What is Laravel?

Laravel is a free, open-source PHP framework, created by Taylor Otwell and intended for the development of web applications following the Model View Controller (MVC) architectural pattern and it is based on Symfony. The latest stable release of Laravel is Version 11.

Why Laravel?

It’s a popular choice for developers because it offers many advantages, including:

1. Secure authorization and authentication systems
2. Completely customizable
3. Integration with mail services.
4. Clean documentation and Model View Controller (MVC) support
5. Fast development time
6. Expandable requirements for future
7. Cost-effective

How to Install?

Useful resources for download and installation:

1. How to install and use composer
2. Documentation

Setting up a Laravel project

Before creating your first Laravel project, you should ensure that your local machine has PHP and Composer installed. After you have installed PHP and Composer, you may create a new Laravel project via the Composer create-project command:

composer create-project laravel/laravel YOUR_LARAVEL_PROJECT_NAME

Or, you may create new Laravel projects by globally installing the Laravel installer via Composer:

composer global require laravel/installer

laravel new YOUR_LARAVEL_PROJECT_NAME

After the project has been created, start Laravel’s local development server using the Laravel’s Artisan CLI serve command:

cd YOUR_LARAVEL_PROJECT_NAME

php artisan serve

php artisan serve --port 8080

Q: Where are views stored in a Laravel project?

Ans: The resources/views folder

Routing

The most basic Laravel routes accept a URI and a Closure, providing a very simple and expressive method of defining routes:

Route::get('/', function () {
    return view('welcome');
});

Route::get('about', [AboutController::class,'index']);

Introducing Controllers

MVC Controllers are responsible for controlling the flow of the application execution. Controllers are simple PHP classes in the MVC framework. We will create a controller using the artisan command in Laravel:

php artisan make:controller AboutController

Introducing Migrations and Models

The model represents domain-specific data and business logic in MVC architecture. It maintains the data of the application. Model objects retrieve and store model states in the persistence store like a database.

php artisan make:model About

Database connection in Laravel

Migrations are like version control for your database, allowing your team to easily modify and share the application’s database schema. Migrations are typically paired with Laravel’s schema builder to easily build your application’s database schema. If you have ever had to tell a teammate to manually add a column to their local database schema, you’ve faced the problem that database migrations solve.

php artisan make:migration create_about_table

php artisan migrate

Conclusion

Laravel is a powerful and versatile PHP framework that simplifies web application development through its elegant syntax and comprehensive features. By adhering to the Model View Controller (MVC) pattern, Laravel helps developers maintain a clean separation of concerns, making it easier to manage complex applications. With its built-in tools for routing, authentication, and database management, Laravel accelerates the development process and enhances productivity.

From installing Laravel and setting up your first project to utilizing controllers, models, and migrations, Laravel provides a robust foundation for building scalable and maintainable web applications. Its integration with Composer and Artisan CLI streamlines tasks, while its customizable and secure features ensure that developers can tailor applications to meet specific requirements.

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, Laravel’s extensive documentation and vibrant community offer valuable support. Embracing Laravel can significantly improve your development workflow and lead to the creation of high-quality web applications.