How can I debug a PHP CLI script with xdebug?

Question

I haven\'t quite figured this out. EVERY piece of documentation I\'ve found covers how to use xdebug to debug scripts running in Apache. I need to debug a php CLI script.

Answer 1

For Windows and Visual Studio Code here's how to proceed:

1. Download xdebug from https://xdebug.org/download. For example php 7.4 Windows 64bit https://xdebug.org/files/php_xdebug-2.9.5-7.4-vc15-nts-x86_64.dll

2. Copy the xdebug dll to your php extensions dir (ext).

3. Add to the end of php.ini

    [XDebug]
    zend_extension=php_xdebug-2.9.5-7.4-vc15-nts-x86_64.dll

    xdebug.remote_enable=1
    xdebug.remote_autostart=1

4. Open VSCode and install https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=felixfbecker.php-debug

5. Open the project workspace in VSCode, go to Run tab, click the cogwheel and add these lines

    {
      "name": "listen CLI",
      "type": "php",
      "request": "launch",
      "port": 9000
    },
    {
      "name": "run CLI",
      "type": "php",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${file}",
      "cwd": "${fileDirname}",
      "port": 9000
    }

6. Place a break point in the script you want to debug

7. Select "run CLI" and click "Start Debugging"

Happy debugging!