localhost/live - detect by HTTP_HOST

Question

let's say I develop locally and debug small things on live server.

Is it good idea to have something like this in my code? :

$is_local = (strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'], 'localhost') !== false);
define ('DEBUG',$is_local);

And then use it through my code, when setting stuff?

$mysql_settings = (DEBUG) ? 
  array(/*localhost settings*/) : 
  array(/*live settings*/);

This way, I can use the same files live and on localhost, so I can sync without any fear of having wrong e.g. connection settings on live server.

Is it good or wrong idea?

Answer 1

Nothing at all wrong with doing the way you're doing it.

Another strategy is to set up some environment variable on your development (or other, non-production) system.

Under apache, you could stick something like this:

SetEnv MYAPP_ENVIRONMENT development

in httpd.conf or a suitable .htaccess file

Then in your configuration code:

if (! getenv('MYAPP_ENVIRONMENT')){
  $env = 'production';
}else{
  $env = getenv('MYAPP_ENVIRONMENT"));
}

require_once 'conf/config.' . $env . '.php';

or something along those lines.