Installing Laravel

Introduction

Laravel is a popular open-source PHP framework used for building modern web applications. It provides a clean and elegant syntax that helps developers create secure, scalable, and high-performance websites efficiently.

Installing Laravel correctly is the first step toward developing professional web applications.

Objectives

By the end of this training, you will be able to:

• Understand Laravel installation requirements
• Install Composer for dependency management
• Install Laravel on your computer
• Create a new Laravel project
• Run a Laravel development server
• Verify successful installation

What is Laravel

Laravel is a PHP framework designed for web application development. It follows the MVC (Model View Controller) architecture and includes built-in tools for routing, authentication, database management, and security.

Laravel simplifies common web development tasks and improves development speed.

System Requirements for Laravel

Before installing Laravel, make sure your system has:

• PHP version 8.1 or higher
• Composer installed
• MySQL or another supported database
• Apache or Nginx server
• Internet connection for downloading packages

Installing XAMPP

XAMPP provides a local server environment for running PHP applications.

Steps to install XAMPP:

1. Download XAMPP from the official Apache Friends website
2. Run the installer
3. Select Apache and MySQL components
4. Complete the installation
5. Start Apache and MySQL from the XAMPP Control Panel

Installing Composer

Composer is a dependency manager required for Laravel installation.

Steps to Install Composer

1. Visit the official Composer website
2. Download Composer for your operating system
3. Run the installer
4. Select the PHP executable path
5. Complete the installation

Verify Composer Installation

Open Command Prompt or Terminal and run:

composer --version

If installed successfully, Composer version information will appear.

Installing Laravel via Composer

Open Command Prompt or Terminal and run:

composer create-project laravel/laravel myproject

Explanation:

• composer create-project installs a new Laravel project
• laravel/laravel is the Laravel package
• myproject is the project folder name

Navigating to the Laravel Project

Move into the project directory:

cd myproject

Running the Laravel Development Server

Start the Laravel local server using:

php artisan serve

After running the command, Laravel will display a local development URL such as:

http://127.0.0.1:8000

Open the URL in your browser to view the Laravel welcome page.

Laravel Project Structure

Important Laravel folders include:

app

Contains application logic and models

routes

Contains application route files

resources

Stores views, CSS, and JavaScript files

public

Publicly accessible files and entry point

database

Database migrations and seeders

config

Application configuration files

Installing Laravel Installer Globally

You can also install Laravel globally using Composer:

composer global require laravel/installer

After installation, create a new project using:

laravel new myproject

Configuring Environment File

Laravel uses a .env file for environment configuration.

Important settings include:

• Database name
• Database username
• Database password
• Application URL

Example database configuration:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=laravel_db
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

Common Installation Errors

Composer Not Recognized

Cause:
Composer is not added to system PATH.

Solution:
Restart the system or reinstall Composer correctly.

PHP Version Error

Cause:
Unsupported PHP version.

Solution:
Install the latest supported PHP version.

Permission Errors

Cause:
Insufficient folder permissions.

Solution:
Run terminal as administrator or adjust folder permissions.

Advantages of Laravel

• Clean and elegant syntax
• Built-in authentication system
• Secure application structure
• Fast development process
• MVC architecture support
• Strong community support
• Easy database management

Real World Applications of Laravel

Laravel is commonly used for:

• Business websites
• E-commerce platforms
• Content management systems
• REST APIs
• CRM applications
• School management systems

Best Practices After Installation

• Keep Laravel updated
• Use environment variables securely
• Install Git for version control
• Use database migrations
• Organize project files properly

Final Presentation

In your final presentation, explain:

• What Laravel is
• Laravel installation requirements
• Installing Composer
• Creating a Laravel project
• Running the Laravel development server
• Laravel project folder structure