHP codebase.

Overall, the use of elseif improves code clarity, reduces potential errors, and enhances the overall maintainability of PHP projects.

Noncompliant code example

if ($expr1) {
  ...
} else if ($expr2) {
  ...
} else {...}

Compliant solution

if ($expr1) {
  ...
} elseif ($expr2) {
  ...
} else {...}

Resources

Documentation