How can you optimize PHP error reporting for your web app?

1 Configuring PHP errors

The first step to optimize PHP error reporting is to configure the error_reporting and display_errors directives in your php.ini file or at runtime. The error_reporting directive determines which types of errors are reported, such as E_ALL, E_NOTICE, E_WARNING, E_ERROR, etc. The display_errors directive controls whether the errors are shown on the screen or not. You can set these directives according to your development, testing, or production environment. For example, you can use error_reporting(E_ALL) and display_errors(1) in development to catch all errors and debug them, but use error_reporting(E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE) and display_errors(0) in production to hide minor errors and avoid exposing sensitive information.

2 Displaying PHP errors

Sometimes, you may want to display PHP errors in a more user-friendly or customized way, instead of the default output. You can use the ini_set function to override the display_errors directive at runtime, or use the error_reporting function to change the error_reporting level. You can also use the html_errors directive to enable or disable HTML formatting of the errors. Alternatively, you can use the set_error_handler function to define your own error handler function that can output the errors in any format or style you want. For example, you can use set_error_handler("myErrorHandler") to call a function named myErrorHandler that can echo the errors in a table or a div.

3 Logging PHP errors

Displaying PHP errors on the screen is not always enough or appropriate, especially in production. You may want to log the errors to a file, a database, or a third-party service for further analysis or troubleshooting. You can use the log_errors and error_log directives to enable and specify the location of the error log file. You can also use the error_log function to write custom messages to the error log file or send them by email. Additionally, you can use the set_error_handler function to define your own error handler function that can log the errors in any way you want. For example, you can use set_error_handler("myErrorHandler") to call a function named myErrorHandler that can insert the errors into a database table or send them to a web service.

4 Handling PHP errors

Logging PHP errors is not always enough or desirable, either. You may want to handle the errors in a more proactive or graceful way, such as redirecting the user to a different page, displaying a friendly message, or triggering a recovery action. You can use the die or exit functions to terminate the script execution and output a message when an error occurs. You can also use the trigger_error function to generate a user-defined error that can be handled by your own error handler function. Furthermore, you can use the set_exception_handler function to define your own exception handler function that can catch and handle any uncaught exceptions thrown by your code. For example, you can use set_exception_handler("myExceptionHandler") to call a function named myExceptionHandler that can redirect the user to an error page or display a contact form.

PHP error reporting is an essential aspect of web development that can help you improve the performance, security, and usability of your web app. By configuring, displaying, logging, and handling PHP errors in different environments and scenarios, you can optimize PHP error reporting for your web app and deliver a better user experience.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?