Zend Framework 2 Modules: Boundaries and Load Order

ZF2 modules are both code boundaries and configuration contributors. Broken migrations often start with modules that override each other’s service names or rely on undocumented load order.

// LEGACY Module.php fragment
namespace Invoice;
class Module
{
    public function getConfig()
    {
        return include __DIR__ . '/config/module.config.php';
    }
}

// MODERN post-migration — same shape, Laminas namespaces in dependencies
namespace Invoice;
class Module
{
    public function getConfig(): array
    {
        return include __DIR__ . '/config/module.config.php';
    }
}

Maintainer checklist

• List modules in application.config.php and justify each
• Find duplicate service keys across modules
• Remove dead modules before running migrate to shrink diffs
• Exclude generated module caches with -e during migrate

Hub: ZF2. Next: ServiceManager, migration.