Your First Laravel Project: A Step-by-Step Tutorial


Congratulations on embarking on your journey to build your first web application with Laravel! In this step-by-step tutorial, we will guide you through the process of creating your very own Laravel project. By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a basic understanding of Laravel's key concepts and be well on your way to building more complex web applications.


Prerequisites


Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:


  • PHP: Ensure you have PHP installed on your machine. You can download it from php.net.
  • Composer: Install Composer, the PHP dependency manager, by following the instructions at getcomposer.org.
  • Code Editor: Choose a code editor or integrated development environment (IDE) of your choice. Popular options include Visual Studio Code, PHPStorm, and Sublime Text.

Step 1: Install Laravel


Open your terminal and run the following command to install Laravel:


        
composer global require laravel/installer

This command installs the Laravel installer globally, allowing you to create Laravel projects from any directory on your system.


Step 2: Create a New Laravel Project


Now, let's create a new Laravel project. In your terminal, navigate to the directory where you want to create your project and run:


        
laravel new my-first-laravel-project

Replace `my-first-laravel-project` with your desired project name. This command will set up a fresh Laravel installation for you.


Step 3: Start the Development Server


Navigate to your project folder in the terminal and run the development server with the following command:


        
php artisan serve

The development server will start, and you can access your Laravel application by opening your web browser and visiting `http://localhost:8000`.


Step 4: Explore Your Project


Now that your Laravel project is up and running, explore some key directories and files:


  • Routes: Define your application's routes in `routes/web.php`.
  • Views: You can find Blade templates in the `resources/views` directory. These templates are used to create the HTML structure of your application.
  • Controllers: Explore controllers in the `app/Http/Controllers` directory. Controllers handle the application's logic.
  • Models: In the `app` directory, you'll find the `User.php` model. Models represent your application's data and interact with the database.

Step 5: Create Your First Route


Open the `routes/web.php` file and create your first route. For example, to create a route that displays "Hello, Laravel!" in your browser, add the following code:


        
Route::get('/', function () {
    return 'Hello, Laravel!';
});

Save the file, and when you visit `http://localhost:8000`, you should see "Hello, Laravel!" displayed in your browser.


Conclusion


Congratulations, you've just created your first Laravel project and set up a basic route! This is just the beginning of your journey into Laravel development. You can now explore more complex features, such as database interactions, authentication, and creating dynamic web applications.


As you continue to learn Laravel, refer to the official Laravel documentation and community resources for in-depth tutorials and guidance. Happy coding!