OS X web development server
I think Mac based PHP developers most commonly install an application like MAMP to handle the perceived hard work when it comes to setting up their working environment. OS X does come preinstalled with most of what you need to develop PHP websites though and it’s pretty easy to get up and running. Why install extra 3rd party software, taking up space and system resources, when Apple has done it already? This guide starts with a clean installation of Mac OS X 10.6.4 (Snow Leopard) and walks through the steps of setting up your dev server. It finishes with a run through of an application...
Read MoreFirePHP: a quick start guide
FirePHP is a useful tool that allows developers to output PHP debug messages directly into Firebug, so they’re displayed just like JavaScript console messages. This guide assumes you’re using Firefox with the Firebug extension already installed. Setting up FirePHP With Firefox open, click Tools > Add-ons then search for “FirePHP” within the Get Add-ons tab and install the extension as usual. Once it’s installed, and Firefox has restarted, open the Firebug window using the icon at the bottom-right of Firefox. Click on the Console and Net panels to ensure...
Read MoreDetecting your environment using server variables
This article explains how you can use server variables to run websites on multiple servers without having to manually reconfigure key settings. Like many web developers I use a single configuration file to define key website constants (file paths, database login etc.) and that file is included at the top of every page. Many of the constants can be sensitive to the working environment through so I may need one configuration for local development work and another when the website is uploaded to the live server. If you’ve only ever done very basic server-side scripting you may be wondering why...
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