The best way to troubleshoot/debug your PHP code for WordPress is to use the XDEBUG debugger for PHP coupled with an IDE/editor that can leverage XDEBUG.

By far my favorite IDE for PHP/XDEBUG is PhpStorm (best money I have ever spent), but you can use for free on the bleeding edge with their EAP (Early Access Program). You can also use the free VSCode with XDEBUG.

Here is a great video showing what it looks like to use XDEBUG & PhpStorm. You can start at the 18:00 point because everything before that is talking and slides.

You will also need a local development setup that supports XDEBUG. Several years ago I was frustrated with how difficult it was to get XDEBUG configured correctly so I had my team develop WPLib Box which pre-configures XDEBUG and thus makes using XDEBUG trivally easy. You can download WPLib Box from GitHub, use for free, and get help via our Slack.

I like to say using PhpStorm/XDEBUG/WPlib Box gives me WordPress superpowers. How else do you think I answered all the questions here at WPSE that I have? :-)

That said, there are also other local development solutions such as VVV, Trellis, Chassis, Desktop Server, MAMP, DevilBox, LaraDock, Kalabox, Kusanagi and others you might try. But I am not sure how difficult it is to set up XDEBUG to work with any of these others anymore and I know firsthand XDEBUG works without any fuss when using WPLib Box.

Hope this helps.

The best way to troubleshoot/debug your PHP code for WordPress is to use the XDEBUG debugger for PHP coupled with an IDE/editor that can leverage XDEBUG.

By far my favorite IDE for PHP/XDEBUG is PhpStorm (best money I have ever spent), but you can use for free on the bleeding edge with their EAP (Early Access Program). You can also use the free VSCode with XDEBUG.

Here is a great video showing what it looks like to use XDEBUG & PhpStorm. You can start at the 18:00 point because everything before that is talking and slides.

You will also need a local development setup that supports XDEBUG. Several years ago I was frustrated with how difficult it was to get XDEBUG configured correctly so I had my team develop WPLib Box which pre-configures XDEBUG and thus makes using XDEBUG trivally easy. You can download WPLib Box from GitHub, use for free, and get help via our Slack.

I like to say using PhpStorm/XDEBUG/WPlib Box gives me WordPress superpowers. How else do you think I answered all the questions here at WPSE that I have? :-)

That said, there are also other local development solutions such as VVV, Trellis, Chassis, Desktop Server, MAMP, DevilBox, LaraDock, Kalabox, Kusanagi and others you might try. But I am not sure how difficult it is to set up XDEBUG to work with any of these others anymore but I know firsthand XDEBUG works without any fuss when using WPLib Box.

Hope this helps.

The best way to troubleshoot/debug your PHP code for WordPress is to use the XDEBUG debugger for PHP coupled with an IDE/editor that can leverage XDEBUG.

By far my favorite IDE for PHP/XDEBUG is PhpStorm (best money I have ever spent), but you can use for free on the bleeding edge with their EAP (Early Access Program). You can also use the free VSCode with XDEBUG.

You will also need a local development setup that supports XDEBUG. Several years ago I was frustrated with how difficult it was to get XDEBUG configured correctly so I had my team develop WPLib Box which pre-configures XDEBUG and thus makes using XDEBUG trivally easy. You can download WPLib Box from GitHub, use for free, and get help via our Slack.

I like to say using PhpStorm/XDEBUG/WPlib Box gives me WordPress superpowers. How else do you think I answered all the questions here at WPSE that I have? :-)

That said, there are also other local development solutions such as VVV, Trellis, Chassis, Desktop Server, MAMP, DevilBox, LaraDock, Kalabox, Kusanagi and others you might try. But I am not sure how difficult it is to set up XDEBUG to work with any of these others anymore and I know firsthand XDEBUG works without any fuss when using WPLib Box.

Hope this helps.

The best way to troubleshoot/debug your PHP code for WordPress is to use the XDEBUG debugger for PHP coupled with an IDE/editor that can leverage XDEBUG.

By far my favorite IDE for PHP/XDEBUG is PhpStorm (best money I have ever spent), but you can use for free on the bleeding edge with their EAP (Early Access Program). You can also use the free VSCode with XDEBUG.

Here is a great video showing what it looks like to use XDEBUG & PhpStorm. You can start at the 18:00 point because everything before that is talking and slides.

You will also need a local development setup that supports XDEBUG. Several years ago I was frustrated with how difficult it was to get XDEBUG configured correctly so I had my team develop WPLib Box which pre-configures XDEBUG and thus makes using XDEBUG trivally easy. You can download WPLib Box from GitHub, use for free, and get help via our Slack.

I like to say using PhpStorm/XDEBUG/WPlib Box gives me WordPress superpowers. How else do you think I answered all the questions here at WPSE that I have? :-)

That said, there are also other local development solutions such as VVV, Trellis, Chassis, Desktop Server, MAMP, DevilBox, LaraDock, Kalabox, Kusanagi and others you might try. But I am not sure how difficult it is to set up XDEBUG to work with any of these others anymore and I know firsthand XDEBUG works without any fuss when using WPLib Box.

Hope this helps.