Top 5 PHPStorm Plugins for PHP Developer

TOP 5 plugins for PHPStorm every PHP developer should know. Those plugins will help you bring your coding skills to the next level.



1. Key Promoter X
This plugin helps you to learn essential shortcuts while you are working.
The Key Promoter X has a tool window where you can see a hit-list of all mouse actions you use the most and shortcuts you can use instead.
Every time you use the mouse action inside the IDE, the plugin will show you the keyboard shortcut that you should have used instead.
This provides an easy way to learn how to replace tedious mouse work with keyboard keys and helps to transition to faster, mouse-free development.


Link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9792-key-promoter-x




2. Framework Support Plugin
Would it be a Laravel project you are working on or any other framework like Symfony, Drupal, WordPress or Joomla, there is a plugin for it to increase the development speed, efficiency and make your day to day job easier.


Symfony: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/7219-symfony-support
Laravel: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/7532-laravel
WordPress: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/7434-wordpress




3. PHP Inspections (EA Extended)
The plugin is a Static Code Analyzer. With this plugin, you will get a set of additional inspections on top of the default built-in inspections of PHPStorm. You will learn how to write clean code from the first day of using it and become a better developer.


This plugin covers different areas, like:
- architecture related issues
- performance issues
- non-optimal, duplicate or suspicious "if" conditions
- problems with regular expressions
- variety of time-consuming bugs
- PHPUnit API usage
- security issues
and others


Link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/7622-php-inspections-ea-extended-




4. PHPUnit Enhancement
The next plugin is called to support you in writing and maintaining tests.


PHPUnit Enhancement plugin provides smart autocomplete, code navigation and refactoring features for mocked class methods of PHPUnit and Prophecy.
If you rename a method which is mocked, it is correctly renamed in the string in tests as well.
Link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9674-phpunit-enhancement




5. JetBrains Toolbox App
An app for installing and managing different IDEs of JetBrains and available for Mac, Linux and Windows.
The App offers free community versions of Python and Java IDEs. It also provides tools for learning Python, Java, and Kotlin, designed by professional developers.


Link: https://www.jetbrains.com/toolbox-app/




6. Bonus Plugin - Material UI Theme
How to install and configure? Check out the video: https://youtu.be/PAl5jC3Wtqo


Link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/8006-material-theme-ui