diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 85475cc..e82abff 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         "source": "https://github.com/voku/Stringy"
     },
     "require": {
-        "php": ">=7.0.0",
+        "php": ">=8.1.0",
         "ext-json": "*",
         "defuse/php-encryption": "~2.0",
         "voku/arrayy": "~7.8",
diff --git a/src/Create.php b/src/Create.php
index 7399cc4..ebd9d88 100644
--- a/src/Create.php
+++ b/src/Create.php
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
      *
      * @return Stringy A Stringy object
      */
-    function create($str, string $encoding = null)
+    function create($str, ?string $encoding = null)
     {
         return new Stringy($str, $encoding);
     }
diff --git a/src/StaticStringy.php b/src/StaticStringy.php
index 424413d..969d8cd 100644
--- a/src/StaticStringy.php
+++ b/src/StaticStringy.php
@@ -8,102 +8,102 @@
  * INFO: "Method Parameter Information" via PhpStorm |
  * https://www.jetbrains.com/phpstorm/help/viewing-method-parameter-information.html
  *
- * @method static Stringy append(string $stringInput, string $stringAppend, string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy append(string $stringInput, string $stringAppend, ?string $encoding = null)
  * @method static Stringy appendPassword(string $stringInput, int $length)
  * @method static Stringy appendUniqueIdentifier(string $stringInput, string $extraPrefix = '')
  * @method static Stringy appendRandomString(string $stringInput, int $length, string $possibleChars = 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789')
- * @method static Stringy at(string $stringInput, int $index, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy between(string $stringInput, string $start, string $end, int $offset = 0, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy camelize(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static string[] chars(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy collapseWhitespace(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   contains(string $stringInput, string $needle, bool $caseSensitive = true, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   containsAll(string $stringInput, array $needle, bool $caseSensitive = true, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   containsAny(string $stringInput, string $needle, bool $caseSensitive = true, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static int    count(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static int    countSubstr(string $stringInput, string $substring, bool $caseSensitive = true, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy dasherize(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy delimit(string $stringInput, string  $delimiter, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   endsWith(string $stringInput, string $substring, bool $caseSensitive = true, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy ensureLeft(string $stringInput, string $substring, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy ensureRight(string $stringInput, string $substring, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy escape(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy extractText(string $stringInput, string $search = '', int $length = null, string $ellipsis = '...')
- * @method static Stringy first(string $stringInput, int $n, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   hasLowerCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   hasUpperCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy htmlDecode(string $stringInput, int $flags = ENT_COMPAT, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy htmlEncode(string $stringInput, int $flags = ENT_COMPAT, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy humanize(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static int|bool indexOf(string $stringInput, string $needle, int $offset = 0, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static int|bool indexOfLast(string $stringInput, string $needle, int $offset = 0, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy insert(string $stringInput, string $substring, int $index = 0, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool is(string $stringInput, string $pattern, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isAlpha(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isAlphanumeric(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isBase64(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isBlank(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isHexadecimal(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isHtml(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isJson(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isLowerCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isSerialized(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool isUpperCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy last(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static int    length(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy at(string $stringInput, int $index, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy between(string $stringInput, string $start, string $end, int $offset = 0, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy camelize(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static string[] chars(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy collapseWhitespace(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   contains(string $stringInput, string $needle, bool $caseSensitive = true, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   containsAll(string $stringInput, array $needle, bool $caseSensitive = true, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   containsAny(string $stringInput, string $needle, bool $caseSensitive = true, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static int    count(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static int    countSubstr(string $stringInput, string $substring, bool $caseSensitive = true, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy dasherize(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy delimit(string $stringInput, string  $delimiter, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   endsWith(string $stringInput, string $substring, bool $caseSensitive = true, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy ensureLeft(string $stringInput, string $substring, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy ensureRight(string $stringInput, string $substring, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy escape(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy extractText(string $stringInput, string $search = '', ?int $length = null, string $ellipsis = '...')
+ * @method static Stringy first(string $stringInput, int $n, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   hasLowerCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   hasUpperCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy htmlDecode(string $stringInput, int $flags = ENT_COMPAT, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy htmlEncode(string $stringInput, int $flags = ENT_COMPAT, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy humanize(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static int|bool indexOf(string $stringInput, string $needle, int $offset = 0, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static int|bool indexOfLast(string $stringInput, string $needle, int $offset = 0, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy insert(string $stringInput, string $substring, int $index = 0, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool is(string $stringInput, string $pattern, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isAlpha(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isAlphanumeric(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isBase64(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isBlank(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isHexadecimal(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isHtml(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isJson(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isLowerCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isSerialized(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool isUpperCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy last(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static int    length(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
  * @method static string lineWrapAfterWord(string $stringInput, int $limit)
- * @method static Stringy[] lines(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy longestCommonPrefix(string $stringInput, string $otherStr, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy longestCommonSuffix(string $stringInput, string $otherStr, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy longestCommonSubstring(string $stringInput, string $otherStr, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy lowerCaseFirst(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   offsetExists(string $stringInput, mixed $offset, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static string offsetGet(string $stringInput, mixed $offset, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy pad(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', string $padType = 'right', string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy padBoth(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy padLeft(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy padRight(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy prepend(string $stringInput, string $string, string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy[] lines(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy longestCommonPrefix(string $stringInput, string $otherStr, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy longestCommonSuffix(string $stringInput, string $otherStr, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy longestCommonSubstring(string $stringInput, string $otherStr, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy lowerCaseFirst(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   offsetExists(string $stringInput, mixed $offset, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static string offsetGet(string $stringInput, mixed $offset, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy pad(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', string $padType = 'right', ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy padBoth(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy padLeft(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy padRight(string $stringInput, int $length, string $padStr = ' ', ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy prepend(string $stringInput, string $string, ?string $encoding = null)
  * @method static Stringy regexReplace(string $stringInput, string $pattern, string $replacement, string $delimiter = '/')
- * @method static Stringy removeLeft(string $stringInput, string $substring, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy removeRight(string $stringInput, string $substring, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy removeHtml(string $stringInput, string $allowableTags = null, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy removeXss(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy repeat(string $stringInput, int $multiplier, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy replace(string $stringInput, string $search, string $replacement, bool $caseSensitive, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy replaceAll(string $stringInput, array $search, string $replacement, bool $caseSensitive, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy reverse(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy safeTruncate(string $stringInput, int $length, string $substring = '', string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy shuffle(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy removeLeft(string $stringInput, string $substring, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy removeRight(string $stringInput, string $substring, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy removeHtml(string $stringInput, ?string $allowableTags = null, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy removeXss(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy repeat(string $stringInput, int $multiplier, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy replace(string $stringInput, string $search, string $replacement, bool $caseSensitive, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy replaceAll(string $stringInput, array $search, string $replacement, bool $caseSensitive, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy reverse(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy safeTruncate(string $stringInput, int $length, string $substring = '', ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy shuffle(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
  * @method static Stringy shortenAfterWord(string $stringInput, int $length, string $strAddOn)
- * @method static Stringy slugify(string $stringInput, string $separator = '-', string $language = 'en', array $replacements = [], string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy slugify(string $stringInput, string $separator = '-', string $language = 'en', array $replacements = [], ?string $encoding = null)
  * @method static Stringy stripeCssMediaQueries(string $stringInput)
  * @method static Stringy stripeEmptyHtmlTags(string $stringInput)
  * @method static Stringy utf8ify(string $stringInput)
- * @method static Stringy snakeize(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static bool   startsWith(string $stringInput, string $substring, bool $caseSensitive = true, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy slice(string $stringInput, int $start, int $end = null, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy[]  split(string $stringInput, string $pattern, int $limit = null, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy substr(string $stringInput, int $start, int $length = null, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy surround(string $stringInput, string $substring, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy swapCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy tidy(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy titleize(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy snakeize(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static bool   startsWith(string $stringInput, string $substring, bool $caseSensitive = true, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy slice(string $stringInput, int $start, ?int $end = null, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy[]  split(string $stringInput, string $pattern, ?int $limit = null, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy substr(string $stringInput, int $start, ?int $length = null, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy surround(string $stringInput, string $substring, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy swapCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy tidy(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy titleize(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
  * @method static Stringy toAscii(string $stringInput)
- * @method static Stringy toBoolean(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy toBoolean(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
  * @method static Stringy toString(string $stringInput)
- * @method static Stringy toLowerCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy toSpaces(string $stringInput, int $tabLength = 4, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy toTabs(string $stringInput, int $tabLength = 4, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy toTitleCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy toUpperCase(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy trim(string $stringInput, string $chars = null, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy trimLeft(string $stringInput, string $chars = null, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy trimRight(string $stringInput, string $chars = null, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy truncate(string $stringInput, int $length, string $substring = '', string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy underscored(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy upperCamelize(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
- * @method static Stringy upperCaseFirst(string $stringInput, string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy toLowerCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy toSpaces(string $stringInput, int $tabLength = 4, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy toTabs(string $stringInput, int $tabLength = 4, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy toTitleCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy toUpperCase(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy trim(string $stringInput, ?string $chars = null, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy trimLeft(string $stringInput, ?string $chars = null, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy trimRight(string $stringInput, ?string $chars = null, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy truncate(string $stringInput, int $length, string $substring = '', ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy underscored(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy upperCamelize(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
+ * @method static Stringy upperCaseFirst(string $stringInput, ?string $encoding = null)
  *
  * @deprecated <p>Please use e.g. (new Stringy('foo'))->upperCaseFirst() instead or write your own small wrapper, because I can't protect you from BC from new parameters,
  *                if you use this class, thanks.</p>
diff --git a/src/Stringy.php b/src/Stringy.php
index df8eb5a..ba402d1 100644
--- a/src/Stringy.php
+++ b/src/Stringy.php
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class Stringy implements \ArrayAccess, \Countable, \IteratorAggregate, \JsonSeri
      *
      * @psalm-mutation-free
      */
-    public function __construct($str = '', string $encoding = null)
+    public function __construct($str = '', ?string $encoding = null)
     {
         /* @phpstan-ignore-next-line | always false in theory */
         if (\is_array($str)) {
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ public function beforeLastIgnoreCase(string $separator): self
      * @return static
      *                <p>Object whose $str is a substring between $start and $end.</p>
      */
-    public function between(string $start, string $end, int $offset = null): self
+    public function between(string $start, string $end, ?int $offset = null): self
     {
         $str = $this->utf8::between(
             $this->str,
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ public function crc32(): int
      *                <p>A Stringy object.</p>
      * @phpstan-pure
      */
-    public static function create($str = '', string $encoding = null): self
+    public static function create($str = '', ?string $encoding = null): self
     {
         return new static($str, $encoding);
     }
@@ -1321,7 +1321,7 @@ public function explodeCollection(string $delimiter, int $limit = \PHP_INT_MAX):
      *
      * @return static
      */
-    public function extractText(string $search = '', int $length = null, string $replacerForSkippedText = '…'): self
+    public function extractText(string $search = '', ?int $length = null, string $replacerForSkippedText = '…'): self
     {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::extract_text(
@@ -2653,7 +2653,7 @@ public function lineWrap(
         int $limit,
         string $break = "\n",
         bool $add_final_break = true,
-        string $delimiter = null
+        ?string $delimiter = null
     ): self {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::wordwrap_per_line(
@@ -2692,7 +2692,7 @@ public function lineWrapAfterWord(
         int $limit,
         string $break = "\n",
         bool $add_final_break = true,
-        string $delimiter = null
+        ?string $delimiter = null
     ): self {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::wordwrap_per_line(
@@ -3822,7 +3822,7 @@ public function similarity(string $str): float
      * @return static
      *                <p>Object with its $str being the extracted substring.</p>
      */
-    public function slice(int $start, int $end = null): self
+    public function slice(int $start, ?int $end = null): self
     {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::str_slice($this->str, $start, $end, $this->encoding),
@@ -3963,7 +3963,7 @@ public function softWrap(int $width, string $break = "\n"): self
      *
      * @phpstan-return array<int,static>
      */
-    public function split(string $pattern, int $limit = null): array
+    public function split(string $pattern, ?int $limit = null): array
     {
         if ($this->str === '') {
             return [];
@@ -4004,7 +4004,7 @@ public function split(string $pattern, int $limit = null): array
      *
      * @phpstan-return CollectionStringy<int,static>
      */
-    public function splitCollection(string $pattern, int $limit = null): CollectionStringy
+    public function splitCollection(string $pattern, ?int $limit = null): CollectionStringy
     {
         /**
          * @psalm-suppress ImpureMethodCall -> add more psalm stuff to the collection class
@@ -4185,7 +4185,7 @@ static function (self $word) {
      * @return static
      *                <p>Object with its $str being the substring.</p>
      */
-    public function substr(int $start, int $length = null): self
+    public function substr(int $start, ?int $length = null): self
     {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::substr(
@@ -4213,7 +4213,7 @@ public function substr(int $start, int $length = null): self
      *
      * @return static
      */
-    public function substring(int $start, int $length = null): self
+    public function substring(int $start, ?int $length = null): self
     {
         if ($length === null) {
             return $this->substr($start);
@@ -4362,9 +4362,9 @@ public function tidy(): self
      *                <p>Object with a titleized $str.</p>
      */
     public function titleize(
-        array $ignore = null,
-        string $word_define_chars = null,
-        string $language = null
+        ?array $ignore = null,
+        ?string $word_define_chars = null,
+        ?string $language = null
     ): self {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::str_titleize(
@@ -4667,7 +4667,7 @@ public function toUpperCase($tryToKeepStringLength = false, $lang = null): self
      * @return static
      *                <p>Object with a trimmed $str.</p>
      */
-    public function trim(string $chars = null): self
+    public function trim(?string $chars = null): self
     {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::trim($this->str, $chars),
@@ -4691,7 +4691,7 @@ public function trim(string $chars = null): self
      * @return static
      *                <p>Object with a trimmed $str.</p>
      */
-    public function trimLeft(string $chars = null): self
+    public function trimLeft(?string $chars = null): self
     {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::ltrim($this->str, $chars),
@@ -4715,7 +4715,7 @@ public function trimLeft(string $chars = null): self
      * @return static
      *                <p>Object with a trimmed $str.</p>
      */
-    public function trimRight(string $chars = null): self
+    public function trimRight(?string $chars = null): self
     {
         return static::create(
             $this->utf8::rtrim($this->str, $chars),
@@ -5013,7 +5013,7 @@ public function utf8ify(): self
     public function words(
         string $char_list = '',
         bool $remove_empty_values = false,
-        int $remove_short_values = null
+        ?int $remove_short_values = null
     ): array {
         if ($remove_short_values === null) {
             $strings = $this->utf8::str_to_words(
@@ -5063,7 +5063,7 @@ public function words(
     public function wordsCollection(
         string $char_list = '',
         bool $remove_empty_values = false,
-        int $remove_short_values = null
+        ?int $remove_short_values = null
     ): CollectionStringy {
         /**
          * @psalm-suppress ImpureMethodCall -> add more psalm stuff to the collection class