5 Insightful Steps for debugging PHP code: Troubleshooting common errors

Error messages and bugs while producing a website code are normal. But, if you don’t follow certain tricks and tips, you lose the game by damaging the look and feel of the whole website.

For instance, debugging PHP errors can be daunting in many ways. But, it is imperative to eliminate them in the first place.

Thus, a PHP web developer has to use a PHP debug log in order to remove bugs and for that, error identification and solutions are equally important.

So, how to debug an error in PHP? Don’t scratch your head and keep reading to know about it.

Debugging PHP errors – 5 Incredible Steps

What is the best way to debug PHP? Follow these 5 quick steps and see the results instantly.

1. Increase the log level

The first mandatory step is to increase the level of the PHP log. This log helps developers in assuming a situation before and after the problem occurs. Also, by looking into this, you get a chance to overview the warnings or messages you receive associated with the problem.

2. Retain logs

Once the Php debug log level increases, it is time to retain logs. It is done through log aggregation platforms. By retaining logs, you can set a timeline of events as no log file would roll out.

3. Attempt to replicate circumstances

Once the log lines related to the problem are all established, it is time to replicate the circumstances means the bug’s actual situation in the development environment.

In order to do this accurately, PHP web developers should prepare a list of testing guidelines including certain tasks like imitating the production database, operating system, and the user accounts involved. So, how to test and debug in PHP? In simple words, by recreating circumstances for errors.

4. Test assumptions

Once the circumstances are replicated and recreated, it is the right time to put the errors to test. PHP debuggers usually suggest not testing exceptions in the production phase.

Irrefutably, development and SDLC staging environments provide a breakable atmosphere without affecting the role of the end-user. Therefore, it is advised to break your code safely.

5. Adjust test parameters and retry

How to improve debugging skills in PHP? For that, you need to consider this scenario.

In case the problem is not replicated in step 4, you need to be more cautious.

It is an inevitable fact that some bugs are difficult to reproduce as they may contain time-based constraints due to which it becomes a hassle to replicate circumstances. Consequently, go back to step 3, adjust your error testing parameters yet again, and try.

Some common mistakes PHP web developers make

While debugging PHP errors, you may need to understand what are the most common mistakes PHP developers make. When you know them, you can debug the problems expediently.

Hire PHP coders who can eliminate these issues remarkably.

Check common mistakes PHP developers usually make:

• Trying to leave dangling array references after foreach loops.
• Perplexing about returning by value vs. by reference
• Misunderstanding isset() behavior
• Performing queries loop-wise
• Avoiding Unicode/UTF-8 problems
• Misusing empty()
• Memory usage head fakes and inefficacies
• Thinking $_POST always contains POST data
• Assuming that PHP supports a character data type
• Overlooking coding standards

Conclusion:

The expert PHP debuggers and programmers know the basic and even the toughest sides of the language. Therefore, for them, it is more like a cup of tea to debug PHP codes fantastically.