Debugging and Profiling PHP Applications

Debugging and Profiling PHP ApplicationsLogan Lindquist @llbbl

Debugging vs Profiling

Debugging

Bug fixing

Used during Development to minimize bugs

Profiling

Performance tuning

?????

What Is This Magic?!?

Xdebug is AWESOME

Pretty var_dumps

EnhancedStack Trace

Debugging

Profiling

OMGWTFBBQ Install it NOWOSX:

Install homebrew

Follow instructions: https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-php#installation

brew install php54-xdebug

Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install php5 libapache2-mod-php5 php5-mcrypt php5-xdebug

ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/go/install)"

Windows: Install Vagrant then follow Ubuntu

Configure Xdebug for DebuggingTurn on remote debugging:

xdebug.remote_enable=1

Configure what port, host, log file ... and more

xdebug.remote_port= 9000

xdebug.remote_log="/var/www/xdebug.log"

xdebug.remote_host="localhost"

Xdebug Profiling

xdebug.profiler_enable = 1

xdebug.profiler_enable_trigger = 1

xdebug.profiler_output_dir = "/var/www/xdebug"

xdebug.profiler_output_name = xdebug.out.%t

Make sure you have the right PHPSettings > PHP > Intrepreters

....you should see xdebug

Here is how to check symlinked or not

Tools > Deployment > Configuration

Gotchas• Make sure profile directory exists and is writeable by

the web server

• Nothing works without xdebug.remote_enable=1

• Make sure port number matches in your ini and phpstorm. Both default 9000

• SOOOOO many steps ... No shutup, stop being lazy and just do it

How to trigger a debug session

• Javascript bookmarklets

• Chrome extension

• Within PhpStorm

• Magic

• Production crashes Let's cover the first three shall we?

Jetbrains Has The Goodies

http://www.jetbrains.com/phpstorm/marklets/

• Start Debugger:

• Goto page

• Hit Start Debugger

• Hit Stop Debugger when done debugging

• Debug this page:

• Goto page

• Hit Debug this page

Chrome ExtensionName: Xdebug Helper

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xdebug-helper/eadndfjplgieldjbigjakmdgkmoaaaoc?hl=en

PhpStorm

PhpStorm + Xdebug

Profiling with PhpStormTools > Analyze Xdebug Profiler Snapshot

MCG https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mcg/id799178412?mt=12

Profiling with MCG

XHProf

XHProf

XHProf• Built by Facebook opensourced in 2009

• Xdebug not required

• Way more complicated to setup

• Documentation isn't great

• Requires you to add xhprof methods to your code

• Requires you to configure apache vhost for reporting

• Has callgraph charts (directed graphs) and a couple other nice features

Install isn't too bad with homebrew or apt-get

In Review...

• Installed Xdebug

• Setup Xdebug with PhpStorm

• Configured Xdebug for profiling or debugging