Until now, most of my PHP development had been done on a Mac in TextMate. For a new client I need to work on a secured windows box, and I was wondering which IDEs I should be looking at, as someone used to working with TextMate. I've tried the 'E' editor, and I'm unconvinced. I've tried IDEs on the Mac, and they always seem like poor relations... but given that I'm having to move development platforms anyway, is there something better I should be looking at? Are there any decent text editors out there that I'm missing?
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173answers:
9
+1
A:
Best freeware IDE for PHP in my opinion is PHPEclipse (feature list). Here is a comparison with other PHP editors you might want to have a look at.
You can also check out Eclipse on its own and additionally download a suitabel PHP plugin, but PHPEclipse will make your day.
Thariama
2010-06-02 11:16:21
+1 for Eclipse, but I think that PDT is better than PHPEclipse. But that's only my opinion.
Igor Zinov'yev
2010-06-02 11:22:21
+2
A:
I don't know TextMate, but I started using PHPStorm recently and I would never go back. I've tried many (with an obvious exception of textmate) and am pretty sure, PHPstorm is best in so many ways.
Raveren
2010-06-02 11:18:17
Oh dear. Seems I've been drinking the cool-aid too long. V. unlike Mac like interface. I can see the benefit of using the same IDE cross-platform, but the rough corners that you get with Java apps really annoy me. And having to re-map keys to save having to learn new ones (apple-N for find class? really?) Seems I'm damned ;-)
Dycey
2010-06-02 15:23:26
A:
I'm using gVim/MacVim on all platforms. Granted, it has a very steep learning curve, but its benefits in increased editing speed seem obvious to me.
Flavius Stef
2010-06-02 11:19:43
+2
A:
As you've said you are unconvinced by e you could try Notepad++ or TextPad. Both are lightweight scriptable and extendable editors for windows. If you can tell me what features you like best from text mate I might be able to help further.
Jack Ryan
2010-06-02 11:21:41
Having fun with Notepad++. Features I like in TextMate - plugins, code-completion and parameter completion for php (via a plugin), disk explorer view...
Dycey
2010-06-02 15:26:13
Been working with Notepad++ for a while now. Still not quite TextMate, but useable, and PHP support not too bad.
Dycey
2010-06-11 12:54:39
+3
A:
I have been using NetBeans for the past 6 months and I love it. Built in DB, SVN, XDebug and JIRA support makes it so I don't even have to leave the IDE environment and interrupt my work flow. I also found it a bit easier to set up than eclipse, just my opinion.
ozruiz
2010-06-02 12:19:28
i love netbeans too - before that i used dreamweaver a long time and eclipe for some months... but then i found netbeans and fell in love...
oezi
2010-06-08 08:12:48
A:
I use Notepad++ for lightweight coding. As for a IDE I've had good experience with Komodo Edit but for the past 2 months moved to NetBeans and leaning towards it more and more.
Though at times I personally feel Komodo is a bit faster than NetBeans.
Raja
2010-06-02 14:24:30
A:
I would suggest you persevere with E. Once you get used to it, it's a fantastic editor. It doesn't have 100% parity with Textmate, but it is close enough IMO. It took me a few weeks to get as comfortable with it as I was with Textmate but it was well worth the effort.
Otherwise, the only other IDE I recommend for PHP is NetBeans.
Chris
2010-06-02 14:30:01
A:
I'm personally a fan of Eclipse PDT
It's not exactly lightweight but it has a ton of features, and Eclipse's great plugin architecture means you can build an IDE that does everything you need.
Neil Aitken
2010-06-08 08:14:14