Xdebug

Xdebug is a PHP extension which provides debugging and profiling capabilities. Most PHP IDE has built in integration with Xdebug, it works as below:

• set breakpoints at IDE
• click debug
• at breakpoint, variables details are shown and pausing the web application
• resume and continue to next breakpoint

At vagrant

yum install php-devel
yum install php-pear
yum install gcc gcc-c++ autoconf automake
pecl install Xdebug

#/etc/php.d/xdebug.ini
[xhprof]
zend_extension="/usr/lib64/php/modules/xdebug.so"
xdebug.remote_enable = 1
xdebug.remote_connect_back = on
xdebug.idekey = "PHPSTORM"
xdebug.remote_handler=dbgp
xdebug.remote_host=10.0.2.2
xdebug.remote_port=9001

service httpd restart

At PHPStorm

• File > Settings > Language & Frameworks > PHP > Servers: setup
• File > Settings > Language & Frameworks > PHP > Debug
  • debug port: 9001
  • check "Can accept external connections"
• Run > Start Listening to PHP Debug Connections

At Chrome (or other browser)

• Install Xdebug Helper
• Right click the new red bug in the browser > options: change IDE key to PhpStorm
• Go to your development website
• Left click the red bug > Debug
• Refresh website and you shall see web application paused, switch to IDE and you shall see the debug detail there.