I’ve used 4 IDEs for php based web application development. In my old laptop, I used notepad++ to write php, html, javascript, css code. notepad++ is a very light weight IDE and takes less resources.
**notepad++ IDE is best if your laptop/pc’s configuaration is old.
In my PC I used Zend Studio v 5.2 for long time (5/6 months) to write php code. Zend Studio is a very good IDE. But in that IDE there is some limitations. One of which is that, Zend Studio doesn’t render div matching correctly. But If you use Zend Framework, then using Zend Studio is a better choice as this framework’s class or funtions are automatically shown. But remember Zend Studio is not free, you’ve to buy it.
Then I moved to use Eclipse IDE for writing php code. And currently I’m using NetBeans IDE and below I’ve given a comparison between Eclipse and NetBeans for writing php based web application.
| NetBeans IDE 7.0M1 | Eclipse PDT 2.0 |
| Free IDE. | Free IDE. |
| Support php, javascript, css, html, java, SVN and lots… | Support php, javascript, css, html, java, SVN and lots… |
| Common function of php will show automatically or by pressing ctrl + space. | Common function of php will show automatically or by pressing ctrl + space. |
| For HTML, it checks div correctly, if there is any unmatched tag like <div> …<div> then it will colored and show that problemtic line. So you could easily fix that <div> …. </div> | Eclipse couldn’t render div matching properly. |
| If your file’s extension is .php but you write <style>…</style> netbeans automatically colored the css code in here according to css style. | If your file’s extension is .php and in that file you write css code within <style>….</style> eclipse couldn’t render that according to CSS color rather it shows only black color. |
| Common javascript functions are shown correctly or using ctrl + space. | Common javascript functions are shown correctly or using ctrl + space. |
| Indentation format is very good in netbeans. If you select a block of code, that may contains css, javascript, html or php code, netbeans format that code very clearly and placed indentation nicely. | Eclipse is not good as netbeans. Specially when you’ll mix html + php code Eclipse makes those more ugly. |
| I give 9 out of 10 to netbeans. (overall score) | I give 5 out of 10 to eclipse. (overall score) |
February 1, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Thank you very much! What about class hierarchy movement in PDT2?
March 19, 2009 at 6:18 am
cool comparison!
May 20, 2009 at 2:20 am
Nice comparison.
Although for PHP 4, Eclipse is better especially if you include the Aptana plugin
July 9, 2009 at 2:30 am
I agree with you that NetBeans for PHP is better than others but I don’t think Notepad++, Vi, Dream Weaver, GEdit, KEdit, Kwrite etc… are IDEs, they’re just editors.
To me, an IDE must support these features:
- editing
- debugging
- project managing (with outline navigation)
August 1, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Thank you very much! This comparison was VERY helpful!
September 12, 2009 at 10:45 am
Nice Comparison
October 13, 2009 at 10:18 am
Thanks for the comparison. I’ve gone the route of notepad++ to eclipse but I have random file locking issues of project files and other small niggly bits. Off the back of this will defo try netbeans.