What PHP software do you use?

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slugger_2003

Limp Gawd
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I am currently enrolled in an online course which is a course on learning PHP. What software do you good folks recommend I use for practicing and developing my PHP skills? I have dedicated space for using a database which I presume is for practicing SQL work but I need to practice basic PHP before I can go on to work with SQL...
Any comment appreciated, cheers :)
 
Best way to learn any programming language is using a text editor. Using a text editor forces you to learn the syntax and punctuation involved.
 
Do you mean a PHP editor, or setting up a PHP-enabled server? Or both?

Editors:
Notepad++ (Free)
PHPDesigner (Not Free)


Server stuff:
Apache (just the server stuff, a little harder to configure, and you'd have to install PHP as well)

These are packages that are much easier to install and configure, but they use MySQL.
WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP)
LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)
 
I'll throw in Aptana Studio. there's a free version and a "professional" version. The free version only lacks a couple of small features (JSON syntax and Javascript debugging) over the full version.

It's based on Eclipse so it may take a little effort on your part to get it setup just right. You'll need to install the PHP plug-in for example, but the help files easily talk you through it. it's a nice, clean and powerful IDE that makes beautifully indented and highlighted code.
 
Another shout for xampp
Since you're just starting out I imagine your development will primarily take place on a windows box and for that xampp is amazing.

My editor of choice is Programmers Notepad
 
For most practical purposes, PHP is a single vendor language - the only way to run PHP is with Zend's PHP. (as opposed to something like C or Java, which have a number of different implementations). Since you're just talking about learning the language, and not deployment in a production environment, your choice of webserver doesn't really matter all that much.

SciTE is a nice lightweight Windows editor that still has some advanced features (syntax highlighting, folding, etc).

All my 'serious' work has been using vim over ssh - I've never really been drawn to graphical IDE environments.
 
I use Dreamweaver, actually. It's not too terribly fancy or over specialized, but it gets the job done
 
i've replaced notpad on my windows machine with gvim >.>
 
Ok so I downloaded and installed XAMPP and this control window opens....now what? How do I actually create and implement the PHP? I'm reading a PHP book so there's not a problem with knowing what to type...it's where to type it and how to implement it.
There's nothing in the XAMPP Control Panel that says anything like "Create a new project" or anything to that effect...I'm still somewhat lost and confused.
I have tried the following:

Clicked start button
Clicked on all programs
Clicked on Apache Friends
Clicked on PHP Switch

What looks like a DOS window opens with a message "The Apache is running! Please stop the Apache before make this procedure!"

I've uninstalled all the other programs I've been trying to use so there is no conflict with Apache already being installed.
So....yet another problem...
 
I think you're just a bit confused on how PHP works and what the point of Apache etc. is.

You can write php in any text editor that you want, and simply store the file in your apache root folder (with XAMPP, something like: C:\xampplite\htdocs).

Let's say you have written the file and saved it as index.php. Make sure the XAMPP is running, open a browser, and navigate to "http://localhost/index.php" and you will see the output of your PHP. Alternately, you can use a php command line to execute your scripts, but I would say that the vast majority of people learn php with the expectation of using it for web programming.

As far as editors go, that is what I suggested phpeclipse for. It will open a browser in it so that you can view your website there and it will help you with syntax errors.

Here is a guide to setting it all up if you like: http://www.tanguay.info/web/tutorial.php?idCode=phpDevelopmentQuick&sectionIdCode=install7Zip

You can probably ignore everything up to "Install Java".
 
ameoba said:
For most practical purposes, PHP is a single vendor language - the only way to run PHP is with Zend's PHP. (as opposed to something like C or Java, which have a number of different implementations).
Click to expand...

Can you explain this a little more? I don't use Zend at all, use PHP as an apache module.


As far as the OPs question I use UltraEdit 32 as a text editor to develop but have also used Dreamweaver MX and Komodo.
 
mt_100 said:
Can you explain this a little more? I don't use Zend at all, use PHP as an apache module.
Click to expand...

Zend is the primary developer of PHP. From the PHP.net FAQ : PHP 4 is the current generation of PHP, which uses the Zend engine under the hood. PHP 5 uses the Zend engine 2. The same engine (packaged slightly differently) runs under Apache, IIS or any other web server. This is the PHP that almost everyone runs.

For Serious Business, you can buy the 'Enterprise' Zend runtime which has a number of improvements & additions to the open-source PHP. There's also Quercus - a Java-based reimplementation of PHP. There might be others.
 
The Bryophyte said:
I think you're just a bit confused on how PHP works and what the point of Apache etc. is.

You can write php in any text editor that you want, and simply store the file in your apache root folder (with XAMPP, something like: C:\xampplite\htdocs).

Let's say you have written the file and saved it as index.php. Make sure the XAMPP is running, open a browser, and navigate to "http://localhost/index.php" and you will see the output of your PHP. Alternately, you can use a php command line to execute your scripts, but I would say that the vast majority of people learn php with the expectation of using it for web programming.

As far as editors go, that is what I suggested phpeclipse for. It will open a browser in it so that you can view your website there and it will help you with syntax errors.

Here is a guide to setting it all up if you like: http://www.tanguay.info/web/tutorial.php?idCode=phpDevelopmentQuick&sectionIdCode=install7Zip

You can probably ignore everything up to "Install Java".
Click to expand...

You are a life saver!! Thank you so much for that link...I now feel more relaxed, good karma in your direction my friend :)
 
ameoba said:
Zend is the primary developer of PHP. From the PHP.net FAQ : PHP 4 is the current generation of PHP, which uses the Zend engine under the hood. PHP 5 uses the Zend engine 2. The same engine (packaged slightly differently) runs under Apache, IIS or any other web server. This is the PHP that almost everyone runs.

For Serious Business, you can buy the 'Enterprise' Zend runtime which has a number of improvements & additions to the open-source PHP. There's also Quercus - a Java-based reimplementation of PHP. There might be others.
Click to expand...

I thought I read that support for php4 is done and there will be no more updates to that engines code?
 
Dyslexic_Dog said:
I thought I read that support for php4 is done and there will be no more updates to that engines code?
Click to expand...

Looks like they hadn't updated the FAQ - 4.4.8 on 01-03-08 was the final release of PHP4 (although the release notes say "If necessary, releases to address security issues could be made until 2008-08-08"). It doesn't really affect what I was saying, tho.
 
slugger_2003 said:
You are a life saver!! Thank you so much for that link...I now feel more relaxed, good karma in your direction my friend :)
Click to expand...

Glad to be of help. Sometimes it's a lot easier to push through a learning process when you aren't pulling your hair out over the configuration details :D
 
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