1. CODE FASTER AND
SMARTER PHP WITH IDES
LIKE NETBEANS
Jeremy Clarke • http://jeremyclarke.org
Download these slides:
http://slideshare.net/jeremyclarke

2. WHO IS JEREMY CLARKE?
• Communications Studies at Concordia
University.
• HTML+CSS since 2003
• Montreal WordPress
Community/
WordCamp organizer.

3. IDES: OVERVIEW
• Basic code editors
• IDEs as a concept
• NetBeans and IDE features
• IDEs and WordPress development
• IDE issues and justifications
• PHPXref

4. BASIC CODE EDITORS
Tabs
• Texteditor with Syntax
extra tools. highlighting
• Lightweight and
Line
simple. Numbers
• Often many
features, but always
some missing. Complex
Find/Replace
* Sublime Text 2 (pseudo-IDE) http://sublimetext.com/dev

5. 3 PRINCIPLES OF IDES
• Handle everything
• The IDE should be the only application you need, all tools
are built-in and integrated together.
• Understand the code
• Codeis parsed and modelled by the IDE so it can help you
make decisions and correct your mistakes.
• Extreme customizability
• By programmers, for programmers. Every aspect is optional.

6. NETBEANS OVERVIEW
• Written by Sun in and for use with Java.
• Open Source/Free Software.
• Similar
to competitors Eclipse,
Komodo, PHPStorm, Aptana etc.
• Has hundreds of features, not all
implemented perfectly*. http://netbeans.org/
*Projects, tabs, split-window, multiple-window, navigator, bookmarks, code folding, macros, snippets, debugging, breakpoints,
database access, SVN integration, syntax coloring (configurable), PHP error detection, code hints, code completion, PHPDoc
generation, inline PHPDoc display, quick-open file, find usages of function/variable, go to function, go to line, PHPUnit testing, IDE
log, rename function/variable, configurable keyboard shortcuts, synonymous keyboard shortcuts. Infinitely more, I don’t even
pretend to know them all.

7. PROJECT-ORIENTED
• IDEs open projects instead of single files.
• A project includes all files used for a single site.
• The whole project is parsed together, the IDE
understands how the functions and variables interact.
• All forms of search and auto-complete apply to the
entire project.
• This includes all of core WordPress, plugins and themes.

8. SYNTAX INTELLIGENCE
• Configurable syntax color
themes. Matching variables
Syntax error
highlighted
• Visualhints for brackets
and control structure
pairs (if/endif;)
• Highlightother uses of
variable and functions
• PHP/HTML/CSS syntax
error checking.

9. CODE COMPLETION
• Guesses object, function Possible functions/arguments
and variable names as
you type. PHPDoc of selection
• Like
spellcheck for code.
Saves time and avoids
errors.
• Setsup arguments to be
quickly filled in.
• Exposes documentation
as you code!

10. PHPDOC INTEGRATION
• PHPDoc is default documentation for PHP, used by core WP.
• Reading
(autocomplete) AND writing PHPDoc is built into
NetBeans.
• Automatically generate PHPDoc for new functions.
Automatically- Filled-in function
generated PHPDoc documentation

11. SOURCE NAVIGATION
• Navigator pane shows full list of
functions in current file.
• Go to symbol: Jump to a function/
class, guesses as you type.
• Go to file: Open any file in the
project, guesses as you type.
• Go to declaration: Select a function
and a keyboard shortcut jumps you
to it’s definition in the source,
opening a new file if necessary.

12. DEEP SEARCH
Find in Project Find Usages
Search entire project for any List every time a function
string, results sorted by file. or variable is used.

13. SUBVERSION INTEGRATION
• Changed/added/removed lines highlighted as you edit.
• View visual diff of changes to files.
• Update, commit and revert files without leaving the app.
Note: SVN interface is awkward. Use keyboard shortcuts.

14. CUSTOMIZATION
• All keyboard shortcuts are editable.
• Tweakcolor schemes and install
new ones (e.g. Solarized).
• Enable/disable
syntax checking,
hints, autocompletion etc.
• Create
custom templates and
macros (e.g. ending semicolon).
• Settings
import/export for backing Download my color scheme:
up and sharing color schemes, simianuprising.com/netbeans-color-scheme
macros, and keyboard shortcuts.

15. SIMPLIFY WINDOW LAYOUT
• Default
view is cluttered, Close all panes you don’t
immediately need.
• Re-enable panes if/when you learn how to use them, most
features are better used as keyboard shortcuts.
BAD GOOD

16. WORDPRESS AND IDES
• Entire WordPress codebase (core, plugins, themes) is parsed
by IDE, not just your code.
• Easiest way to dive into core/plugin code and figure out how it
works.
• Autocompletemeans not having to memorize every strange,
legacy WP/PHP function and it’s argument order.
• PHPDoc of core WP means all of WordPress has an
integrated manual as you type.

17. IDE ISSUES
• Slower to boot up and requires a powerful CPU+RAM.
• Simpler text editors offer most features without extra weight.
• Many unwanted/unnecessary features clutter up the interface.
• More complicated software means steeper learning curve.

18. IDE JUSTIFICATIONS
• Professional
photo, video and even accounting software is
system-intensive. Programming can similarly benefit from giving
your CPU a workout.
• Unwanted features can be disabled or hidden to simplify UI.
Core intelligence hides until needed.
• Programming is complicated and hard. We should expect a
learning curve on software that actually thinks for us.

19. APPENDIX 0: PHPXREF
• Perl
script generates HTML that
summarizes any PHP codebase.
• http://phpxref.sourceforge.net/
• Links
for all variables and functions
showing where they are defined
and used.
• Generateyour own, or use one of
* http://phpxref.ftwr.co.uk/wordpress
many WordPress Xref ’s hosted
online*.
• Next best thing to a real IDE.

20. QUESTIONS?

21. CODE FASTER AND
SMARTER PHP WITH IDES
LIKE NETBEANS
Jeremy Clarke • http://jeremyclarke.org
Creative Commons Share Alike
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Download these slides:
http://slideshare.net/jeremyclarke