Prerequisites
Laravel is a PHP framework, so you'll need to have PHP installed on your machine
Composer is a dependency manager for PHP, and it's essential for installing Laravel and managing its packages
Database (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, etc.)
Web Server (Apache or Nginx)
Node.js and NPM
Git (Optional but Recommended)
IDE/Code Editor
Basic Knowledge of the Command Line
Introduction
Laravel is one of the most powerful and popular PHP frameworks, known for its elegant syntax, robust features, and developer-friendly tools. Whether you're building small projects or large-scale web applications, Laravel provides a solid foundation with its comprehensive set of tools and built-in features.
In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of setting up Laravel from scratch. We'll cover everything you need to get started, from installing PHP and Composer to configuring a web server and database. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, this detailed step-by-step guide will help you get your Laravel environment up and running smoothly.
By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a fully functional Laravel setup and be ready to dive into building your first Laravel application. Let's get started!
PHP Installation Guide: Step-by-Step
If you're looking to get started with PHP, a great place to begin is by following a step-by-step guide. Check out this ultimate guide to installing PHP for a comprehensive walkthrough that covers everything from installation to configuration. Whether you're new to programming or just need a refresher, this guide makes the process simple and clear.
Why Visual Studio Code is the Ideal Editor for PHP Development
Visual Studio Code is an excellent code editor for PHP development, offering powerful features like syntax highlighting, IntelliSense for autocompletion, and integrated debugging. Its extensive extension marketplace allows you to enhance your workflow with tools specifically designed for PHP, making it a versatile and efficient choice for developers. You can download Visual Studio Code for free from the official website here
How to Install Composer: A Quick Guide
If you're diving into PHP development, Composer is an essential tool to manage dependencies. To get started, you can follow this installation guide for Composer, which walks you through the process step by step. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, this guide will ensure you're up and running with Composer in no time.
Setting Up a Local Development Environment with XAMPP
XAMPP is a popular, easy-to-install software package that includes Apache, MySQL, and PHP, which are essential for running Laravel locally. Installing XAMPP simplifies the process of setting up a local development environment, allowing you to quickly run and test your Laravel applications without needing to configure each component separately. You can download XAMPP here
Default MySQL Credentials for XAMPP
- Username: root
- Password: (empty, no password set)
Steps to Add PHP to Environment Variables (Optional)
If you want to add PHP to your system's environment variables (making it globally accessible), you can follow these steps:
Find the Path to PHP
In XAMPP, PHP is located in the C:\xampp\php folder (assuming you installed XAMPP in the default location).
Edit System Environment Variables
- Press Win + X and select System
- On the left side, click Advanced system settings
- In the System Properties window, click the Environment Variables button
Add the PHP Path to the Path variable
- In the Environment Variables window, under System variables, scroll down and select the Path variable, then click Edit
- In the Edit Environment Variable window, click New, then paste C:\xampp\php (or wherever your PHP folder is located) and click OK
Verify PHP is in the Path
Open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window and type:
php -v
If PHP was added correctly, it should display the PHP version installed by XAMPP.
Install Laravel
Once you have PHP and Composer installed, you can easily install Laravel.
Install Laravel via Composer
To create a new Laravel project, run:
composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel your-project-name
This command will download and install the latest version of Laravel into the your-project-name directory. This command directly uses Composer to create a fresh Laravel project. It does not include the interactive prompts like the Laravel installer. You get a default Laravel project without choosing a starter kit or other configurations.
Navigate to your project directory
cd your-project-name
Check laravel version
You can check if Laravel was installed successfully by running:
php artisan --version
This should return the installed Laravel version.
Generate Application Key
Generate a unique application key for your Laravel project:
php artisan key:generate
This command will set the APP_KEY value in your .env file.
Without running this command, your application would not be properly secured, and you'd likely run into errors, especially related to session or cookie encryption.
Set up Database
Laravel supports several database systems. For this example, we'll assume you're using MySQL, but you can adapt the instructions for PostgreSQL or SQLite.
Create a new database
Once MySQL is installed, log into MySQL and create a new database
mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE laravel_db;
Configure .env file
In your Laravel project directory, open the .env file. Update the database connection settings:
DB_CONNECTION=mysql DB_HOST=127.0.0.1 DB_PORT=3306 DB_DATABASE=laravel_db DB_USERNAME=root DB_PASSWORD=
Run migrations (Optional)
You can run Laravel's default migrations to create necessary tables in the database
php artisan migrate
Accessing MySQL via phpMyAdmin and Command Line in XAMPP
XAMPP also provides the option to use the MySQL command line interface.
To access it:
- Open the XAMPP Control Panel
- Find the MySQL module and make sure it's running by clicking Start
- Once MySQL is running, click the Shell button in the XAMPP Control Panel
- In the command line window that opens, you can type MySQL commands directly
For example, you can log in to the MySQL server with the following command:
mysql -u root
Since the default password for the root user is empty, just press Enter when prompted for a password.
Alternatively, after starting XAMPP, you can access phpMyAdmin by simply going to http://localhost/phpmyadmin in your web browser.
Set Up a Web Server (Optional)
If you're not using the built-in Laravel development server, you can use Apache or Nginx.
Using Laravel's Built-in Development Server
Laravel comes with a built-in PHP development server that you can use to serve your application locally.
Run the following command to start the development server
php artisan serve
By default, Laravel's development server will be available at http://localhost:8000
Install Node.js and npm (Optional)
If you're going to work with frontend assets (like JavaScript or CSS), you'll need Node.js and npm.
If not installed, download and install Node.js from Node.js official site
After installation, install Laravel's front-end dependencies
npm install
Run the build process for production (minified assets):
npm run build
Ensure Node.js and npm are installed
npm is included with Node.js. To check if Node.js and npm are installed, run the following command in your terminal:
node -v
npm -v
If you get a version number for both node and npm, they are installed. If not, you need to install Node.js and npm.
When you install Node.js, npm is installed alongside it, but npm itself is not automatically aware of your project dependencies. When you run npm install in your project directory, npm will check the package.json file for a list of dependencies and then install them locally for your project.
Fixing the 'npm' Not Recognized Error
The error message:
"The term 'npm' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program"
The error message indicates that npm (Node Package Manager) is not recognized as a command in your terminal or PowerShell, which usually means that it is not installed.
Access your Laravel application
Once everything is set up, open a browser and go to http://localhost:8000 (or the appropriate server URL if you're using Apache/Nginx). You should see the default Laravel welcome page.
Final Thoughts
Setting up Laravel from scratch can be a rewarding experience that opens up many possibilities for web development. Laravel's elegant syntax and powerful features, such as routing, authentication, and Eloquent ORM, make it an excellent choice for both beginners and seasoned developers. By following the steps in this guide, you should now have a Laravel environment up and running on your local machine, ready to build your next web application.
As you continue your journey with Laravel, don't forget to explore the official Laravel documentation. It is an invaluable resource, offering in-depth guides and tutorials to help you leverage Laravel's full potential. Whether you're looking to understand advanced concepts or troubleshoot an issue, the documentation is a great place to start.
Good luck with your Laravel projects, and happy coding!