Firefox Developer Tools vs Xdebug
Firefox Developer Tools
firefox-source-docs.mozilla.orgXdebug
xdebug.orgSide by side
| Figure | Firefox Developer Tools | Xdebug |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | £16.67/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Debugging Software | 8.7 (#7) | 7.3 (#22) |
Plans
In their own words
Firefox Developer Tools
Firefox Developer Tools has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Xdebug
Xdebug is a PHP extension that adds debugging and analysis features to PHP development. Its step debugger lets developers move through code interactively to examine control flow and data structures. It improves var_dump() output and adds stack traces for notices, warnings, errors, and exceptions. Function tracing can record calls, arguments, and invocation locations, with optional variable assignments and return values. The profiler reports execution and memory use in Cachegrind-compatible files, while code coverage can show what runs during PHPUnit tests. Xdebug communicates with IDEs through DBGp, a protocol supported by nearly every PHP IDE, including Visual Studio Code and PhpStorm. Installation instructions cover Linux, macOS, Windows, and Unix-like systems, with compatibility information organized by PHP version. Xdebug itself is free. Paid Pro costs £200 per year for one developer; Business costs £1,000 per year for 2–20 developers. Both paid tiers include email technical support. Xdebug Cloud is described as a relay for situations where a network or firewall blocks direct debugger connections.