Best IDE for CI

[eluser]simshaun[/eluser]
[quote author="TWP Marketing" date="1237338712"]XeRGi0,
I use the Uniform Server WAMP ( http://www.uniformserver.com ) under Win XP and DO NOT USE an IDE. I haven't found any IDE which gains me enough to make the effort of usage worthwhile ie. constantly comparing IDE output to what I would do if I hand-coded from scratch.

While arguably there are some advantages to using an IDE, I think these are more applicable in a group programming environment; similarity of coding methods, sharing of common styles and perhaps speed, and not so applicable to MY business model (single developer house).

My personal experience over the years is that learning to hand-code FIRST (before using an IDE), makes for better OVERALL output. If speed is the most important (or only) criteria, the customer will be the one who suffers first, but you-the-developer pay the final price in lower business returns...

Of course, if you develop IDE's for a living, your opinion may differ from mine. What a shock that is! :bug: Season to taste and remember your customer pays the bills.[/quote]

I think you have the wrong perception of what an IDE is. It sounds like you are mistaking an IDE for a WYSIWYG editor or possibly a Wizard of some sort.

An IDE is hand-coding. IDE's aid you in so many ways that it becomes highly inefficient to not use one. Integrated Code-completion, SVN, Debugging, FTP, Syntax Highlighting, Snippets, and smart-indention features are essential and are major contributing factors to how efficient a programmer is.

I would not want to hire a programmer who did not use an IDE if I was to pay by the hour, that's for sure.

Back on Topic
I've used NuSphere PHPEd for years and love it. Code-completion can even be utilized in your controllers and all through very basic phpDoc comments. (IE, you type $this->some_model-> and it gives you the functions of some_model) Granted I have spent a little time configuring the program to suit my preferences, its nearly perfect in every way for me. I've spent quite a bit of time in Zend and phpDesigner, as well as the "enhanced" notepads such as PSPad, EditPlus, and Notepad++. None of them have suited me the way PHPEd does. (EditPlus is still good, just not what I'd prefer for PHP development, when I know what PHPEd can do.)