Install the XDebug PHP extension on Debian

This how-to is tested on:

• Debian 6.0 Squeeze
• Debian 7.0 Wheezy
• Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx
• Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meercat
• Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwal

Prerequisites

This howto needs :

• a working PHP setup, as described by Install PHP-FPM on Debian.

Installation from Debian repository

Install the software:

command apt-get -y install php5-xdebug

Reload the configuration:

test -e '/etc/init.d/php5-fpm' && command service 'php5-fpm' 'restart'
test -e '/etc/init.d/apache2' && command service 'apache2' 'force-reload'

Manual installation

If the Debian package is not available, install the extension manually.

Detect PHP extension configuration path:

MODS_CONF_PATH='/etc/php5/conf.d'
test -d '/etc/php5/mods-available' \
  && MODS_CONF_PATH='/etc/php5/mods-available'

Environment preparation

Install the needed software:

command apt-get install php5-dev make php-pear

Update PEAR:

command pear channel-update pear.php.net
command pear upgrade PEAR

Update PECL:

command pecl channel-update pecl.php.net
command pecl upgrade

Software installation

Install the extension:

command pecl install 'xdebug'

Detect the extension file path:

XDEBUG_SO="$(command find '/usr/lib/php5/' -name 'xdebug.so' \
    | command head -n 1)"

Enable the extension:

echo "; configuration for php XDebug module
; priority=20
zend_extension=${XDEBUG_SO}" > "${MODS_CONF_PATH}/xdebug.ini"
test -n "$(command -v php5enmod)" && command php5enmod 'xdebug'

Reload the configuration:

test -e '/etc/init.d/php5-fpm' && command service 'php5-fpm' 'restart'
test -e '/etc/init.d/apache2' && command service 'apache2' 'force-reload'

Finalization

The manual installation recommends:

• The setup of a email alert on new PEAR upgrades availability, as described by Setup a email alert for PEAR upgrades.

Thanks

• Thanks to XDebug (en) developers.