PHP Developers’ Essential Tools Part 1: Requirements

Software development is only possible to achieve successful results by building a strong foundation and using the right tools. However, software development is not just about writing code or setting up a system. Each stage of the process brings different needs and challenges. Selecting the right tools is critical to addressing these requirements. These tools are designed to make your business processes more efficient, organized, and easier to manage. Every tool you choose can directly impact your work quality, optimizing your productivity and workflow.

The tools you can use span a wide range of both paid and free options. Open-source tools provide flexibility and strong community support, while paid tools typically offer comprehensive features and professional technical assistance. Which tool you choose depends on the needs of your projects and your business goals.

Each category includes tools specifically designed to meet the needs that arise at a particular stage of your software development process. In the remainder of the article, we will explore these tools in detail and discuss how you can use them more effectively.

IDE

IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a development environment that brings together integrated tools designed to simplify the software development process. Unlike text editors, it not only enables writing code but also supports compiling, debugging, testing, and other development processes. While text editors are used solely for writing code, IDEs offer a wide range of features that provide greater efficiency in software projects.

PHPStorm (Paid)

PHPStorm is one of the most preferred IDEs in the PHP ecosystem and is known for its powerful set of tools. It stands out particularly with features aimed at improving code quality in large projects. The key advantages of PHPStorm include:

• Code completion and refactoring support: Analyzes all project files, classes, and references in detail to provide accurate and comprehensive suggestions.
• Debugging tools: Enables developers to identify errors quickly.
• Integrated tools: Offers many functions on a single platform, such as Git support, database tools, and testing tools.
• Framework support: Works seamlessly with popular PHP frameworks like Laravel and Symfony, offering dedicated tools.

However, this wide range of features also brings some disadvantages:

• High system resource usage: PHPStorm can demand high RAM and CPU usage, which may strain your computer.
• License cost: Being a paid IDE can create budget limitations for small teams or individual developers.

VSCode (Free)

Visual Studio Code (VSCode) is an open-source, modular, and highly popular IDE among developers, offering support for many programming languages. It is also widely used among PHP developers.

Advantages of VSCode:

• Language-agnostic structure: Can be used for many programming languages and enhanced with extensions suitable for each language.
• Lightweight and fast: Its simple interface allows it to use system resources more efficiently.
• Extensive extension support: Necessary extensions for PHP support (e.g., PHP Intelephense) can be easily installed.
• Free: The IDE itself is free, although some extensions may be paid.

Compared to PHPStorm, the drawbacks of VSCode are:

• Lack of dedicated PHP tools: The specialized PHP support and tools offered by PHPStorm must be obtained through extensions in VSCode.
• Manual setup for advanced features: Features such as debugging may require additional configuration.

Software Development Environment

The software development environment consists of the tools and applications that bring together all the components your projects need. In PHP development, setting up the right environment makes your projects more efficient. A development environment typically includes the following components:

• PHP Version Manager: Ensures the correct PHP version is installed and managed for running PHP files.
• HTTP Server: Used to enable client-server communication for your applications. Examples include Apache and Nginx.
• Database: Used to store and manage project data. Common databases include MySQL and SQLite.
• Node Version Manager: In modern applications, especially where front-end tools are needed, Node.js and npm may be required. These managers allow easy handling of Node.js versions and packages.

Herd (Free / Paid)

Herd is a development tool compatible with the Laravel ecosystem and offers cross-platform support (Windows and macOS). With its user-friendly interface, it allows you to easily manage the applications required for your projects.

Key features:

• Free version: Includes all essential tools required for a PHP environment.
• Paid version: Provides advanced features such as database management, log viewer, email testing tools, and a dump viewer.
• Per-project configuration: You can choose different PHP and Node versions for each project and enable HTTPS with a single click.
• DNS Masking: Automatically generates a .test domain for each folder in your project directory.

With the free version of Herd, you can meet your basic development needs and use alternative tools for database management. These applications are also covered later in the article.

Valet (Free)

Valet is a lightweight and fast development environment designed especially for macOS users. Although optimized for Laravel projects, it can also be used with WordPress and other PHP projects. Key features of Valet include:

• Low system resource usage: Operates with minimal resources instead of heavier servers such as Apache or Nginx.
• Easy installation and usage: Makes your projects quickly accessible from any directory.
• DNS Masking: Allows you to run your projects with a .test domain and define custom domains.

Valet is an ideal solution for macOS users who want to speed up their development process with its lightweight structure.

Laragon (Free)

Laragon is a fast and lightweight development environment designed especially for Windows users. It comes prepackaged with many components such as PHP, Node.js, MySQL, Redis, Nginx, and Apache.

Key features of Laragon:

• Portable and lightweight: Efficiently uses system resources and offers fast startup.
• Customizable structure: Users can easily integrate different versions and tools based on their needs.
• Easy database management: Provides quick setup and management capabilities for MySQL and other databases.
• Fast application installer: Its bundled quick app installer allows you to install many applications and tools with a single click.

Although it does not offer project-based PHP version selection like Herd and Valet, Laragon’s comprehensive toolset and customization options make it indispensable for many developers.

Database

A database is a system used to store, organize, and access application data when needed. In a software development process, databases serve as a fundamental component for managing user information, content, and other critical data. In PHP projects, databases are frequently used because PHP works seamlessly with them, enabling the creation of dynamic and data-driven applications.

DBngin (Free)

DBngin is a modern tool that simplifies database management. Its user-friendly interface allows you to quickly install and manage MySQL, PostgreSQL, and other popular databases. It stands out particularly with features that allow developers to use different database versions simultaneously.

Key features:

• Multi-database support: Ability to manage MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, and more.
• Easy installation and configuration: Quickly install and manage different versions.
• Project-based database configurations: Create different database environments for each project.

MySQL

MySQL is one of the most popular and widely used open-source database management systems. It works seamlessly with PHP and has strong community support. MySQL stands out for its efficiency and reliability in large-scale projects. It is also supported by most hosting providers by default.

Key features:

• Ability to manage large datasets efficiently
• Data querying and processing using SQL
• Strong user authorization and security mechanisms

SQLite

SQLite is a lightweight and portable database. Unlike other databases, it runs without requiring a server. It is an ideal choice for small and medium-scale projects. It is especially used in projects that do not require database setup or maintenance.

Key features:

• Serverless structure: Requires no installation and works alongside the application.
• Lightweight: Low resource usage and suitable for simple projects.
• Portability: Can be transported and managed as a single file.

Database Clients

Database clients are graphical or command-based tools used to manage, query, and manipulate data within databases. Instead of interacting directly with database systems, these tools allow you to perform operations through a more user-friendly interface.

Why Are They Important?

• Easy Management: Tasks such as creating tables, adding, deleting, or updating data can be performed faster and more visually.
• Query Writing and Testing: Provides an ideal environment for writing, testing, and analyzing SQL queries.
• Data Visualization: Makes it easier to view and edit data in table format.
• Multi-Database Support: Allows managing different databases from a single interface.

Each database client offers different features, and selecting the tool that best fits your project’s needs is important. Below are some of the most popular tools and their key features:

Table Plus (Paid / Free)

Table Plus is a tool with a modern and minimalist design that offers multi-database support. It is fast, user-friendly, and allows you to manage multiple databases simultaneously.

Key features:

• Supports many databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and Redis.
• Simple and intuitive user interface.
• Advanced editor and auto-completion support for SQL queries.

HeidiSQL (Free)

HeidiSQL is a lightweight yet powerful tool popular for MySQL and MariaDB, running on the Windows platform. Despite its interface resembling older Windows applications, it offers a rich set of features.

Key features:

• Support for MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL.
• Batch data processing and query execution.
• User and permission management.

DBeaver (Free / Paid)

DBeaver is a powerful cross-platform tool that supports a wide range of databases. It is suitable for both simple and complex projects.

Key features:

• Supports almost all popular databases.
• Customizable and extendable with plugins.
• Tools for visualizing and analyzing data.

Sequel Ace (Free / Donation-Supported)

Sequel Ace is a lightweight tool developed for macOS users to manage MySQL and MariaDB databases.

Key features:

• Simple and fast interface.
• SSH support for remote database connections.
• Ability to manage both local and remote databases.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the essential tools and applications required for developing PHP applications. A well-structured development environment will both increase the efficiency of your projects and reduce the error rate. By choosing the right IDE and database tools, you can build a stronger foundation for your projects, optimize your workflow, and save time. With this knowledge, you can develop faster and higher-quality software.