Xdebug
Xdebug is a PHP extension that adds debugging and analysis capabilities for PHP development.
What Xdebug is
Xdebug is a PHP extension that adds debugging and analysis capabilities for PHP development. Its step debugger lets developers follow execution interactively and inspect control flow and data structures. It improves var_dump() output and adds stack traces for notices, warnings, errors, and exceptions. Function tracing can record calls, arguments, and invocation locations, with optional variable assignments and return values. The profiler reports execution and memory use in Cachegrind-compatible files, and code coverage shows which code runs during PHPUnit tests. Xdebug communicates with IDEs using DBGp, which is supported by nearly every PHP IDE, including Visual Studio Code and PhpStorm. Installation instructions cover Linux, macOS, Windows, and Unix-like systems, with compatibility information organized by PHP version. The extension is free. Paid Pro service costs £200 per year for one developer, while Business costs £1,000 per year for 2–20 developers; both include email technical support. Xdebug Cloud is described as a relay when network or firewall conditions prevent direct debugger connections.
Good
- Free PHP extension.
- Step debugger exposes control flow and data structures.
- Profiler outputs Cachegrind-compatible files.
- Code coverage supports PHPUnit test analysis.
- DBGp works with nearly every PHP IDE.
Watch out
- Pro support costs £200 per year.
- Business support costs £1,000 per year.
- Paid support tiers are limited by listed developer counts.
Who it suits
Xdebug suits PHP developers who need interactive debugging, execution traces, profiling, or code coverage. Its paid Pro and Business tiers suit developers seeking email technical support.
Verdict
Xdebug brings debugging, tracing, profiling, and coverage tools to PHP development. The extension is free, while its paid tiers add email support at different issue priorities and developer limits.
Plans and prices
From Xdebug's own pricing page, checked 2 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | £200 a year | 1 developer · e-mail tech support · medium issue priority · opt-in monthly e-mail newsletter · invoice · £ 200/year * |
| Business | £1,000 a year | 2–20 developers · e-mail tech support · high issue priority · one-hour presentation or workshop · opt-in monthly e-mail newsletter · invoice · thank-you link on site · £ 1000/year * |
The facts
Each one read from Xdebug's own pages, with the date it was checked.
Where it runs
- Browser integrations
- The step debugging documentation lists Xdebug Helper extensions for Firefox, Chrome/Chromium, and Edge, plus XDebugToggle for Safari.checked 2 Oct 2026
What it does
- Code coverage
- Xdebug provides code coverage analysis to show which parts of a codebase execute when running PHPUnit tests.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Compatibility
- Xdebug documents compatibility by PHP version and notes that current Xdebug releases support currently supported PHP versions.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Error reporting
- Xdebug improves var_dump() and adds stack traces for notices, warnings, errors, and exceptions.checked 2 Oct 2026
- IDE integrations
- The DBGp protocol is supported by nearly every PHP IDE, including Visual Studio Code and PhpStorm, and by text-based editors.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Networking
- Xdebug initiates debugger connections to the IDE, and Xdebug Cloud is described as a relay for cases where direct connections are blocked by networking or a firewall.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Product
- Xdebug is a PHP extension that provides features to improve the PHP development experience.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Profiling
- The built-in profiler reports execution and memory-use information in Cachegrind-compatible files that can be viewed with tools such as KCacheGrind or QCacheGrind.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Release limits
- The download page lists precompiled Windows binaries for specified PHP versions and source downloads for Linux and macOS.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Security and privacy
- The opened official pages describe debugging logs and connection configuration but make no security certification or compliance claim.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Step debugging
- Its step debugger lets developers walk through code interactively to examine control flow and data structures.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Support
- Community support uses Stack Overflow with low issue priority, while paid Pro and Business tiers offer email technical support and medium or high issue priority.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Supported systems
- Installation instructions cover Linux, macOS, Windows, and Unix-like systems; source builds are described for Unix-like operating systems.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Tracing
- Function tracing can record calls, arguments, and invocation locations, and optionally variable assignments and return values.checked 2 Oct 2026
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