Getting started with PHP

This tutorial gets you up to speed with PHP development in JetBrains Fleet. It covers the installation, project setup, and working with code.

Prerequisites

JetBrains Toolbox: the Download page.

Installing software

Download and install PHP

Download and install PHP for your operating system as described in the official documentation.
Alternatively, you can install a preconfigured operating system-specific AMP package such as XAMPP for Windows, LAMP for Linux distribution used, and MAMP for macOS.

Download and install Fleet

Download and install JetBrains Toolbox.
For macOS, you can also download the installer that matches your processor type: Apple Silicon or Intel. Ensure you select the correct option based on your system's processor.
In JetBrains Toolbox, click Install near the JetBrains Fleet icon.

Set up a workspace

Workspace is the directory where your project resides. It contains the project files and settings. You can open an existing project or start a new project by opening an empty directory.

Open an existing workspace

Press ⌘ O or select File | Open from the menu.
In the file browser, navigate to the folder containing your code and click Open.
Proceed to the workspace configuration.

When you open a directory, it becomes the root of a workspace. You can view its contents in the Files view.

Workspace configuration

Usually the PHP interpreter is configured automatically. But you can always set the interpreter manually.

Configuring the PHP interpreter

Press ⌘ , to open settings, then click the tab with the name of your workspace.
Alternatively, to open settings, you can use the main menu:
- Windows and Linux: click the Menu icon and navigate to File | Settings | Settings.
- macOS: from the main menu, click Fleet | Settings.
Navigate to Toolchains | PHP.
From the Interpreter drop-down menu, select the PHP interpreter that you need.

Enabling Smart Mode

You can use JetBrains Fleet as a smart text editor, rather than a full-fledged code editor. However, if you need code intelligence features, you can enable them by turning Smart Mode on.

Click the Smart Mode Status icon in the top-right corner. In the popup that appears, click Enable.

Here's what you can do in Smart Mode. The below is not an exhaustive list of Smart Mode features, rather a couple of examples that'll help you to get the feel of how it works in Fleet.

Use quick-fixes and intention actions

Press ⌥ ⏎ to access actions that Fleet suggests in the current context.

Navigate the codebase

Navigate to the declaration of a symbol with ⌘ B.
Use code interlines to navigate to usages and hierarchy members.
Skim over the errors with ⌘ E and ⌘ ⇧ E.

Use live templates

To generate a for loop, type forek and press ⇥. Press ⇥ as you fill in the necessary variables.

Running your code

Use the run configuration

Click the Run icon (⌘ R) and select Create Run Configurations in run.json.
In the run.json file that opens, define running or debugging parameters. If the file is empty, press ⌥ ⏎ or click the file template link.
Alternatively, paste and edit the following code:
{ "configurations": [ { "type": "php", "name": "run-config-name", "file": "relative-path-to-your-php-file" } ] }
For the full list of available properties, see the PHP run configurations reference.
Click the Run icon (⌘ R) and select the configuration.

Last modified: 27 November 2024