What is the best PHP IDE?

[neil]

Could any developers share their experience here?

[met00]

vi

Really, I just use vi. Add to the the firefox extension firebug and you have an environment where you can test eveything that goes into your shop. Debug statements instead of the mysql in the first run of a test, then a second run with the mysql calls being displayed, and finally a test with the whole thing "acting" correct.

The key problem I have found with IDEs is that they make you lazy about doing things like commenting the crap out of the code you write. Using vi and beating the crap out of the code in testing assures that your echos can always show you what you did and how you did it, as wel as why you did it in some cases.

As for firebug. As I add more ajax to the store I need a way to inspect what is coming back, and that is the best inspection tool I have seen to date.

[neil]

Thanks met00,

Can vi run on windows?

[met00]

There are some versions that do. I generally live in th *uix world (I shell into the servers and run in the shell) as it saves me time from uploading and downloading via FTP after every small change (why upload an entire file when only one line changed?)

here is a google for vi for windows:
vi for windows - Google Search

But, like I said, I do all of my work on *uix platforms so that a :w! is all I need to save and do a page reload in the browser. If you are on a win platform, and you will have to do an FTP, then I would look at something that has a built save-&-FTP in it as well. Although I would always suggest shell and vi as the better choice.

That said, again, I can't recommend firefox with firebug enough for exploring what really is being sent. Especially if you are going to be doing anything with ajax. It's a bloody lifesaver.

[MindTwist]

On Win platform I usually use Notepad++ with the FTP_Syncrhonize plugin. Great editor, and just saving a file will upload it to your site (I doubt anyone deals with 5Mb php files, upload time is not really a problem)