Documentation

Overview

Overview

Documentation

Getting started Installation and activation Editor features Debugging Profiling Testing Project configuration Free vs Pro Troubleshooting Diagnostic Codes Release Versioning

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Getting started

Welcome to PhpThunder, a PHP language server, debugger, and workflow extension for VS Code. This quick start covers the shortest path from installation to the first useful result.

What is needed

Requirement Why it matters
VS Code The extension host
A PHP binary Required for debugging, tests, profiling, and Composer tasks
Xdebug Required for debugging and profiling
Composer Required when the project uses vendor/ packages or autoloading

Code intelligence, diagnostics, and formatting work as soon as the extension activates. A fully configured PHP binary is not required for the first scan.

First run

Follow these steps the first time a PHP project is opened with PhpThunder:

  1. Install the extension from the VS Code marketplace.
  2. Open the project folder that contains the PHP sources.
  3. Run PhpThunder: Select PHP Version and choose the version the project targets.
  4. Run PhpThunder: Configure PHP Interpreters when a specific PHP binary is needed. If the system php is already correct, this step can wait.
  5. Open a PHP file and let the initial scan finish.
  6. Run PhpThunder: Reindex Workspace if you encounter issues after making changes via Composer, or regarding include path settings or the workspace structure in general.

Tip: When the project uses Composer, run composer install before opening the folder so vendor/ symbols are available from the first scan.

Completion and hover in action

What should appear

Once the initial index is complete, the editor should show:

  • Completion for classes, functions, constants, members, imported namespaces, and PHPDoc-backed types such as templates, array shapes, aliases, and callback parameters
  • Hover documentation for symbols and inferred types, including PHPDoc from dependencies and higher-order callback inference
  • Diagnostics for syntax errors, type mismatches, array-shape key issues, and selected PHPDoc issues
  • Import assistance that suggests and inserts use statements for unresolved short names
  • Test Explorer entries when PHPUnit or Pest tests exist in the standard locations
  • Todo treeview that displays project-specific Todo items and related quick actions
  • A status-bar entry showing the current access state (Free, Trial, or Pro)

Commands worth memorizing

  • PhpThunder: Select PHP Version — sets the language level for the current folder
  • PhpThunder: Configure PHP Interpreters — adds and manages PHP binaries
  • PhpThunder: Reindex Workspace — rebuilds the project index after structural changes

For the detailed setup path, including Composer, include paths, and licensing, see Installation and activation.

When to reindex

Run PhpThunder: Reindex Workspace when the project structure changes in ways that the extension is unable to detect automatically. For example, when running composer install or composer update for long-running operations, or when moving or renaming a large number of files outside the editor. Most changes are picked up automatically. You can also reopen the VS Code window to trigger a reindex.

Next steps