Technology1 min read

PhpStorm 2026.3 Adds an Agent Workspace and PHP 8.6 Support

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The upgrade delivers the Air workspace to coordinate coding agents alongside early compatibility tools for PHP 8.6 language updates like the `clamp()` function. JetBrains also integrated an MCP server so external agents can utilize the IDE's inspections and specific PHP interpreter settings. Framework tooling expands with fresh Laravel checks, a background task manager, and an upgraded terminal powered by the libghostty library. Additionally, Git worktrees now automatically inherit `.idea` project configurations to make isolated code reviews faster.

Key points

  • Developers can isolate and review coding agent outputs within a specialized environment c…: Developers can isolate and review coding agent outputs within a specialized environment called Air.
  • Git worktrees now automatically share existing `.idea` configuration files to streamline…: Git worktrees now automatically share existing `.idea` configuration files to streamline multi-branch reviews without stashing work.
  • Moving intensive operations off the UI thread resolves common interface freezes across Co…: Moving intensive operations off the UI thread resolves common interface freezes across Composer, deployment, and Twig debugging tasks.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

JetBrains just released PhpStorm 2026.3, the third major PhpStorm update of 2026. JetBrains leads the release with Air, a workspace for coding agents. The release also adds PHP 8.6 support and new Laravel inspections, and it fixes UI freezes in Composer projects. It follows PhpStorm 2026.2.

Some of the highlights include:

- PHP 8.6 support, with migration inspections and quick-fixes

- New Laravel inspections and a Processes tab in the Laravel tool window

- Type inference fixes for generics, callables, and array shapes

- Git worktrees that copy your local

.idea

configuration - A terminal built on libghostty, with terminal tabs in the editor

- Freeze fixes, WSL setup improvements, and remote development over SSH from the IDE

- Air, a workspace for running coding agents and reviewing their changes

What's New

PHP 8.6 Support

PHP 8.6 is due later this November, and PhpStorm 2026.3 already supports it. For background on the language changes, see what's new in PHP 8.6. You can set the language level in settings under PHP | PHP language level, or through the php

requirement in…

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