DebugKit Requires PHP 5.3

[graftedin]

The current version of Cake requires PHP 5.2.8 but the default debug tool requires PHP 5.3 which basically makes the required version PHP for Cake 5.3 also. Why did you do this?! Is there a way to make DebugKit work in php 5.2.8? Or is there an alternative debugging tool?

[josegonzalez]

It has been required as of 4b9c203.

Frankly I'd say you should upgrade. The debug_kit is not meant to be used in production, and since you are using it locally, you should be able to upgrade your PHP version. I can't think of a system that lets you use PHP that wouldn't let you use the latest PHP version.

[josegonzalez]

As an aside, CakePHP 3.x will require 5.4, so you may want to look into upgrading your PHP version sooner rather than later.

[graftedin]

I would upgrade if I could. I only rent part of the server I use so I'm at the mercy of the admin/owner.

[josegonzalez]

You shouldn't use DebugKit in production, only for local development.

[josegonzalez]

You can conditionally load the DebugKit.Toolbar with the following code in your AppController:

public function __construct($request = null, $response = null) {
    parent::__construct($request, $response);
    if (Configure::read('debug')) {
        $this->components[] = 'DebugKit.Toolbar';
    }
}

[markstory]

CakePHP and DebugKit have different PHP requirements. If you cannot use a newer version of php then you can use an older version of debugkit.

[graftedin]

markstory.....the documentation says that for CakePHP 2.4.x I have to use DebugKit 2.2.x.

[graftedin]

josegonzalez.....I think you were hinting that I should set up a dev environment that has php 5.3 so I can get the DebugKit to work. I can do that however my production environment is still going to be stuck and 5.2.17 and it doesn't seem like a good practice to test something in a dev environment and then upload it to a production environment that isn't exactly the same. That just sounds like a recipe for trouble.

[graftedin]

The bottom line....I don't understand the logic behind having a debug tool that doesn't function with same system requirements as the program its designed to debug. Why would you do that?!

I HATE using 3rd party php software because I HATE dealing with their bugs and quirks. This has been my first 24 hours of dealing with CakePHP and I'm having trouble with the DEBUG TOOL!!!!! If the rest of CakePHP functions with this same "sound" logic please tell me now and I'll bail out now.

[josegonzalez]

I understand your situation, and I agree that using different versions across dev/staging/prod is a bad idea, but it's the best idea I have. DebugKit still requires 5.3, so unfortunately you cannot use it.

[graftedin]

Thanks josegonzalez.....and I would upgrade if I could. Its hard enough for me to keep up with just knowing how to build web sites. Knowing how to run a server too and keep it up-to-date is more than I want to deal with. So I lease part of one and let the guy who's good at managing a server do that..... Unfortunately that means I'm stuck at this php version.....for now.

[zmonteca]

@graftedin every framework, plugin, and programming language has a learning curve. If you're not willing to put in the time and effort to ascend that curve, then you should not only bail on CakePHP, but bail on all the aforementioned.

[josegonzalez]

@graftedin I don't know how much you pay for your server, but it might be useful to look at other options in the future. Heroku fully manages your apps, and I wrote a blog post about how to deploy onto heroku here. It might not be that much more expensive, and will likely be a bit easier to use.

Good luck regardless :)

[markstory]

@graftedin I apologize that you're not finding the experience as smooth as you would have liked. The main reason for having the PHP version requirements different is that PHP5.3 allowed debugkit to offer more useful information to people using it. Since it is a separate and optional package from CakePHP I didn't see any reason why the version requirements needed to be paired.

CakePHP only has a 5.2 minimum because our release process would require a major version release to change the PHP requirement - which we are doing in CakePHP 3.0.