10 PHP Development Environments (IDEs) You Should Know

If you're new to PHP development and want to get your hands dirty, you can try a free IDE (development environment) before trying a paid solution.

While there are many tools, not all of them offer the same functionality. In this article, we are going to list different free tools as well as paid tools.

PHP Development Environments (IDEs)

1. Eclipse IDE (Free)

Eclipse is a commonly used software development platform designed for the Java Virtual Machine. Although Eclipse PDT is primarily known as PHP Developer Tools, it can also be utilized with a variety of other programming languages.

Presented as a plug-in for the Eclipse platform, you can, during installation, choose the “Eclipse IDE for PHP Developers” option if you have not installed Eclipse on your machine. This automatically adds the PHP Developer Tools.

You will need Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK) on your computer.

Supported languages:

HTML,
CSS,
XML,
JavaScript,
TypeScript,
PHP,
Java.

Eclipse IDE

2. NetBeans PHP IDE (Free)

The NetBeans IDE can be used on desktop computers and mobile phones. While previous versions of NetBeans IDE were only available for Java, it now supports many other languages.

It is a popular open-source tool among developers due to the features offered.

Supported languages:

PHP,
Java,
JavaScript,
HTML5,
C, C++…

NetBeans PHP IDE

3. SublimeText (Free)

SublimeText 's IDE supports many languages and also offers many features. It's an easy system to set up because it doesn't need a lot of configuration when installing it on a new machine.

It is a free tool to which you can add plug-ins to make the software even more dynamic.

Supported languages:

PHP,
Perl,
Python,
Ruby,
Tcl,
SQL,
CSS,
HTML,
XML,
C, C++.

SublimeText

4. Zend Studio (Paid)

Zend Studio is a PHP IDE that helps in developing PHP applications and deploying them to a server.

The tool supports mobile app development for your existing PHP apps and offers built-in deployment functionality, to deploy apps in the cloud.

Supported languages:

PHP 7.1,
HTML5,
CSS,
JavaScript.

The price: $89 for a license, $189 for an enterprise (per year).

Also read: analyze your app statistics Tools.

Zend Studio

5. CodeLite (Free)

CodeLite is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that is available as open source software. It is primarily designed for programming in C++, but it also includes plugins that support PHP and Node.js. Although it may not be the most sophisticated IDE out there, it still provides all the necessary features required for PHP development. These features include workspace and project management, an integrated debugger (Xdebug), multiple view panes, task management, code completion, and project execution.

If you are looking for a PHP IDE that does not operate on Java, offers numerous configuration options, and does not require you to create an account, CodeLite may be an ideal option for you.

Supported languages:

HTML,
JavaScript,
Node.js,
PHP,
C, C++.

CodeLite

6. PHP Storm (Paid)

Developed by JetBrains, PHP Storm is a premium PHP IDE. Equipped with autocompletion, it highlights the syntax of your code.

The IDE provides code completion, syntax checking, and support for language mixes. It also analyzes your code and inspects your entire project to find any errors in your code.

Supported languages:

PHP,
CSS,
JavaScript,
HTML.

The cost structure is as follows: $99 for the initial year, $79 for the subsequent year, and $59 for all succeeding years, for individual users. For organizations, the cost is $249 for the first year, $199 for the second year, and $149 for all future years. Monthly pricing options are also accessible.

PHP Storm

7. Notepad++ (Free)

Notepad++ is a source code editor for Windows operating systems. Creating a replacement for Notepad, the development tool preinstalled on Windows operating systems, Notepad++ brings many features.

The tool supports syntax analysis of more than 80 programming languages, editing function like code folding, smart code completion or tool extension through integration of multiple plug-ins.

Supported languages:

HTML,
XML,
SQL,
Python,
C, C++,
Pearl.

8. Codelobster (Paid)

Codelobster is a software application used for Integrated Development Environment (IDE) specifically intended for PHP development with support for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The IDE offers portability and stands out due to its wide range of plugins, which makes it a popular option among developers who use frameworks such as Laravel, Joomla, WordPress, Symfony, Drupal, Yii, CodeIgniter, Phalcon, CakePHP, among others.

The Pro version of Codelobster IDE is priced at $59.95 for three devices with one year of updates included. Users can purchase future updates for $19.95 per year.

Codelobster

9. Cloud 9 IDE (Paid)

The Cloud 9 IDE is an online service provided by Amazon for writing, running, and debugging code. You can work with the team and share your code easily.

Supported languages:

Node.js,
JavaScript,
Python,
PHP,
Ruby,
Go,
C++.

The price: The price depends on the use. It starts at $2 per month.

10. Visual Studio Code (Free)

Visual Studio Code is an open-source, free text editor that supports PHP development.

Customizable thanks to numerous extensions, VS Code gives you the possibility to manage all your integrations and all your development from a single tool.

Supported languages:

Python,
JavaScript,
HTML,
PHP,
VS#,
C++,
And more.

Visual Studio Code

Our tip for choosing your PHP IDE environment

It must be understood immediately that being a developer is not invented. Nevertheless, some tools, thanks to their documentation or their interface, become accessible, even to the most inexperienced. It is important for you to test, compare and analyze the functionality of each.

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FAQs PHP Development Environments (IDEs)

FAQs

1- Which IDE to use for PHP?

The best Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) for PHP developers include PhpStorm, SublimeText, and NetBeans. PhpStorm, which requires payment, is built in JAVA and provides on-the-fly code analysis, error prevention, and code refactoring for PHP, HTML, and JavaScript. SublimeText is also a popular option, offering advanced features such as customizable key bindings, a distraction-free mode, and a powerful search and replace tool. NetBeans, which is open-source and free, provides features such as code templates, syntax highlighting, and version control support for PHP, HTML, and other programming languages. All three IDEs can be useful for developers looking for a reliable tool to streamline their PHP development process.

2- What are the development environments?

Visual Studio, Eclipse, and IntelliJ IDEA are popular development environments. There are also online editors such as Cloud9 IDE. Eclipse allows in particular to write, compile, run and debug applications

3- What is the best development environment?

IntelliJ IDEA: a paid JavaScript framework. Focused primarily on improving productivity, IntelliJ IDEA is one of the most popular IDEs. In addition to supporting a number of programming languages other than JS, its ergonomic web design offers great ease of use.

4- What is the most used IDE?

NetBeans is an extensively used integrated development environment (IDE) that supports multiple operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and Solaris. This software is coded in Java and is offered to users without any cost. NetBeans comprises a user-friendly interface with a drag-and-drop feature, which makes it convenient to use, along with various pre-built project templates that users can select from.

5- What are the types of IDEs?

There are two categories of IDEs: the first involves foreigners creating productive assets, while the second entails foreigners acquiring existing assets, such as through mergers, acquisitions, or takeovers.

6- How to choose your IDE?

The choice depends on several criteria, as we have seen, and even if some IDEs are suitable for several types of development, they each have their specificities. To make your choice, we advise you to try those that correspond to your needs, and to choose the one that suits you best.