Best Use Case Scenarios For PHP — A List Of Amazing Software Tools You Can Build With PHP

Despite the advent of so many tools and technologies in the evolving web development sector, the popularity of PHP has not been affected much. The same can be said about its user base, which has declined only a little over the decades. The nice thing about PHP web development is the flexibility and versatility. You can pick from so many PHP-based CMS and frameworks for creating stunning and feature-rich websites and applications nowadays. Of course, you will find the top agencies offering PHP website development services using PHP development tools.

Why has usage of PHP development tools shot up?

Web developers, including those who prefer PHP for backend development, have to cope with immense workload and project deadlines are often short. They simply do not have the time to develop websites and applications with PHP using manual coding. Those days seem quite ancient, as it is. The modern PHP development tools are bliss for developers. They retain the core advantages of PHP, require little coding skills and offer additional features that developers find useful. These tools come with an IDE for enhanced application development needs. You will find both free and paid tools.

Things to check when picking a PHP development tool

Over the years, the number of PHP development tools has grown and picking the apt one for your project needs may seem tough. While the expertise of a veteran PHP web development company comes in handy, you should know the right ways to compare and assess these tools. You should evaluate the PHP development tools using the below-listed parameters:

• Ease of usage.
• Embedded security features.
• Handy features.
• Third-party tool integration.
• User reviews.
• Cross-platform compatibility.
• Available documentation and online resources.

Top PHP development tools you can pick from

Listed below are some of the popular and worthy PHP development tools you may pick from:

• NuSphere-PhpED- This PHP development tool has become a preferred choice for skilled PHP developers and has functionality like PHP debugger and advanced PHP editor. It ships with PhpExpress- a Proprietary PHP accelerator that helps speed up the development process. The tool supports PHP version 7.1 onwards. It integrates with widely used PHP frameworks like Yii and Laravel. Support for several programming languages like HTML, XML, and Python is there.
• CodeLobster- Another excellent IDE for developing advanced web applications, CodeLobster supports major PHP frameworks like CodeIgniter, CakePHP, and Symfony. The embedded PHP debugger ensures developers are able to assess their codes fast. Its platform and language support is exemplary.
• Aptana-Studio- This open-source IDE is useful for making dynamic web applications. The IDE integrates well with a number of server-side and client-side applications. It ships with an embedded Command Line Interface and a debugger. Developers are able to create and test applications in the same environment, leading to faster application completion. However, the IDE is heavier than the others.
• PhpStorm- This is one popular Java-based IDE. Top PHP developers prefer using this tool for its speed and lightweight nature. It is compliant with several popular PHP frameworks like CakePHP, Symfony, Laravel, and Yii. It also supports PHP CMS tools like WordPress and Drupal. Some of its top features include debugging with zero configuration, auto-completion, command-line tools, easy database integration, and remote deployment. It does not come for free, but developers think the price is worth the performance. However, sideways it is bigger than others.
• Apache-Netbeans- Developers in a top PHP software development company may prefer this PHP development tool over the others, and that is not without reasons. Apache Netbeans is lightweight and open-source, and it can be used across platforms as an IDE for making dynamic PHP applications. It offers support for several languages and has compatibility with PHP frameworks like Zend, CakePHP, and FuelPHP. It is ideal for projects where the budget is modest, but flexibility is required.
• AWS-Cloud9- Cloud9 by AWS is for those developers who are looking for a robust and well-designed environment to begin coding fast. It is also useful for creating advanced serverless applications. Developers also prefer it for Collaborative coding features. There is a built-in image editor and debugger, which help speed up the development process. It fits in when you do not want to download and set up a big IDE. You get freedom from configuring files, SDKs etc. Cloud9 runs on the most popular web browsers minus issues.
• Zend Studio- This is one PHP development tool that is known for offering exceptional speed, and with it, PHP applications can be deployed on literally any server, including cloud servers. It supports PHP version 7 upwards, and developers want this IDE for setting up high-quality applications. It has an intelligent code editor and supports programming languages like JavaScript, C, C++, and Visual Basic. It also integrates well with Zend Debugger. The main drawback is a steep learning curve.
• Eclipse- Developed by IBM, Eclipse is one of the popular and powerful PHP development tools, and it supports a lot of plug-ins. This tool supports non-GUI applications as well. The major features are syntax highlighting, code formatting, code templates and extensive language support. The documentation is also quite good, and so is the language support.

While these PHP development tools are all good, come with plenty of features and enjoy popularity with developers, they fit the bill in specific situations.

PhpStorm is ideal for big PHP projects, and advanced PHP developers like it. Go for this enterprise-grade IDE if budget is not an issue. Cloud9 is ideal for developers who want to keep things minimal yet want quality output. It also works well for collaborative projects. Netbeans is suited for projects with a limited budget. CodeLobster fits in when you want an IDE to streamline and modernise the development process. Aptana Studio should be the tool of choice if making dynamic web applications is a priority.

Summing it up

It may be hard to pick a PHP development tool if you are new to this segment. Each tool comes with its share of pros and cons. You have to think of aspects like project needs and budget. Of course, seeking the expertise of a veteran php development company can be useful in this regard.