In order to get
success in developing PHP sites it is necessary to have a good
development environment. While producing web sites it is often necessary
to edit HTML, CSS and JavaScript files. That is why usable IDE should
supply all those file types and provide full set of tools for effective
development.
This article includes list of some most popular PHP IDEs: Codelobster
PHP Edition, Eclipse PDT, Komodo IDE, NetBeans IDE, PHPStorm, NuSphere
PhpED.
Below are the best PHP IDEs in our opinion, (not necessarily in any order)
Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, markup and prose. You'll love the slick user interface, extraordinary features and amazing performance
Codelobster PHP Edition
is accessible from CodeLobster Software. CodeLobster PHP maintains
Windows platform. Plug-ins are not free but the registration is
absolutely free.
CodeLobster makes possible to install the
debugger automatically. To get help how to configure the debugger,
please, visit the official site. You have an ability to deploy projects
on your local web server or remote server by FTP.
By downloading
free version of the mentioned software you get PHP, HTML, JavaScript,
and CSS code highlighting; JavaScript, HTML, PHP, and CSS code
collapsing; HTML and CSS autocomplete; PHP and JavaScript Advanced
autocomplete; HTML toolbar; Bookmarks; PHP Debugger; Context and Dynamic
Help with search functionality for work with PHP, MySQL, HTML; Portable
option; Pair highlighting; Pair selection, tags and attributes
selection commands; Tooltip; Navigation by holding CTRL key; HTML/CSS
code inspector; Class View; Project manager; Preview in a browser; File
Explorer with FTP/SFTP support; Incremental find and other possible
functionalities of similar programs.
These plug-ins allow
operating with famous CMS and Frameworks: Facebook, CakePHP, Joomla,
WordPress, Drupal, Smarty, JQuery, Symfony, CodeIgniter, Yii.
Eclipse is designed to allow developers to choose language,
platform, and vendor environment. Eclipse Platform includes wide
range of plug-ins, tools, and examples. Eclipse is a program that makes
available to construct, integrate, and use software tools.
Supported operating systems: Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.
Installation includes all necessary tools to elaborate on PHP. It also
involves Data Tools Platform to control the databank, plug-ins for
interaction with JavaScript, C / C + +, XML editor, and other different
tools. You can use
Zend debugger or
Xdebug for Debugging PHP applications on Eclipse PDT.
Komodo ActiveState is a PHP IDE that can be used as an
international language development environment and supply Ruby, Perl,
and Tcl Python. It can be installed using of Smarty and Zend PHP
frameworks. You can also use integration involving version control
systems (CVS, Subversion and Perforce).
Supported operating systems: Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.
Komodo allows you to begin CGI Environment Simulation and construct
web server holodeck. It simulates activities in a real web server. One
of the advantages of CGI Environment Simulation is very fast
installation. It is possible to download free 21-day version of Komodo
from ActiveState site.
PhpStorm provides qualitative and rich facilities for PHP code
editing including highlighting, conformation of code formatting, fast
error checking, intensive code autocomplete.
PhpStorm editor is
compatible with PHPDoc in your code and provides appropriate code ending
based on proprietary, device and var annotations. PHP code
refactoring also reviews PHPDocs to keep them up-to-date.
Supported operating systems: Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.
PhpStorm is focused on developer’s productive capacity that profoundly
co-operates your code, assures smart code ending, quick navigation and
very fast error checking. It will help you to form your code, run
unit-tests or perform full debugging.
PhpStorm is an IDE for
HTML, JavaScript and PHP. PhpStorm code ending functionality (Ctrl +
Space) completes classes, functions, variable names, PHP keywords, and
besides often used names for fields and variables depending on their
types.
NuSphere PhpED works on Windows environment. If NuSphere is
certificated you can use IDE with OS MAC or Linux via Wine emulator.
Supported operating systems: Windows 2000, XP, 2003, 2008, Vista, Windows7.
PhpED
is provided with Advanced PHP Editor, PHP Debugger and PHP Profiler,
Code Insight, Database Client, Integrated Help System, Code Insight. It
completely supports JavaScript, HTML, CSS, XML, SMARTY, XHTML and
others. IDE maintains PHP from 4.2 to 5.3 version and the Editor -
from features and variables to spaces and aliases, Dynamic Syntax
Highlighting, Multiple Language Syntax Highlighting, Auto Highlight
variables etc.
IDE PhpED provides customers with a lot of tools
and features useful for elaboration on PHP. There is a database
management client, separate window to manage Telnet or SSH connections,
NuSOAP window to work with web services. PhpED supports its own embedded
web server adjusted in IDE, but the server is available for small
applications only. Full web applications should be adjusted on outer web
server. Debuggers PhpED, DBG can interact with apache, IIS, web server
which maintains standard PHP utilization.
Zend
Studio is one of the very comprehensive PHP IDE available. It has very
powerful PHP and Javascript debugging, team collaboration and remote
server tools. The Zend studio is one of the highest priced PHP IDEs,
though it has a free version however that does not come with very good
features.
+2 Open Source Free PHP IDEs
Elaboration of NetBeans IDE is performed by independent NetBeans
community and NetBeans Org Company. Oracle maintains and invests in
NetBeans IDE.
Program allows editing several files at once by
dividing screen into several parts. In order to do it, you need to open
two files and drag a marker of any file to the bottom of the screen.
Then you can see a red framework in text box in the lower part of
screen.
Supported operating systems: Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.
All the tools necessary for construction of professional desktop,
web, and mobile applications with the Java platform, C/C++, PHP,
JavaScript and Groovy are accessible. A library of free source codes is
integrated for software developers. NetBeans IDE 7.0, produced with
language supporting to elaborate on Java SE 7, supports GlassFish 3.1,
Oracle Database, Maven 3, Oracle WebLogic, HTML 5.
Aptana Studio, Developed by Aptana Inc. is a leading open-source
HTML editor and many people are not aware that it also comes with a PHP
support. Aptana Studio is developed on Eclipse platform.
Supported operating systems: Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.
It has in built support for Smarty and the recent versions for Aptana
also include a Debugger for PHP developers. Aptana Studio is built on
top of Eclipse platform and is very stable and powerful.
Summary
Most of IDEs have the opportunity to add and parse any
library or framework. After this well-read work autocomplete feature
works for the corresponding classes. However Codelobster PHP Edition,
thanks to a special plug-in, has a possibility to create PHP projects
using many open source PHP frameworks automatically, add new modules and
components, look-ahead Templates in special Theme Editor and serve
Context with help original sites. The choice is yours!
There are a number of other productivity PHP IDEs too, besides the ones
mentioned. Do let us know if you have used some other tools or plug-ins
which you were impressed.