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PHP Debugger ? Which one
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:32 pm
by talktodale
I am using Apache, PHP version 5.4 and I would like some recommendations on a debugger. Just getting started with PHP but not new to development.
I read about Eclipse, Xdebugger, Zend, Firebug but it's all kind of fuzzy still as to which one would be easiest to install and get going. I just want to start.
I just want to step through some code with a debugger.
Can you recommend what you use ???

Re: PHP Debugger ? Which one
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:11 pm
by Celauran
Xdebug is great and dead simple to install. Integrates nicely with Netbeans, too.
Re: PHP Debugger ? Which one
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:11 pm
by Christopher
I think xdebug is the most commonly used for PHP and it's free. You need to configure PHP with it installed. It works with IDEs like Eclipse. Firebug is a browser extension for developers that helps debug Javascript (among many other things).
Re: PHP Debugger ? Which one
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:20 pm
by talktodale
These are great comments... so Net Beans is an alternate IDE but using Eclipse and xdebug is the right way to go ? I did not know firebug was primarially for Javascript and didn't include
PHP debugging so I still have a lot to learn.
Re: PHP Debugger ? Which one
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:28 pm
by Celauran
There is no 'right way'. Eclipse and NetBeans are both IDEs. Which you use is a matter of personal preference. Xdebug is a standalone product that integrates with both.
Re: PHP Debugger ? Which one
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:53 pm
by Christopher
To me more specific, xdebug runs inside PHP on the server and makes data available to applications. NetBeans and Eclipse are editors that have extensions that can read xdebug data. Firebug runs in the browser and I recall also makes data available that IDEs can use.
And for the record, editors are completely personal preference. There are many, many great editors out there -- most are free. One person's worst editor is another person's favorite editor. So better and worse have little meaning when discussing them. The only objective part are features.