What is the best IDE to use with the Symfony framework?

Question

I'm looking for an IDE with use with the Symfony Framework.

I have a bit of experience using the NetBeans 6.5 IDE but it does not always seem to complete the class methods, plus it doesn't seem to have any PHP code snippets built in.

Here are the features I would ideally like to have, in order of importance, from an IDE:

• Code completion of all the Symfony and Propel class methods (I can never remember them)
• Code templates,(class skeletons, HTML structures, Symfony templates?)
• Straight-forward code debugging
• Source Control

Answer 1

Eclipse with PDT

Answer 2

If you could wait, Symfony support is coming to Netbeans soon: http://www.netbeans.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=145913. I'll go with Zend Studio 5.5's debugging and inspection features for the time being.

Answer 3

As for me, it's Eclipse + PDT. But NetBeans already has support of phpDoc 1.4 (while PDT hasn't), so you can document (and IDE will be able to autocomplete) "magic" properties and methods. Doctrine users will surely appreciate that :)

UPD: Some time passed and I've moved to NetBeans first (it appeared lighter, faster and less complicated). Then I've used PhpStorm EAP, liked it and even bought a license :)

So, here and now my IDEs of choice are:

• NetBeans — free
• PhpStorm — paid, most intelligent (static source analysis is real killer feature)

Answer 4

Komodo IDE (or, without debugging and Source Control, the free Komodo Edit) + a set of commands for Komodo to use symfony tasks. does all your 4 points, and also works for Perl, Python, Ruby and Tcl.

Answer 5

I'd recommend you to use PHPEDIT, it is the software with the best support for all symfony versions,

you can watch a screencast of how easy can be develop symfony projects with phpedit. Link

Answer 6

PHPEdit blows away the competition. Of course you have to pay for it, but it has support for SVN, GUI for all symfony commands, yaml editing, etc.

You get a lot for your money and makes development so much easier and faster.

You will make back your money with one project just off of the time you saved.

Answer 7

I used Eclipse PDT in the past, and switched to Netbeans a month ago... After having tried both, I would recommend Netbeans: It has better refactoring tools and it performs better in general.

Answer 8

Check out Symfoclipse, a Symfony plugin for Eclipse + PDT environment. Here's the link ;-)

Answer 9

Symfony is supported by NetBeans 6.8.

Answer 10

I recommend NetBeans. You can follow this tutorial: Use NetBeans to setup a PHP Symphony project