Debugging in Studio

WordPress Studio includes several built-in tools to help you find and fix issues in your local WordPress sites — without needing to install extra software or leave the app.

Debug log

Sometimes you just need to see what WordPress is logging. Studio makes that easy with a dedicated debug log toggle that configures WP_DEBUG and WP_DEBUG_LOG for your site automatically.

Enabling the debug log

1. Select the site you want to debug, and click the Site overview button next to its name in the sidebar.
2. Open the Debugging tab.
3. Check Enable debug log.
4. Click Save settings.

When the debug log is enabled, your site will capture PHP errors, notices, and warnings to wp-content/debug.log. Once the file exists, an Open log file link appears on the Debugging tab, so you can jump directly to the file without hunting for its path.

You can also write your own messages to the log using PHP’s error_log() function:

error_log( 'My value: ' . print_r( $my_variable, true ) );

Show errors in browser

The Debugging tab also includes a Show errors in browser toggle, which sets WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY. When enabled, PHP errors and warnings are printed inline in the page output rather than captured silently in the log file — useful when you want immediate feedback during active development.

Keep in mind:

• Show errors in browser works best alongside the debug log, not as a replacement for it.
• Turn it off on any site you share with clients — it can expose internal path information or other implementation details in the page output.

Script debug and environment type

The Debugging tab also includes:

• Enable script debug, which sets SCRIPT_DEBUG. WordPress then loads the development versions of core CSS and JavaScript instead of the minified files, which is useful for reading React errors in the block editor.
• Environment type, which sets the value returned by wp_get_environment_type(): Local (the default), Development, Staging, or Production. Plugins and themes use it to vary their behavior between environments.

Using AI agents to interpret debug logs

Once your debug log is active, you can point an AI agent directly at it. Tell your agent — whether you’re using Claude Code, Cursor, or another tool — that error logs are available at wp-content/debug.log. From there, it can read the output, identify what’s going wrong, and suggest fixes without breaking your flow.

Database access with phpMyAdmin

Inspecting or editing your local database used to mean a separate tool and a separate setup. Studio includes phpMyAdmin access directly in the app — so you can query tables, check data, and debug schema issues without leaving the app or configuring anything.

To open phpMyAdmin for a running site, select the site and use either of these:

On the site overview’s Overview tab, click phpMyAdmin under Open in… to open it in your browser.

In the site preview, open the address menu and choose Database. phpMyAdmin opens inside the preview.

Step-through debugging with Xdebug

For deeper investigation, Studio includes Xdebug support. Instead of scattering debug output through your code, you can set breakpoints, step through execution line by line, and inspect variables in real time — all from your editor.

Xdebug is available for all Studio sites and requires no system-level installation. Studio listens for debug connections on port 9003.

For full setup instructions, including how to connect VS Code and PhpStorm, see Xdebug in Studio.