# Editor & AI Client Setup
This page covers setup for every supported editor and AI coding client.
## Finding the binary path
The path to the `php-lsp` binary depends on how you installed it.
**Installed via `cargo install php-lsp`:**
```
~/.cargo/bin/php-lsp
```
**Downloaded a pre-built binary** from [Releases](https://github.com/jorgsowa/php-lsp/releases):
Move it somewhere on your PATH, e.g.:
```bash
sudo mv php-lsp /usr/local/bin/php-lsp
```
Then the path is `/usr/local/bin/php-lsp`.
You can verify the path with:
```bash
which php-lsp
```
---
## AI Coding Clients
### Claude Code
Install the official plugin:
```bash
claude plugin add https://github.com/jorgsowa/claude-php-lsp-plugin
```
The plugin configures everything automatically. The server binary must be on your PATH (or set the full path in the plugin's `.lsp.json` after installation).
To override `initializationOptions`, edit `.lsp.json` in the plugin directory:
```json
{
"command": "/usr/local/bin/php-lsp",
"initializationOptions": {
"phpVersion": "8.2",
"excludePaths": ["cache/*"]
}
}
```
---
### Cursor
Open **Settings → Features → Language Servers → +** and set:
| Command | `/usr/local/bin/php-lsp` |
| File pattern | `*.php` |
Or add to `.cursor/mcp.json` in your project root:
```json
{
"languageServers": {
"php-lsp": {
"command": "/usr/local/bin/php-lsp",
"filetypes": ["php"],
"initializationOptions": {
"phpVersion": "8.3"
}
}
}
}
```
---
## Editors
### Zed
Add to `~/.config/zed/settings.json`:
```json
{
"lsp": {
"php-lsp": {
"binary": {
"path": "/usr/local/bin/php-lsp"
},
"initialization_options": {
"phpVersion": "8.3",
"excludePaths": []
}
}
},
"languages": {
"PHP": {
"language_servers": ["php-lsp"]
}
}
}
```
---
### VS Code
Install the [php-lsp](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=jorgsowa.php-lsp) extension. It ships a pre-built binary — no separate install required.
Via the Quick Open palette (`Ctrl+P` / `Cmd+P`):
```
ext install jorgsowa.php-lsp
```
Available settings (VS Code `settings.json`):
| `php-lsp.serverPath` | *(auto)* | Path to the `php-lsp` binary; leave empty for auto-detection |
| `php-lsp.phpVersion` | `8.3` | PHP version (`7.4` – `8.3`) |
| `php-lsp.excludePaths` | `[]` | Glob patterns to exclude from the workspace |
| `php-lsp.diagnostics.*` | `true` | Per-diagnostic toggles (undefined variables/functions/classes, arity errors, type mismatches, deprecated calls, duplicate declarations) |
> **Note:** If Intelephense (or another PHP extension) is installed, it will conflict with php-lsp. Disable it via **Extensions → Intelephense → Disable** before using this extension.
---
### Neovim 0.11+
Create `~/.config/nvim/lsp/php_lsp.lua`:
```lua
---@type vim.lsp.Config
return {
cmd = { '/usr/local/bin/php-lsp' },
filetypes = { 'php' },
root_markers = { 'composer.json', '.git' },
workspace_required = true,
init_options = {
phpVersion = '8.3',
excludePaths = {},
},
}
```
Then enable it in `init.lua`:
```lua
vim.lsp.enable('php_lsp')
```
---
### Neovim 0.10 and older
Add to `init.lua`:
```lua
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd('FileType', {
pattern = 'php',
callback = function()
vim.lsp.start({
name = 'php-lsp',
cmd = { '/usr/local/bin/php-lsp' },
root_dir = vim.fs.root(0, { 'composer.json', '.git' }),
init_options = {
phpVersion = '8.3',
excludePaths = {},
},
})
end,
})
```
---
### PHPStorm
> **Native plugin:** A dedicated php-lsp plugin for PhpStorm is currently [under review on the JetBrains Marketplace](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/31223-php-lsp). Once approved, it will offer a simpler setup than the LSP4IJ approach below.
1. Install the [LSP4IJ](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/23257-lsp4ij) plugin (**Settings → Plugins → Marketplace → "LSP4IJ"**).
2. Go to **Settings → Languages & Frameworks → LSP → Language Servers → +**, choose **Custom server**, and fill in the **Server** tab:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | `php-lsp` |
| Command | `<path-to-php-lsp>` |
3. In the **Mappings** tab add file name pattern `*.php`.
4. In the **Configuration** tab paste your options into the **Initialization options** JSON field:
```json
{
"phpVersion": "8.3",
"excludePaths": ["cache/*", "storage/*"]
}
```
See [configuration.md](configuration.md) for all available options.
> **Known issue:** LSP4IJ throws an `UnsupportedOperationException` on `workspace/inlineValue/refresh` (tracked in [redhat-developer/lsp4ij#1470](https://github.com/redhat-developer/lsp4ij/issues/1470)). Update LSP4IJ to the latest version once a fix is released.
---
## Configuration reference
See [configuration.md](configuration.md) for all available `initializationOptions`.