Quickly Locate Source Files and Hide Methods in PhpStorm for Efficient Screenshotting

When using PhpStorm, developers often struggle to locate the source file of the currently edited code in the left‑hand project view, which hampers both development and article writing.

The author identifies three main pain points: the left‑hand list cannot locate the source file, the file view displays all its methods, and taking screenshots becomes inconvenient because the code location is unclear.

Solution 1 : Click the highlighted circle on the right‑hand side of the editor; this automatically scrolls the project view to the corresponding source file, eliminating the need to manually search.

While this method works, it requires a click each time, which can be tedious.

Solution 2 : In the PhpStorm settings, disable the "Show methods" option (the English label translates to "Display methods"). This hides all methods in the file view, making screenshots cleaner and removing the extra step of manually hiding methods.

After applying these two tweaks, the author reports a significant improvement in workflow: locating files becomes instant, screenshots no longer show unwanted method lists, and overall development efficiency increases.

The author emphasizes that even small IDE customizations can greatly enhance productivity, especially after three years of using PhpStorm.