How to Install Laravel 11 (Complete Guide)

Laravel 11 is the latest version of the popular PHP framework, offering new features and improvements for developers to build scalable and robust web applications. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to install Laravel 11, including the prerequisites, installation process, and a summary.

Introduction

Laravel is a powerful and elegant PHP framework that simplifies web development with its rich set of tools and features. Laravel 11 brings enhancements in performance, developer experience, and support for the latest PHP versions. Whether you’re starting a new project or upgrading an existing one, installing Laravel 11 is straightforward. Let’s get started!

Prerequisites

Before installing Laravel 11, ensure you have the following installed on your system:

1. PHP 8.2 or later
   • Laravel 11 requires PHP 8.2+.
   • Install PHP using a package manager (e.g., apt for Ubuntu or brew for macOS).
2. Composer
   • Composer is a dependency manager for PHP.
   • Download Composer from getcomposer.org.
3. Web Server
   • Use Apache, Nginx, or the built-in PHP server for local development.
4. Database
   • Supported databases include MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and SQL Server.
5. Node.js and npm
   • Required for managing frontend assets.
   • Download Node.js from nodejs.org.

Installation Steps

Step 1: Install Laravel via Composer

1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
2. Run the following command to create a new Laravel project:

   composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel my-laravel-app

   Replace my-laravel-app with your desired project name.

3. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd my-laravel-app

Step 2: Set Up Environment Configuration

1. Copy the .env.example file to .env:

   cp .env.example .env

2. Generate an application key:

   php artisan key:generate

3. Configure your database in the .env file. Update the following fields:

   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=your_database_name
   DB_USERNAME=your_database_username
   DB_PASSWORD=your_database_password

Step 3: Serve the Application

1. Use the Artisan command to start the development server:

   php artisan serve

2. Open your browser and visit:

   http://127.0.0.1:8000

   You should see the Laravel welcome page.

Step 4: Install Node.js Dependencies

1. Install frontend dependencies using npm:

   npm install

2. Compile the assets:

   npm run dev

Full Code Example

Here’s a summary of the commands:

# Step 1: Install Laravel
composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel my-laravel-app
cd my-laravel-app

# Step 2: Configure Environment
cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate

# Update .env file for database configuration

# Step 3: Serve the Application
php artisan serve

# Step 4: Install Node.js Dependencies
npm install
npm run dev

Summary

In this guide, we covered how to install Laravel 11, from setting up prerequisites to running your first Laravel application. Laravel 11 provides a robust foundation for building modern web applications with ease. By following the steps above, you’ll have a fully functional Laravel development environment ready to go.