pronskiy

pronskiy / php-debugger

Public

Lightweight PHP debugger extension (forked from Xdebug, stripped to debug-only and optimized)

67
0
100% credibility
Found Mar 13, 2026 at 67 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
PHP
AI Summary

A high-performance PHP debugging extension forked from Xdebug, optimized for minimal overhead while supporting standard IDE workflows.

How It Works

1
🔍 Discover a faster PHP debugger

You hear about PHP Debugger, a lightweight tool that lets you pause and inspect your code without slowing down your app.

2
📥 Download and add it

Grab the ready-to-use file from releases and add one line to your PHP settings file.

3
🔧 Use your usual setup

Your existing editor like PhpStorm or VS Code works right away—no changes needed.

4
🐛 Start debugging

Set a breakpoint, run your code, and watch it pause exactly where you need, showing variables clearly.

✅ Debug faster, no slowdown

Fix issues quickly with super low overhead, keeping your app speedy even when loaded.

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Star Growth

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AI-Generated Review

What is php-debugger?

php-debugger is a stripped-down PHP extension forked from Xdebug, keeping only core debugging while ditching profiling, tracing, and coverage for near-zero runtime overhead. PHP developers get a drop-in replacement that supports the full DBGp protocol, working seamlessly with PhpStorm, VS Code, and other IDEs via existing xdebug.* configs or php_debugger.* aliases. Load it always—benchmarks show just +4% overhead when idle, versus Xdebug's +324%, solving the perf hit of always-on debuggers in production-like setups.

Why is it gaining traction?

Unlike bloated Xdebug, this lightweight PHP debugger on GitHub prioritizes speed with debug-only focus, letting you enable `mode=debug` without killing app performance. Drop-in compatibility means zero workflow changes, and functions like `xdebug_break()` or triggers (`XDEBUG_SESSION`) just work. Devs love the low-overhead edge for frequent debugging sessions without swapping extensions.

Who should use this?

PHP backend devs debugging web apps or CLI scripts in perf-critical environments, like high-traffic APIs or Laravel/Symfony services. IDE users on PhpStorm/VS Code tired of Xdebug's bloat during iterative development. Teams evaluating lightweight PHP tools as a GitHub alternative to full Xdebug installs.

Verdict

Solid experiment for low-overhead PHP debugging—swap it in if Xdebug slows you down. With 67 stars and 1.0% credibility, it's early-stage (AI-built prototype), so test binaries on PHP 8.2+ first; lacks broad validation but shines for drop-in trials.

(198 words)

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