» When the PHP project is built and run by Docker, edit the Dockerfile located at `docker/php/Dockerfile` and add the script below.

# install xdebug
RUN pecl install xdebug-3.1.5 \ 
    && docker-php-ext-enable xdebug 
COPY ./xdebug.ini "${PHP_INI_DIR}/conf.d"

» Create `xdebug.ini` file in the same folder as the Dockerfile.

xdebug.mode=develop,debug
xdebug.client_host=host.docker.internal
xdebug.discover_client_host=1
xdebug.idekey=VSCODE

» Install VCS (Visual Studio Code) to support debugging the PHP project.

» Go to Extensions, search for `PHP Debug`, and click Install to add the PHP Debug extension.

» Press Run and Debug on the sidebar of Visual Studio Code or use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + D to create `launch.json` file to save the configuration before starting debug session.

For local machine without using Docker

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Local PHP Debug with Xdebug",
      "type": "php",
      "request": "launch",
      "port": 9003,
      "log": true,
      "pathMappings": {
        "C:\\Users\\your-username\\Documents\\flagtick": "${workspaceFolder}"
      }
    }
  ]
}

For Docker

{ 
  "version": "0.2.0", 
  "configurations": [ 
    { 
      "name": "Listen for Xdebug", 
      "type": "php", 
      "request": "launch", 
      "port": 9003, 
      "log": true, 
      "pathMappings": { 
        "/var/www/flagtick": "${workspaceFolder}", 
      } 
    } 
  ] 
}

» Choose Run » Start Debugging (F5 shortcut) to initiate debugging session using the configuration in the `launch.json` file.

» Install Xdebug Helper in Chrome, right-click on the Xdebug icon and select `Options`. The Xdebug Helper settings will open. Choose `PhpStorm` as the IDE key, then click the Save button.

Then finally, start your application from the PHP project and make sure to enable the debug button in the Xdebug helper extension.