PHP Tools for Visual Studio

Syntax Highlighting

PHP Tools extension adds support for PHP editor. This makes PHP code more readable, as any other language file integrated in Visual Studio. Script code blocks, variables, keywords, strings, script tags and comments are distinguished to make programming easier. (learn more)

Navigation bar

Every PHP file gets standard navigation bar at top of the editor. This gets user perfect overview of functions, classes and class members within users code. Navigation bar shows important information about symbols, including parameters with type hints or visibility and symbol type glyph. (learn more)

Code Collapsing & Outlining

Outlining allows you to hide all the code you are not working on. You’ll get overview of declarations within your code without a need of browsing all the implementation stuff. This improves overview of your code as you are used to in Visual Studio.

Code outlining works with class body, function body, PHPDoc comments and script tags. Also user can take advantage of additional comments outlining like #region / #endregion, or automatic collapsing of multilined comments. (learn more)

Navigate To

Quickly search for a class, function, constant or a class field using full integration of ‘Navigate To’ feature (Ctrl+,). (learn more)

• Search for classes, functions, class functions, class fields, class constants, constants
• Search by partially typed name
• Search for global variables by specifying ‘$’ prefix
• Results include project name, namespace, contained class name and summary from PHPDoc

PHP Code Validation

Syntactic and logical errors are immediately underlined and noted in ‘Error List’. Avoid most frequent errors already during coding. Automatic error detection is based on syntax and basic PHP rules. (learn more)

PHP Debugging

Debugging of PHP code is integrated into PHP Projects. Its purpose is to give developers the same experience as they are used to with native Visual Studio languages. Explore its features like breakpoints, inplace value editting, quick watch, call stack, immediate window, watch, locals and more. (learn more)

Project Publish

PHP projects can be published on remote server or local file system automatically. User can configure publish profiles and setup automatic publish before remote debug. PHP project publish works incrementally, saves time, network bandwidth and makes sure user doesn’t forget to upload modified files.

Advanced IntelliSense

IntelliSense is must-have feature; smart code analysis learns information from users code and PHP manual. It manages declared symbols, object members and dynamic members; with important information including related documentation. (learn more)

Code completion feature shows continuously smart list of possibilities for currently typed word. It takes into account current code context, object members, documentation comments and namespace context.

Go To Definition (F12) handles where every symbol in user’s code is declared. Moreover every built-in PHP function or class has its auto generated pseudo code, allowing user to not leave its development environment while browsing their code.

Function Assistance shows tool tip window with currently called function description and detailed parameters information.

Tool Tip Assistance displays additional information about symbols. User gets information quickly by mouse-hovering any word in their code.

Integrated PHP Manual

PHP Tools integration contains database of PHP language. User can see documentation right inside the Visual Studio without a need of browsing web and searching specifications. (learn more)

PHPDoc support & instant documentation

PHP Editor supports documentation comments (PHPDoc) natively. It simplifies writing of PHPDoc and taking advantage of its content. (learn more)

Automatic generation of PHPDoc simplifies documenting of functions and classes in large.

While editing PHPDoc, editor auto-completes PHPDoc tags with detailed description, colorizes documentation comments and inserts ‘*’ at new lines.

IntelliSense prefers information in PHPDoc, uses its summary and type information, and provides better code analysis based on PHPDoc information.

PHP Code Snippets

Insert common code instantly or surround an existing code fragment with a snippet to make programming easier, faster and more robust. Snippets are seamlessly integrated into Code Sense drop down (and inserted with TAB key), and into Expansion Browser using ‘Insert snippet’ (Ctrl+K,X) and ‘Surround with’ (Ctrl+K,S). (learn more)

Smart Indentation

Smart Indentation is intelligent feature that automatically indents and outdents cursor position on new line.
User doesn’t have to ‘tab’ and ‘shift’+’tab’ while coding any more  This feature also works great with multi-line comments and PHPDoc comments. (learn more)

PHP Code Formatting

User can easily fix an indentation, new lines and code formatting by pressing Ctrl+K,D. This makes code more readable and preserve formatting conventions across the whole project. PHP editor also supports reformatting of a text selection. Moreover formatting is called automatically on code blocks closed with ‘}’ character and on statements closed with ‘;’ and ‘:’ characters. Automatic Formatting respects common programming conventions and Visual Studio conventions. (learn more)

Class View & Object Browser

Take an overview of all classes within whole PHP project. Browse them in tree view, organized in namespaces, quickly navigate or see their members easily.

Class View window watches all your PHP code and extracts information about classes, functions, constants and properties. This is then displayed in unified easy-to-read way. Class View window allows you to browse all declarations in your project at once or search for classes quickly. (learn more)

Brace Highlighting

Highlighting pair of matching braces is commonly used feature, simplifying writing of complex expressions. PHP Editor helps to figure out what is where, to avoid mistakes during development.

Customizable environment

PHP Tools respects Visual Studio settings and provides additional options for PHP Editor behaviour. (learn more)

Custom file extensions can be mapped to PHP Editor. User can take advantage of PHP features in any file, including advanced IntelliSense and navigation features.

Editor features like fonts&colors, code collapsing, IntelliSense submit characters, automatic outlining and others are configured in standard Visual Studio Options.