PHP Development

10 Best PHP Development Tools for Web Developers

ByJack

So are you having a killer business idea? Well, if so, it’s time to do something about it why not think about creating a dynamic web solution? PHP is one of the leading development technologies that keeps on heating up every year. Of course, not all of you can fall in love with PHP as these types of technologies do have a fair share of controversies as well but have somehow managed to stay on top of the list anytime and every time. There is lots and lots of information available on PHP, no two ways about it. Fret not, the post acts as a small yet crucial part of the entire PHP realm. 

The following post emphasizes some of the best PHP development tools and technologies to consider. These PHP tools are here for a purpose. They act as a perfect IDE where experienced PHP programmers in India can efficiently build engaging, innovative and feature-rich PHP projects.

There is no denying the fact that PHP is one of the most widely used server-side languages to develop robust, dynamic and scalable websites or web applications. Some of the core benefits of using PHP include open source, high-end performance, large and active community, well-supported frameworks, great security, and whatnot! Since its inception, the technology seems to have experienced a 360-degree transformation from naive adolescence to a more mature phase after being condemned to death more than once and rising high as no other technology. Above all, it may quite interest you to know that 80% of websites are developed using PHP. 

Introducing PHP Development Tools

According to Wikipedia, PHP development tools are basically language IDE plugins that assist PHP developers in India as well as around the globe to come up with a dynamic, robust, scalable and intimidating solution. And do you know what is the best part here? All the PHP development tools available in the post are easy to use and have the potential to speed up the entire development procedure to a great extent. 

So without further ado, let’s start getting acquainted with the top PHP development tools 

Top 10 PHP Development Tools To Consider

  1. PHPStorm

The first and foremost PHP development tool to take into account is PHPStorm. Now this one is a renowned Integrated Development Environment engineered by Jetbrains. The good news is that this particular PHP development tool is available for free of cost which means it’s open source and supports maximum PHP versions. PHPstorm is written in Java and built on the IntelliJ IDEA platform. Some of the core frameworks it has been compatible with include Drupal, Symfony, Laravel, WordPress, Zend Framework, Joomla, CakePHP, and a lot more. 

If you are looking for a PHP development tool that excels at code refactoring, auto-completion, zero-configuration debugging, and on-the-fly error prevention, look no further than PHPStorm. Apart from this, here you are bound to receive live editing support for major front-end technologies such as CSS, HTML5, Javascript and a lot more. Further, I would like to mention some core features offered by PHPStorm. 

  • Code completion
  • Code re-arranger
  • Supports different languages such as PHP, JavaScript, Visual Basic, C, C++, and C#
  • Zero Configuration Debugging
  • Seamless version control integration
  • Compatible with platforms like Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X
  • Support Multiple frameworks
  • Excellent wide search options
  • Native ZenCoding support and database support
  • Supports extension with plenty of useful plugins like VimEditor
  • Easy debugging and testing

When you install PHPStorm you need is 2 GB RAM, though 4GB is recommended, Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP (64 bit) and as long as screen resolution is concerned it has to be 1024*768. 

  • Sublime Text

The next interesting PHP development tool to consider is Sublime Text. Though this one is pretty old yet it carries much importance and value, especially in the PHP development realm. Since it incorporates a plethora of powerful features such as multi-line editing, build systems for dozens of programming languages, regex find and replace, a Python API for developing plugins, and more, the popularity of Sublime text keeps on increasing day in and day out. 

The PHP development tool is a sophisticated code editor that supports Mac, Windows, and Linux. Though, many of you have this conception that sublime text is considered for developers only. But the least you know is that the PHP development tool also acts worth considering for writers and bloggers, no kidding! 

These code editors always turn out to be a go-to tool for anyone looking for options in the context of high customization. Incorporated with several programming languages and feature-rich functionalities, this PHP development tool is highly suitable for developing PHP-based applications  Some of the core benefits of sublime text include:

  • Autocompletion
  • Syntax highlight
  • Plugin API
  • Customizability
  • Split Editing
  • Minimap
  • Screens, Panels
  • Check out the command palette
  • There is no scope for distraction
  • Powerful Search 
  • Supports all languages
  • Lightweight, fast as well as stable 

Here it is possible to change any lines of your code. 

  • Zend Studio

Another contemplating PHP development tool to take into account is Zend Studio. This one is the most prominent Integrated Development Environment used to create dynamic PHP web applications across the globe. Some core features that make Zend Studio a cut above include an advanced code editor, real-time analysis and validation, seamless code assistance, and a lot more! No wonder, Zend Studio is recommended by Google. Microsoft. StrikeIron. 

If you are looking for a popular PHP development tool that is highly compatible with PHP 7 and has the potential to deploy any and every PHP-based application, look no further than this PHP development tool. 

  • Features Intelligent Code Editor
  • Seamless integration with Zend Debugger, X-ray and Xdebug
  • Supports a wide range of programming languages such as PHP, Javascript, C and C++
  • High-end interoperability with GitHub, Git, SVN, and CVS. 

The only issue with this particular PHP development tool is that it comprises a steep learning curve and requires huge documentation.  

  • AWS Cloud 9

Another interesting PHP development tool to consider is AWS Cloud 9. This particular PHP development tool comprises a pre-configured environment. In other words, developers can begin coding right away! AWS Cloud 9 is highly recommended for developing serverless applications where the code can be written, debugged and run within the browser itself.  

As the name implies AWS turns out to be one of the important web services units of Amazon.com yet a renowned integrated development environment to consider. What makes AWS Cloud 9 enter the following list of the best PHP development tools and technologies?  

  • Real-time language analysis
  • Seamless way image editor as well as debugger at your service
  • Not to forget all the collaborative coding features
  • Supportive of 40+ programming languages such as PHP, Javascript, Python, Node.js C++, and so more. 
  • File revision history is also available 

So what’s the problem? Well, there is just one issue as AWS Cloud 9 cannot be synced with Google Drive and Dropbox.

  • Aptana Studio

Another interesting PHP development tool to take into account is Aptana Studio. This one is an open-source integrated development environment (IDE) that is highly recommended for building web applications. Aptana Studio seamlessly supports Javascript, HTML, DOM, Python, CSS3, Ruby on Rails and CSS. Other alluring aspects of Aptana Studio include code completion, seamless outlining, Javascript debugging, error and warning notifications and integrated documentation.

More or less, it works wonders with GitHub stars and GitHub forks. Also, it features SFTP, FTP, and IDE customization. The following PHP development tool is included in this particular list because it comes with a wide range of attractive features that seamlessly increase productivity and efficiency. Some of its extraordinary features and functionalities include: 

  • Set breakpoints, control execution, inspect variables
  • Supports Latest HTML5 specifications
  • IDE customization
  • Git Integration and Built-in terminal
  • Easily collaborates with peers via merge, pull & push actions

PHP, Javascript, Ajax, HTML and Ruby on Rails are some of the top programming languages that Aptana Studio highly supports. And speaking about platform compatibility, the PHP development tool supports Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and a plugin for Eclipse.  

  • Eclipse

The next interesting yet intimidating PHP development tool to take into account is Eclipse. Eclipse is one of the best Integrated Development Environments (IDE) that works wonders with different programming languages such as JAVA, Python, C/C++, Ruby and a lot more. Eclipse turns out to be quite well-designed, robust and feature-loaded IDEs to consider. 

Some of the major operating systems that Eclipse works wonders with are Windows, Mac and Linux. And do you know what is the best part here, the entire Eclipse foundation is run by different reputable companies and organizations such as Oracle, IBM, Fujitsu, Redhat, SAP, Google, Airbus, BMW, and a lot more. In addition, the tool highly supports GUI and non-GUI applications. 

  • Features such as code templates, code assistance, code restructuring, code formatting and navigation, and syntax highlighting
  • Supports programming languages such as JavaScript, COBOL, Ruby, C, C++, and Python.
  • Auto completion is here
  • Code formatter plugins and unit-testing plugins
  • Multiple language support 
  • The user interface is pretty simple and easy to use
  • Detailed documentation available
  • The scope of improvement is pretty high due to the active community

So what’s not so good about Eclipse? Well, the only thing is that it doesn’t offer an in-built code replacement feature. 

  • Netbeans

The next important yet intimidating PHP development tool to consider is Netbeans. If you are seeking around for a free, lightweight, open-source, cross-platform tool that turns out to be ideal for developing a wide range of PHP applications then Netbeans is the right choice to consider. The tool supports multiple languages including Russian, Japanese, Brazilian, Chinese, and Portuguese. It may quite interest you to know that Netbeans was originally built for Java development. 

Some of its core advantages include:

  • Netbeans profiler, intelligent code completion, and a visual debugger
  • Project management, code templates, efficient refactoring, and getter-setter generation
  • Highly compatible with different PHP frameworks such as WordPress, Zend, Symfony, CakePHP, FuelPHP
  • Great for testing and debugging code
  • Running server-side based applications is pretty easy 

The only issue here is that the performance of compilation and execution is pretty slow in comparison to other mentioned PHP development tools. 

  • PHP Debugbar 

The next amazing PHP development tool that must be taken into account is the PHP debugbar. Now what exactly does this Integrated Development Environment do and why is it mentioned in the following list? Well, the tool enables the display of profiling data from a wide range of web applications. Here the entire PHP Debugbar can be bifurcated into two parts, one is the main debugbar and the other is the data collectors and the render. So what exactly does the development tool work on? Well, it incorporates high-end data collector architecture which seamlessly enables you to save all your requests and reopen them seamlessly. 

Benefits of considering PHP Debugbar include:

  • Inspects monitor networks and CSS elements
  • Creation of customized collectors and view in the bar
  • Supports leading programming languages such as Java, PHP, Ruby
  • It is possible to handle AJAX requests with ease
  • Detailed documentation 

  • NuSphere PhpED

The very next PHP development tool on the list is NuSphere PHPed. Another popular development tool is known among PHP developers from India and also across the globe. What you will find here is an advanced PHP editor, a PHP debugger, a database client and code insights. 

So if you are looking for a recommendable tool that supports platforms such as  Microsoft Windows, Web, Linux, Mac, iPad, PHP frameworks such as Laravel, Zend, and Yii and programming languages such as  PHP, JavaScript, HTML, XML, CSS, Perl, and Python, you exactly know which PHP development tool to consider. 

  • PHPUnit

Last but certainly not least is PHPUnit. It is basically a unit testing tool that is highly recommended for developing feature-rich PHP applications. PHP Unit seamlessly supports all PHP frameworks, databases, and IDEs. It runs successfully on the command-line interface – cmd. And lastly, analyzing code coverage turns out to be pretty easy. 

Conclusion

And this is it! These are one of the best PHP development tools to take into account. Each one of them is easy to use and are worth considering for the wide range of benefits they possess. I hope the following post has offered you some great insights and now you will be able to make more and more informed decisions. Time to make an absolute choice depending on your development needs and requirements. 

In case, if you have any queries or would like to add any further PHP development tools that you have already used, feel free to mention about the same in the comment section below. Also, keep your tabs on the site for better information and tech updates. 

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