Static enums

For new backed enums, see native enums. EnumTrait supports existing entity constants and returns labels, full option arrays, or selected subsets.

Add the trait to an entity, for example src/Model/Entity/Notification.php:

namespace App\Model\Entity;

use Cake\ORM\Entity;
use Tools\Model\Entity\EnumTrait;

class Notification extends Entity {
    use EnumTrait;

    public const STATUS_PENDING = 0;
    public const STATUS_SUCCESS = 1;
    public const STATUS_FAILURE = 2;

    public static function statuses(int|array|null $value = null): array|string|null {
        return static::enum($value, [
            self::STATUS_PENDING => __('Pending'),
            self::STATUS_SUCCESS => __('Success'),
            self::STATUS_FAILURE => __('Failure'),
        ]);
    }
}

Use an integer column suitable for the range of values. Database-specific tinyint widths are not a portable schema requirement; avoid a type that your driver interprets as boolean.

Form options

use App\Model\Entity\Notification;

echo $this->Form->control('status', ['options' => Notification::statuses()]);

An array argument selects and orders options:

$options = Notification::statuses([
    Notification::STATUS_FAILURE,
    Notification::STATUS_SUCCESS,
]);
echo $this->Form->control('status', ['options' => $options]);

A scalar argument returns one label, or null for an unknown value. A null argument returns all options, so handle nullable entity values explicitly:

echo $entity->status !== null ? h(Notification::statuses($entity->status)) : '';

Use the constants in normal ORM conditions:

$notifications = $this->fetchTable('Notifications')->find()
    ->where(['status' => Notification::STATUS_PENDING])
    ->all();

The optional Tools\Model\Entity\Entity base class already includes the trait. When using the trait directly, call static::enum(); the core entity parent does not provide that method.