Customize Eclipse to a webdeveloper’s IDE

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There are a lot of ways to become a better, or at least faster, webdeveloper. For instance the use of a framework like CakePHP to make the developing process rapid.
One of the main things I found boosting my productivity is using a nice IDE.

This article will describe how to create a PHP developer’s IDE using Eclipse, Aptana and PDT.

What should we do? Download the Aptana standalone or Eclipse? I my case, Eclipse was already installed. So I already know how to work with it now.
I prefer having Aptana plugged into Eclipse because I also use Eclipse for other purposes than webdevelopment. This article will use the Aptana Eclipse plugin.

Follow the step by step guide to get a nice IDE for PHP developers.

1. Download Eclipse
An obvious step would be to download Eclipse. So get it at: http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/
Pick Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers and choose your OS to the right.

![1](/articles/customize-eclipse-to-a-webdevelopers-ide/1.png "1")

**2. Extract Eclipse somewhere** Eclipse will be downloaded as an archive. Pick a location you want to unzip the folder *eclipse*. Startup *eclipse*.

![2](/articles/customize-eclipse-to-a-webdevelopers-ide/2.png "2")

**3. Get Aptana Eclipse Plugin** Go to [http://www.aptana.com/studio/download](http://www.aptana.com/studio/download) and choose *Eclipse Plugin* as the installation type. Click *download*, this will lead to an instructions page.

![3](/articles/customize-eclipse-to-a-webdevelopers-ide/3.png "3")

**4. Follow instructions** Follow the instruction on the page. Or read the quick plugin install guide I wrote.

In Eclipse go to: help > software updates
Click on the tab available software
Click on the + add site button to the right.
Enter the url from step 3 of the main guide (http://update.aptana.com/update/studio/3.2/)
Check the newly appeared box
Click install
next > I accept > next
wait… a while
restart eclipse

5. Aptana will ask you to install SVN
You’d probably want this! I tell you. SVN can save your projects.

6. Time to install PHP functionality
Go to: help > software updates

7. Add DLTK site
In the tab available software click on add site.
Enter the following url: http://download.eclipse.org/technology/dltk/updates-dev/1.0/

8. Add PDT site
Again, add site but now with this url: http://download.eclipse.org/tools/pdt/updates/2.0/

9. Select Dynamic Languages Toolkit checkbox
In the list to the left, two new sites should have appeared. Expand the Dynamic Languages site and check Dynamic Languages Tooltik (not the uncategorized).

![10](/articles/customize-eclipse-to-a-webdevelopers-ide/10.png "10")

**10. Select PDT update checkbox **Seach for *PDT* in the site list. Again do not check uncategorized.

![11](/articles/customize-eclipse-to-a-webdevelopers-ide/11.png "11")

**11. Install the plugins **Click *install*. Follow the instructions. Wait a while and restart Eclipse.

12. Open the Aptana perspective
Go to: *window *> *open perspective *> *other *> *aptana
*

13. Add an FTP site
In the file browser (bottom left of the IDE) right click on FTP *> *Add New FTP Site.

![14](/articles/customize-eclipse-to-a-webdevelopers-ide/14.png "14")

**14. Fill in information** Fill in your FTP account information. Preferably a test server for now, so you can mess around with the IDE a bit.

15. Start browsing your FTP folders
*You can now use the *file browser to browse your PHP projects online. When you open *a file it will be downloaded and when you *save one it will be uploaded to your server. This is simple and quick if you have to adjust something in a PHP project.

Now you can start experiencing a rich IDE customized to your webdeveloping needs. If you have any tips on how to improve the work flow even more or if you miss something in this guide; Please comment on this article.

Happy developing!

Published on 02 January, 2009

If you have any remarks or questions, tell me so on Twitter using @GayaKessler.