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Version: 5.3 (Upcoming)

IDE

To develop a Joomla extension we recommend that you use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). An IDE has many benefits:

  • Code completion
    • Getting suggestions for code completion which saves researching existing code and helps avoid errors
    • Auto-implementing namespace usage
    • Type hinting when using well documented classes, methods and functions
    • Enhances readability with color-coded syntax for different languages.
    • Building auto comments for classes/methods/functions
  • Debugging & Error Detection
    • Offers symbolic debugging to help identify and fix issues faster.
    • Displays real-time warnings and suggestions for improvement.
  • Code analyser & Quality Checks
    • Automate code style feedback
    • Hints for "smelling code" to improve the code quality
  • Version Control Integration
    • Seamlessly integrates with Git to track changes and manage repositories.
  • Project & Folder Management
    • Organizes extension and Joomla core files effectively.
    • Allows multi-folder management for large-scale projects.
  • Built-in Terminal
    • Enables running Composer, NPM, and Joomla CLI commands directly.
  • Many addons/support for daily coding

The two current leading IDEs are:

  • Visual Studio Code

    • Lightweight and highly customizable with extensions.
    • Built-in Git support, debugging, and IntelliSense for PHP, JavaScript, and CSS.
    • Extensions like PHP Intelephense, Joomla Snippets, and Joomla API Helper enhance Joomla development.
  • phpStorm

    • Advanced PHP IDE with deep code analysis and powerful refactoring tools.
    • Provides built-in tools for database management, version control, and debugging.
    • Supports Joomla-specific coding assistance and inspections.

You don’t need an IDE to develop for Joomla, but it can make your life a lot easier. Whether you go with VS Code for its flexibility or PhpStorm for its power, the right IDE will help you write better code, faster.