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PHPStorm is a flexible and feature-rich IDE for large codebases
October 15, 2019

PHPStorm is a flexible and feature-rich IDE for large codebases

Jeff Eaton | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with PhpStorm

We're a mid-sized web agency that plans and builds large-scale CMS implementations for our clients. Often, we use Drupal - and that means working with a righteous heap of PHP. Developers and architects have the flexibility to choose their own tools, but quite a few of us have settled on PHPStorm due to its solid integration with tools like Vagrant, XDebug, and assorted source control systems. Its ability to scan a codebase and build an autocomplete/tooltip database out of the code's PHPDoc comments is invaluable, and it brings work on a large PHP codebase a bit closer to the luxurious Visual Studio experience.
  • Auto-generation of assistive features like autocomplete and tooltips from a project's own PHPDoc comments.
  • Simple configuration of popular PHP debugging tools that work even when they're running inside a virtual machine.
  • Simple plugin and template formats that make customizing the environment easy for centrally managed teams.
  • PHPStorm can be sluggish loading large codebases, especially if it hasn't had time to parse and cache all of the metadata yet.
  • Streamlined troubleshooting and debugging on large projects.
  • Allowed architects to automate common patterns with templates and plugins.
  • Komodo IDE
Before PHPStorm, most of us were using Komodo IDE. PHPStorm's performance is quite a bit peppier, though, and that makes a huge difference on large projects. PHPStorm's rolling feature releases also give a better window into the direction of the tool, and JetBrains has been very responsive to feedback from its userbase about new features.
While I haven't needed to use support services much, JetBrains' forums are active and the library of tutorial articles for less-obvious features is fairly comprehensive.

Do you think PhpStorm delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with PhpStorm's feature set?

Yes

Did PhpStorm live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of PhpStorm go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy PhpStorm again?

Yes

BBEdit, Adobe Illustrator CC, Microsoft 365 Business
For small codebases, PHPStorm might be overkill — simpler editors are probably good enough. But if you're wrangling large projects with a complex tree of composer dependencies, complex coding standards, deep class hierarchies, and wacky custom plugin architectures, PHPStorm will save your bacon.