Microsoft has reported that it is equipping its Azure cloud service with a PHP-debug tool. The service is said to offer ‘in-depth insight into how an application is performing’, as original PHP developers have already stated. The tool is dubbed Z-Ray and is developed by Zend Technologies, led by CEO Andi Gutmans, one of the original creators of PHP. In short, Z-Ray will pass crucial information to the developer through the browser.
PHP is one of the most popular and commonly used languages employed to build both applications and dynamic websites. Microsoft has always been a PHP supporter and has used the language on the Azure service.
The new debug feature will improve Microsoft’s competitive capabilities since there are plenty cloud service providers, and cloud computing is of primary interest.
However, the PHP code is a rough language to debug. When an error occurs, it is likely that it won’t be displayed in the browser, thus frustrating developers and making it hard for them to fix the issue.
This is when Z-Ray comes in handy. The tool is designed in a manner to give more insight to developers of what goes wrong. Each PHP request to the server is detailed, along with the code making those requests. In other words, Z-Ray is set to acknowledge architectural issues that are usually hard to be figured out.
For instance, Z-Ray is able to list the exact database queries issued by PHP, and the time needed to complete them as well.
Not only the debug utility reveals the inner sight of PHP, but it can also be used to troubleshoot other PHP-written platforms, such as WordPress and Drupal blogging software.
Z-Ray is also equipped with two versions – a basic, free of charge variant, and a more advanced one available at a small fee.