PhpStorm vs Visual Studio Code : Which is Better?

PhpStorm icon

PhpStorm

JetBrains PhpStorm is a commercial, cross-platform IDE for PHP built on JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA platform. Developed by JetBrains

License: Commercial

Categories: Development

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux

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Visual Studio Code icon

Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code is a source code editor developed by Microsoft for Windows, Linux and macOS. Developed by Microsoft

License: Open Source

Categories: Development

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux Electron / Atom Shell

PhpStorm VS Visual Studio Code

PhpStorm is a powerful IDE primarily focused on PHP development, offering extensive built-in features and tools for large projects. In contrast, Visual Studio Code is a lightweight, highly customizable code editor that supports a wide range of programming languages through extensions, making it versatile but less specialized for PHP.

PhpStorm

Pros:

  • Powerful PHP support
  • Excellent debugging tools
  • Smart code completion
  • Integrated testing tools
  • Robust database management features
  • Advanced code analysis
  • Great for large projects
  • Strong refactoring capabilities
  • Built-in tools for web development
  • All-in-one IDE experience

Cons:

  • Heavy on resources
  • Paid software
  • Limited language support outside PHP
  • Can be overwhelming for beginners
  • Complex setup for some features

Visual Studio Code

Pros:

  • Lightweight and fast
  • Highly customizable
  • Extensive plugin marketplace
  • Excellent community support
  • Integrated Git control
  • Good for multiple languages
  • Cross-platform
  • Built-in terminal
  • Live share for collaboration
  • Free and open-source

Cons:

  • Requires extensions for advanced features
  • Not as powerful for PHP development
  • Basic debugging tools
  • May need configuration for optimal performance
  • Less focused on PHP specifically

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