Export / import PHP request details for reproducible debugging

index.php

<?php // index.php

// bulletproof debug mode
define("DEBUG_MODE", rand(1, 2) === 1);

if (isset($_GET["trigger"]) && DEBUG_MODE) {
    file_put_contents("request.dat", serialize(get_defined_vars()));
}

// go through normal stuff, start the app, etc.

test_request.php

<?php // test_request.php

// get the request variables
$vars = unserialize(file_get_contents("request.dat"));

// setup the environment
foreach ($vars as $key => $val) {
    eval("\${$key} = \$val;");
}

// now begin debugging the request
require "index.php";

Having trouble debugging a particular request to your web app?

1. First, save the request to a file (the above index.php stores it as request.dat).
2. Then drop in some breakpoints using psysh (\Psy\Shell::debug(get_defined_vars());)
3. And third, run the script through the CLI interface: php test_request.php.