> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://php-fhir-tools.ardenexal.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://php-fhir-tools.ardenexal.net/getting-started/quick-start.md).

# Quick Start

This page walks through a minimal end-to-end flow.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Install

Follow [Installation](/getting-started/installation.md) for your setup (standalone or Symfony bundle).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Deserialize a resource

Build a serialization service and read a FHIR JSON document into a typed model. Outside of Symfony, `FHIRSerializationService::createDefault()` wires the service for you (pass a `FhirVersion` to target R4B or R5).

```php
use Ardenexal\FHIRTools\Component\Serialization\FHIRSerializationService;
use Ardenexal\FHIRTools\Component\Models\R4\Resource\PatientResource;

$service = FHIRSerializationService::createDefault();

$json = file_get_contents('patient.json');
$patient = $service->deserializeFromJson($json, PatientResource::class);

// Round-trip back to JSON (or use serializeToXml() for XML):
$roundTripped = $service->serializeToJson($patient);
```

{% hint style="info" %}
`deserialize()` can auto-detect both the format (JSON or XML) and the target class from the payload's `resourceType`, so `$service->deserialize($data)` works when you do not know the type ahead of time.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Validate it

`FHIRValidationService::validate()` returns an `FHIRValidationReport`. Pass profile canonical URLs to also evaluate profile constraints; with none, only base constraints run.

```php
use Ardenexal\FHIRTools\Component\Validation\FHIRValidationService;

// $validationService is autowired from the container (see the note below)
/** @var FHIRValidationService $validationService */
$report = $validationService->validate($patient);

if (!$report->isValid()) {
    foreach ($report->errors() as $violation) {
        // inspect error-severity violations
    }
}
```

{% hint style="info" %}
`isValid()` is true when there are no error-severity violations; warnings and info do not affect it. `FHIRValidationService` depends on Symfony's `ValidatorInterface` and `FHIRPathService`, so inject it via the [Symfony bundle](/symfony-bundle/configuration.md) rather than constructing it by hand.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Query with FHIRPath

`FHIRPathService::evaluate()` returns a `Collection`; call `toArray()` or `first()` to read results.

```php
use Ardenexal\FHIRTools\Component\FHIRPath\Service\FHIRPathService;

$fhirPath = new FHIRPathService();

$given = $fhirPath->evaluate('Patient.name.given', $patient);

foreach ($given->toArray() as $value) {
    // each given name
}
```

{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}


---

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