PHP Tools for Visual Studio Releases
Released: Apr 7, 2026
Updates in v1.89.18735
Features
- Smarter Code Completion:
- Added Starred Suggestions:
- The editor now highlights the most likely completion candidates with a star icon and automatically prioritizes them at the top of the list.
- Find the right symbol faster with less typing.
- Smarter IntelliSense based on context and probability.
- Deeper Code Intelligence & Accuracy:
- Improves how the editor understands your code - especially in complex and modern PHP patterns:
- Better handling of closures, lambdas, and indirect function...
Released: Feb 4, 2026
Updates in v1.88.18450
Features
- PHP Language and Syntax Support:
- Added support for PHP 8.5
clone used as a function with the new syntax and an optional argument.
- Added support for PHP 8.0 dereferenceable string syntax.
- The
empty-string type hint is now fully recognized.
- Type Analysis and Code Diagnostics:
- Improved type inference for
is_numeric().
- Added a diagnostic for always-false strict comparisons.
- Made deprecation checks for legacy constructors more detailed.
- Improved override checks for
enum definitions with...
Released: Oct 30, 2025
Updates in v1.88.18040
Features
- Visual Studio 2026 Support:
- PHP Tools is now fully compatible with this upcoming major release of Visual Studio, ensuring seamless integration, a smoother experience, and better overall performance when developing PHP applications in the next-generation IDE.
- PHPUnit 10-12 and Pest Framework:
- Upgraded PHP Test Explorer, extending compatibility with the latest testing frameworks and features.
- PHP Tools now supports PHPUnit versions 10, 11, and 12, along with full compatibility for the...
Released: May 20, 2025
Updates in v1.85.17401
Features
- Smarter Type Handling and Inference:
- First-Class Callable Syntax: Added proper type handling for the new first-class callable syntax introduced in PHP 8.1. This resolves type inference issues with callable references.
- Instanceof Inference: Improved type inference when using the
instanceof operator, making conditions and smart casts more reliable.
- Dynamic Properties: Enhanced support for type inferring dynamic fields when the
__get() magic method is defined.
- Control Flow Analysis...
Released: Mar 6, 2025
Updates in v1.84.20547
Features
- Laravel Support
- Code completion for the Eloquent "magic", and Laravel-specific functions.
- Extensible code completion through the special
ide.json file.
- Type resolution for Laravel service containers (
app(), App::make()).
- Completion for config keys in
config(..), config()->string(..), Config::get(..), and others.
- Completion of environment variables.
- Completion of view attributes in special Laravel functions.
- Completion of named routes in specific functions.
- Completion of route...
Released: Dec 23, 2024
Updates in v1.83.20317
Features
- Formatting Setting in .editorconfig
- Newly, code formatting rules can be specified in standard
.editorconfig files.
- IntelliJ formatting settings in
.editorconfig (prefixed with ij_) are partially supported. In this way it respects the formatting style exported from IntelliJ editor.
- PHP 8.4
- The code editor supports the latest PHP 8.4 syntax, property hooks, asymmetric property visibility, and corresponding IntelliSense and code diagnostics.
- Code Actions
- Adding more useful inline...
Released: Sep 23, 2024
Updates in v1.82.20082
Features
- Formatter Blank Lines Settings - The PHP code formatter has a whole new group of settings called
Blank Lines for adjusting the blank lines between various kinds of code sections. You can adjust spaces above declarations, class bodies, comments, functions and more.
- Added more checks for parameters passed by-ref.
- Magic constants (
__METHOD__, __PROPERTY__, etc.) are checked if they are used in a correct context.
- Type inferring improvements,
@global tag inherited from base if necessary...
Released: Jul 31, 2024
Updates in v1.81.19965
Features
- PHP 8.4 Support (Preview) - This update adds support for the new PHP 8.4 features, including:
- Property hooks, and
__PROPERTY__ magic constant.
New without parentheses.- Formatting for properties and property hooks.
- Added initial support for
@phpstan-assert, @phpstan-assert-if-true, and @phpstan-assert-if-false.
- PhpUnit tests are now discovered in nested directories, and respects prefix configuration.
- Now recognizes unsealed array shape type.
- Improved initial indexing, postpones...
Released: May 22, 2024
Updates in v1.80.19712
Features
- Code Analysis and IntelliSense
- Now respects
/** @ignore $variablename */ so that if the $variablename is unused, the problem is not reported.
- Supports more complex conditional return type, i.e.
@return ($name is class-string ? T : bool).
- Improved inline suggestion after
namespace.
- Added a diagnostic for possibly wrong
foreach variables.
- Override diagnostic now respects possible
class_alias of the type hints.
- Override diagnostic now underlines trait use, it the trait introduces an...
Released: Mar 3, 2024
Updates in v1.79.19431
Features
- AI Snippets - This update introduces smart snippets. Based on your code, the editor generates inline suggestions with placeholders.
- Refactorings
- Concatenation to String interpolation refactoring.
- Smart if-else to switch refactorings.
- Unnecessary Parentheses - Parentheses that can be safely removed are dimmed in the code now, and a corresponding code fix "Remove unnecessary parentheses" is available.
- Formatting - Introduced the wrapping formatting option Compact empty body into...
