Xdebug Update: April 2024
I have not written an update like this for a while. I am sorry.
In the last months I have not spent a lot of time on Xdebug due to a set of other commitments.
Since my last update in November a few things have happened though.
Xdebug 3.3
I released Xdebug 3.3, and the patch releases 3.3.1 and 3.3.2.
Xdebug 3.3 brings a bunch of new features into Xdebug, such as flamegraphs.
The debugger has significant performance improvements in relation to breakpoints. And it can now also show the contents of ArrayIterator, SplDoublyLinkedList, SplPriorityQueue objects, and information about thrown exceptions.
A few bugs were present in 3.3.0, which have been addressed in 3.3.1 and 3.3.2. There is currently still an outstanding issue (or more than one), where Xdebug crashes. There are a lot of confusing reports about this, and I have not yet managed to reproduce any of them.
If you're running into a crash bug, please reach out to me.
There is also a new experimental feature: control sockets. These allow a client to instruct Xdebug to either initiate a debugging connection, or instigate a breakpoint out of band: i.e., when no debugging session is active. More about this in a later update.
Funding Platform
Last year, I made a prototype as part of a talk that I gave at NeosCon.io. In this talk I demonstrated native path mapping — configuring path mapping in/through Xdebug, without an IDE's assistance.
In collaboration with Robert from NEOS, and Luca from theAverageDev, we defined a project plan that explains all the necessary functionality and work.
Adding this to Xdebug is a huge effort, and therefore I decided to set up a way how projects like this could be funded.
There is now a dedicated Projects section linked from the home page, with a list of all the projects. The page itself lists a short description for each project.
For each project, there is a full description and a list of its generous contributors. The Native Xdebug path Mapping project is currently 85% funded. Once it is fully done, I will start the work to get this included in Xdebug 3.4. You could be part of this too!
Xdebug Videos
I have created several videos since November.
Two for Xdebug:
And several for writing PHP extensions, as part of a new series:
If you have any suggestions, feel free to reach out to me on Mastodon or via email.
Business Supporter Scheme and Funding
In the last month, no new business supporters signed up.
Besides business support, I also maintain a Patreon page, a profile on GitHub sponsors, as well as an OpenCollective organisation.
If you want to contribute to specific projects, you can find those on the Projects page.
Xdebug Cloud
Xdebug Cloud is the Proxy As A Service platform to allow for debugging in more scenarios, where it is hard, or impossible, to have Xdebug make a connection to the IDE. It is continuing to operate as Beta release.
Packages start at £49/month, and I have recently introduced a package for larger companies. This has a larger initial set of tokens, and discounted extra tokens.
If you want to be kept up to date with Xdebug Cloud, please sign up to the mailinglist, which I will use to send out an update not more than once a month.
Life Line
Updated a waste_basket
Created 11 benches, 2 life_rings, and 3 other objects; Updated 8 benches and a waste_basket; Deleted a bench and a log; Confirmed a cafe
I walked 7.8km in 1h52m27s
Tomorrow we have elections in the UK!
Lots of local authorities, all London Councils, the Welsh Senedd, and the Scottish Parliament.
Don't forget to vote if you have the right.
I get to vote for myself again 😎.
Benches, and corrections for the QE II Gardens
Addresses on College Road
Created 2 main entrances and an entrance; Updated an entrance, a residential building, and a house building
Created an apartments building and a main entrance
I walked 9.5km in 2h21m10s
Created a waste_basket
I walked 6.6km in 1h13m23s
On my walk from Aylesbury to Princes Risborough I spotted a few new bird species. I didn't get all the best photos though!
A Common Buzzard, a Yellow Wagtail, a Greater White throat, and a Green Woodpecker.
#photography #Birds #BirdPhotogaphy #BirdsOfMastodon #nature #Buckinghamshire
Updated an alcohol shop
I walked 9.4km in 1h58m25s
Updated 2 benches
Created a bench; Updated a bench
I hiked 19.0km in 4h35m50s
I hiked 19.0km in 4h35m50s
I walked 6.8km in 1h15m36s
Updated an estate_agent office
I walked 4.1km in 55m33s
I walked 1.1km in 10m05s
My First Lapwing!
I went to the London Wetland Centre yesterday, for a day out in nature.
While hiding in a hide, this chap and a friend showed up starting to forage for grubs.
#BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #Photography #Birds #London #Nature
Created a waste_basket; Updated a cafe and a restaurant; Confirmed an estate_agent office
I walked 6.6km in 1h8m53s



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