Quick Setup Guide

  1. Install the VSCode Extension “PHP Debug”

  2. Create a directory .vscode for upcoming configuration file to be placed in

  3. Create custom task configuration file .vscode/tasks.json file and paste the following

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    {
    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "DDEV: Enable Xdebug",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "ddev xdebug on"
        },
        {
            "label": "DDEV: Disable Xdebug",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "ddev xdebug off"
        }
    ]
}

  4. Create custom launch configuration file .vscode/launch.json file and paste the following

    (Note that the XDebug mode for ddev will automatically be turned on/off by the launch commands

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    {
    // See https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/debugging#_launch-configurations
    // for the documentation about the launch.json format
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Listen for Xdebug",
            "type": "php",
            "request": "launch",
            "hostname": "0.0.0.0",
            "port": 9003,
            "pathMappings": {
                "/var/www/html": "${workspaceFolder}"
            },
            "preLaunchTask": "DDEV: Enable Xdebug",
            "postDebugTask": "DDEV: Disable Xdebug"
        }
    ]
}

  5. Start the launch configuration via the VSCode “Run/Debug” panel, and add some breakpoint, here we’ll just add a breakpoint at line where it says $kernel = new DrupalKernel('prod', $autoloader); inside the web/index.php file that will definitely get visited.

XDebug Outcome

Now you can visit your drupal website using your browser, and you should be re-directed to the VSCode with the variables and stacks at the breakpoint we just set:

(Here’s’ a higher res-shot of VSCode for your reference: screenshot

2025-03-15T100643

Reference