how to use the php profiler with docker ?

[ctf0]

am trying to follow the post https://blog.devsense.com/2025/profile-laravel-in-visual-studio-code but i cant find any info regarding the usage of docker, not even in the main docs https://docs.devsense.com/vscode/profiling/

atm i have something like

// debug ~ works with the browser extension
{
    "name": "Listen for Xdebug",
    "type": "php",
    "request": "launch",
    "port": 9003,
    "pathMappings": {
        "/var/www/html": "${workspaceFolder}"
    }
},
// profile ~ not yet
{
    "name": "Listen for Profiling",
    "type": "php",
    "request": "launch",
    "port": 9003,
    "pathMappings": {
        "/var/www/html": "${workspaceFolder}"
    },
    "runtimeArgs": [
        "-S",
        "localhost:8888",
        "-t",
        "./public"
    ],
    "openProfile": true,
    "noDebug": true, // <-- disable debugging
    "profile": true, // <-- enable profiling
}

any help is appreciated.

[jakubmisek]

Thank you for the question, and for pointing this out.

Currently the profling launch profile does not work on docker (because profiling data are stored locally in a temp file).

It is technically possible, and we will try to implement support for docker in future update.

[jakubmisek]

The next update will handle profile and pathMappings; Profiling data will be temporarily stored in /.vscode/profiling/ workspace folder, so if pathMappings will be configured properly, it will all work nicely.

[jakubmisek]

@ctf0, May I ask for a confirmation that this works for you?

[ctf0]

unfortunately not, also am not sure what is the correct config.

[jakubmisek]

I see - let me take a look and prepare an update and more detailed documentation.

[jakubmisek]

@ctf0 the pre-prelease 1.61.17964 adds a proper support for profiling on a remote machine.

The process is documented at https://docs.devsense.com/vscode/test-explorer/#profiling-on-remote-machine

Please note, if you're running VSCode in "server mode" - i.e. connecting to your workspace using Remote Window:

-> then this should not be needed, and profiling will work out of the box.

In case of any issue, please check the OUTPUT window, "PHP (Test Explorer)" panel.

[ctf0]

awesome, will give a try and reply back, many thanks again for your support 🥇

[Kabingeran]

@jakubmisek If a port is specified, it would be logical to make it possible to specify a remote host for debugging.

[jakubmisek]

@ctf0 , I may confuse profiling with profiling tests :)

Regular profiling (https://docs.devsense.com/vscode/debug/launch-json/#profiling-mode) running on a remote/docker is not documented yet, but it works in general. Although you need to set the necessary PHP INI directives by yourself.

I'll prepare docs for it.

[jakubmisek]

@Kabingeran, I think I have to prepare docs for it; port is confusing here. It's used for historical reasons to listen for the Xdebug debugging extension, which is not needed here.

The remote connection itself is entirely in the user's hands - it can be VSCode's Remote Window, SSH, FTP, Docker, ...