Top 9 Best IDEs for PHP/Laravel Developers in 2024

Posted on August 22nd, 2024

Nowadays, PHP is the most popular server-side scripting language. Most people use it because it is an open-source platform for building dynamic website pages. It is also easy to learn and well-supported by the developer community, so the community support is good enough if you encounter any problems.

There are plenty of reasons why people use PHP rather than Python or Ruby. This language can be learned quickly because it requires no prior experience of coding.

The market offers a wide variety of PHP IDEs, but the real challenge is choosing which one to use for your web development. Don’t worry, we will guide you through some PHP IDEs that can help simplify your tasks.

What is PHP?

PHP is a server-side scripting language that can be used to develop website pages that can directly interact with databases, execute tasks on the web server, and process user inputs. It is mainly used to build applications, websites, and customer relationship management systems.

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This language is used by 76.1% of total server-side scripting websites worldwide. People are using it more because the large group of developers keeps on updating the language to bring improvements.

Why Use PHP IDEs?

Now, let’s explore the best PHP IDEs to simplify your development tasks:

Top 10 Best Useful IDEs for PHP Developers

The market is flooded with PHP IDEs, but choosing the best one is the real task. Below, we have mentioned some IDEs that can smooth your website development tasks:

1. PHPStorm

PHPStorm is a highly popular IDE for PHP and web developers. It is engineered by JetBrains, a private limited company located in Czechia. If you are working with WordPress, Joomla, Laravel, Zend Framework, CakePHP, and other frameworks, then it is the perfect IDE to use.

PHPStorm is an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) designed to increase developers’ productivity and help create effective websites and applications. It provides features that assist in working with databases and SQL, allowing developers to modify tables and schemas effortlessly.

If you want to try PHPStorm, you can start with a 30-day free trial. If it meets your needs, consider purchasing a premium subscription, which will cost you around $250 to $800, depending on your project requirements.

PHPStorm Features:

  • Smart Code Editor: Developers often work with multiple languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. PHPStorm supports these languages, making it a top choice for developers.
  • Support for Multiple Frameworks: PHPStorm enables developers to work with several frameworks like Laravel, Yii, Symphony2, and CakePHP, making it the best editor for PHP frameworks.
  • Version Control Integration: PHPStorm supports Git, GitHub, Subversion, and other systems, offering tools to manage source code, commit changes, and resolve conflicts easily.

2. Zend Studio

Zend Studio is renowned for its extraordinary speed and ability to perform various tasks, such as deploying applications on a variety of hosts. You can improve Zend Studio by installing the Eclipse plugin.

Zend Studio is a proprietary IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for PHP, founded by Zend Technologies in 2003. It provides a robust development environment with all the tools needed for professional PHP development, including writing and editing code, debugging, performance analysis, running tests, diagnosing issues, and more.

Zend Studio Features:

  • Advanced PHP Editor: It supports PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with advanced syntax highlighting. It also provides intelligent code completion, including context-aware suggestions for PHP, HTML, and JavaScript.
  • Integrated Debugger: It manages Xdebug and Zend Debugger for real-time debugging, allowing for setting breakpoints, stepping through code, and watching variable changes during execution. It also offers tools for analyzing the performance of PHP code, identifying bottlenecks, and optimizing scripts.

3. Eclipse

Eclipse PHP is an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for your PHP projects. It is used to develop PHP-based web applications and is highly extensible.

It offers several features like syntax highlighting, code formatting, code navigation, PHP debugging, and code templates.

Eclipse Features:

  • PHP Code Editor: Provides syntax highlighting, code formatting, and auto-completion specifically for PHP.
  • Debugger: Integrated tools help with stepping through code, setting breakpoints, and inspecting variables.
  • Project Management: Helps organize and manage PHP projects, including version control integration.

4. Sublime Text

Sublime Text PHP IDE is popular for its plugins or packages that enhance the editor’s overall performance. It supports almost all popular programming and markup languages and works across multiple platforms like Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Sublime Text Features:

  • Speed and Performance: Known for its lightning-fast performance, even when handling large files or complex projects. It consumes minimal system resources, making it an excellent choice for development on older or less powerful machines.
  • User Interface: Offers a full-screen mode that hides distractions, allowing developers to focus entirely on their code. Users can easily customize the appearance of the editor, including themes, color schemes, and layout.
  • Multi-Platform Support: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with consistent performance and features across all platforms.

5. CodeLobster

CodeLobster is a popular IDE among PHP developers. It is designed for web development, specifically working with PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

CodeLobster is user-friendly, making it accessible to both experienced developers and beginners. It offers both free and paid versions, with the paid version providing additional plugins and features.

CodeLobster Features:

  • PHP Development: Includes a PHP debugger that helps with easy testing and debugging of PHP code, enabling step-by-step execution and variable inspection. It provides syntax highlighting and smart code auto-completion for PHP, including support for PHP frameworks and CMSs like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.
  • Project Management: Provides a sidebar for navigating through your project’s files and folders, making it easy to manage large codebases. It also allows direct upload and management of files on remote servers using FTP/SFTP, streamlining deployment.

6. NetBeans

NetBeans is a widely used open-source platform for developing Java applications but also supports other languages like PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and C/C++. This IDE includes features like Git, database tools, SVN, and code hinting for building PHP software.

Originally developed by Sun Microsystems, NetBeans was later acquired by Oracle and is now part of the Apache Software Foundation.

NetBeans Features:

  • Powerful Code Editor: Provides syntax highlighting for various programming languages, making the code easier to read and manage. Offers intelligent code completion for Java, PHP, and other languages, helping developers write code faster and with fewer errors. It also includes built-in code templates for common code structures.
  • Project Management: Strong project management features allow developers to organize, navigate, and manage files and folders within their projects.
  • Multi-Project Support: Easily manage multiple projects within the same environment, with features for switching between them seamlessly.

7. Aptana Studio

Aptana Studio is an open-source platform for developing websites, built on the Eclipse platform. It offers a variety of extensive tools and features for creating web applications. It supports multiple programming languages like PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, making it a versatile choice for developers.

Aptana Studio Features:

  • Code Assistance: Offers code completion, syntax highlighting, and error checking for various web technologies.
  • Built-in Terminal: Allows you to run command-line operations directly within the IDE.
  • Git Integration: Supports version control through Git, allowing you to manage code repositories seamlessly.

8. Cloud9

Cloud9 is an IDE that provides a development environment for several programming languages like Ruby, Python, JavaScript, and PHP. It includes browser compatibility testing and live preview features, making it easy to develop web applications. Cloud9 comes with a solid online code editor and PHP debugger and works across almost all platforms like macOS, Linux, and Windows.</p >

Cloud9 Features:

  • Cloud-Based Environment: Accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, allowing developers to work on projects without local setup.
  • Multi-Language Support: Supports various programming languages, including JavaScript, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, and more.
  • Real-Time Collaboration: Allows multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously, with real-time code sharing and chat functionality.

9. NuSphere PhpED

NuSphere PhpED is a PHP IDE offered by NuSphere. It includes an advanced PHP editor, debugger, profiler, and code insight. This IDE helps developers speed up the creation of applications using the paid PHP accelerator PHPExpress. It is a flexible IDE that works with almost all popular PHP frameworks like Zend, Yii, and Laravel.

NuSphere PhpED Features:

  • PHP Code Editor: Offers an all-in-one editor with syntax highlighting, code folding, code templates, and code completion to improve coding efficiency and accuracy.
  • Integrated Profiler: Provides a profiler tool that helps developers optimize their PHP code by identifying performance bottlenecks and suggesting improvements.
  • Database Client: Includes a built-in database client that supports various databases (such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite), allowing developers to manage and interact with databases directly from the IDE.

Conclusion

All the PHP IDEs mentioned above are essential for developing web applications. If an IDE has a paid subscription, try the free version first before deciding to purchase. This way, you won’t waste your money.

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