When you start developing with PHP, you face the problem of deciding which IDE to choose. Most companies sell their IDE’s for high prices ($100-$500). CodeLobster , on the other hand, offer a multi-functional portable IDE absolutely FREE with all many standard features.
In this article:
CodeLobster PHP – Handy free PHP, HTML, CSS, Javascript editor
CodeLobster PHP Edition is a free & light weight portable handy editor for creating and editing PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript files with support many popular CMS: Drupal CMS, Joomla CMS, Smarty template engine, JQuery library, CodeIgniter framework, CakePHP framework, Symfony framework, Yii framework, WordPress blogging platform,…
It includes debugger, dynamic help, advanced autocomplete and HTML inspector.
CodeLobster works on Windows only. Also, it supports various frameworks and CMS’s but only in the professional version.
Compare CodeLobster Free / Lite / Professional version
The full list of Free Portable PHP IDE features:
- PHP, HTML, JavaScript, CSS code highlighting
- PHP, HTML, JavaScript, CSS code collapsing
- HTML autocomplete
Autocomplete of tags, attributes for current tag, closing tags. - HTML/CSS code inspector
Inspector makes it simple to find HTML elements and their styles buried deep in the page. - HTML toolbar
- CSS autocomplete
Autocomplete of style property names and values. - JavaScript Advanced autocomplete
Autocomplete of keywords, DOM elements and their properties. - PHP Advanced autocomplete
This feature speeds up writing a code. Autocomplete includes wide selection of code completion listings.
Lists are formed of both standard PHP and user’s classes, variables, functions, constants and keywords. Starting typing new element, lists of all possible variants for its completion are being displayed after $this-> and ClassName:: - PHP Debugger
The Debugger is a package of tools that allows a developer debug applications during developing process. Before running, you need to configure it. Set necessary values for the following options in Preferences menu (Tools–>Preferences–>Debugger):- Virtual folder – path to a virtual project folder
- Virtual host URL – url of a virtual folder
- Path to php.ini – path to the php.ini file
- Server – Apache version running on your computer. You need to select from the list, which displays all Apache versions installed on your machine.
- Features for debugger:
- Functions Step Into (F11), Step Over (F10), Stop Debug (Shift+F5)
- Watch window in debugger, only user’s variables are displayed
- Local variables window and Call stack windows
- Expand of objects $this-> while debugging
- Context and Dynamic Help with search for work with PHP, MySQL, HTML
DynamicHelp window automatically lists all possible references for current word. You also can use ContextHelp to get information about shortcut keys. - Portable option
- Split Window, Compare feature
- Zen Coding
- Emmet
- Code folding (collapsing)
- Pair highlighting
Highlighting of paired tags and attributes. - Pair selection, tags and attributes selection commands
Selects content within current block. - Tooltip:
The tooltip enables you to view values of variables marked with a mouse cursor,
Tooltips for images and colors. - Navigation by holding CTRL key for A, LINK, IMG tags, BACKGROUND attributes and PHP functions
- Class View
(View–>Window–>Class View) contains code elements (classes, functions and variables) of all opened files and a whole application.
You can easily navigate through your project and find all declarations for chosen element within it. In case of ambiguity solution dialogue appears. - Preview in a browser
- Project manager
The project is connected with a folder on the disc. Its structure remains the same while transfering. Also there is an ability to search project’s symbols and files using shortcut keys. - File Explorer
- Incremental find
- Bookmarks
- All standard functionalities for work with a code
- Supported interface languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Turkish
Upgrade to Lite or Professional version for advanced features. Don’t forget Codelobster coupon code to save your money.
When Lite version also includes:
- FTP/SFTP support in the File Explorer, publishing for projects
- HTML, CSS, PHP code validator
- SQL manager
- Node.js
- Support for Version Control Systems: SVN, Git etc.
Professional version is developed to work with most popular CMS and frameworks that includes:
- AngularJS: framework AngularJS plug-in
- BackboneJS: framework BackboneJS plug-in
- CakePHP: framework CakePHP plug-in
- CodeIgniter: framework CodeIgniter plug-in
- Drupal CMS: Drupal plug-in
- JQuery: library JQuery plug-in
- Joomla CMS: Joomla plug-in
- Laravel PHP: framework Laravel plug-in
- Magento Commerce Platform: Magento plug-in
- MeteorJS framework: MeteorJS plug-in
- Phalcon PHP framework: Phalcon plug-in
- Smarty template engine: Smarty plug-in
- Symfony framework: Symfony plug-in
- Twig template engine for PHP: Twig plug-in
- WordPress blogging platform: WordPress plug-in
- Yii framework: Yii plug-in
Pricing Codelobster & discount
The Lite Version: $39.95 – $19.98 (get Codelobster Lite discount)
The Professional Version is include all CMS and frameworks Plugins: $99.95 – $49.98 (get Codelobster Pro discount)
I see that in the Codelobster Free Version, you can pick 1 plugin to buy it as you need, but the buy link not work. You can try by your side.
