Laravel Development: A Walkthrough in 2024 - Part 1

Introduction

It is important to make an informed choice on which technology to build your website. Selecting a weaker framework would mean you are compromising on the performance & security of your website. Moreover, choosing an old horse means you have the possibility of not having the ability to improve your website's performance.

That's where Laravel Development comes into the picture. Laravel is a robust PHP framework that provides high performance & tight security. Additionally, it also holds the capacity to bring constant updates. In reality, Laravel is becoming stronger & more popular with each passing day.

Now, let's move ahead and understand what is the USP of Laravel.

What is the USP of Laravel Development?

This is a point of ponder for real. Thinking about what makes Laravel development so exceptional is always a point to discuss. But, Laravel's unique USP of renewing itself makes it more efficient. It is just WOW to see how quickly time changes & demand alters.

But, the Laravel framework ensures it goes hand-in-hand with time to meet the changing requirements of web development. This results in Laravel becoming a popular option for website development.

Let's roll slightly down & check how the evolution of Laravel looks.

The history & evolution of Laravel

Laravel has a long history of evolution as it is continuously growing. Since its birth in 2011, Laravel has come up with ten versions, & the most recent one was launched on 14th February 2024.

Let's briefly understand all the 10 versions of Laravel

Laravel version 1.0

If you ever had this question about when was Laravel version 1.0 launched remember it was launched in June 2011.

According to our favorite Wikipedia, Laravel 1.0 was included in built-in support with authentication, localization & other varied mechanisms. However, it was lacking in some parts, i.e. it lacked support for controllers, which failed it to become a true MVC framework.

Laravel version 2.0

Soon after the 1.0 version, Laravel 2.0 was released in September 2011

Some of its new features included support for controllers, which finally made Laravel 2.0 a full MVC-compliant framework. Moreover, it also built-in support for the inversion of control principle, & a templating system that was known as Blade.

But the biggest drawback was, the support for third-party packages was removed from Laravel 2.0. Despite not using Laravel around this time, I would say the third-party package was removed because the framework wasn't using Composer yet.

Laravel version 3.0

Without a further delay, Laravel version 3.0 was released on February 22, 2012

This version brought the old Artisan to the forefront. Moreover, it expanded its compatibility with several database management systems, introduced data migrations, etc. Version 3.0 significantly boosted Laravel's popularity.

Laravel version 4.0

Laravel version 4.0 which was codenamed Illuminate, was launched on May 28, 2013. Some of its new features include:

• Rewriting the code

• The framework was now based on multiple packages

• These packages were distributed through a Composer.

• It also has built-in support for message queues.

• Moreover, it has built-in support for sending different types of emails.

• It has built-in support for delayed deletion of database records known as soft deletion.

Laravel version 5.0

Soon after version 4.0, the next version i.e. Laravel 5.0 was launched. Some of its features are:

Folder Structure Changes

The directory was removed. The code is now in the folder, under the App namespace.

Controllers, middleware, and requests are in the directory.

Middleware is now individual class files.

The directory replaces the files.

Moved language files and views to the directory.

Contracts

Major components use interfaces from the illuminate/contracts repository.

Route Cache

A new Artisan command speeds up route registration.

Route Middleware

Supports HTTP middleware.

Authentication and CSRF filters are now middleware.

This simplification retains the key information and context of the original text.

There are a few more features that Laravel version 5.0 brings to the table

Laravel version 6.0

Laravel 6.0 LTS, released on September 3, 2019, introduced several new features:

Semantic Versioning

Now adheres to semantic versioning standards for more predictable updates.

Laravel Vapor Compatibility

Supports Laravel Vapor, a serverless platform for easy scaling on AWS Lambda. It simplifies managing applications, SQS queues, databases, Redis clusters, and more.

Laravel UI Package

Frontend scaffolding moved to a separate Laravel/UI package, removing Bootstrap and Vue from the default setup. The make:auth command is now part of this package, and frontend scaffolding is installed using the ui Artisan command.

This summary retains the original information and context but presents it more concisely.

There are a few more features that Laravel version 6.0 brings to the table

Laravel version 7.0

A Laravel version 7.0 was released on March 3, 2020. Some of its unique features are as follows:

• It has multiple mail driver support

• It also enables route coaching speed improvements

• It also allows a CORS support

• It can perform Query time casts.

Laravel version 8.0

Version 8.0 of Laravel was released on September 8, 2020, with some exciting features to offer:

• It offers a feature of event listener with some improvements

• Added helpers to the time tester feature

• It also has artisan service improvements

• It also provides a feature of RouteService provider changes.

Laravel version 9.0

Laravel version 9.0 was launched on the 15th of February, 2022. It has some unique features like

• Has some improvements in the nested array inputs

• It developed a Laravel Breeze AI Next.js starter kit

• It also redesigned its open-source debug page.

• Major enhancements in Laravel 9.x.

Laravel version 10.0

The latest version of Laravel 10.0 was launched on 14th February 2023. It came out with a few unique features which are:

Argument and return type annotations were added to all methods in the application skeleton and generation stubs, removing unnecessary doc block hints. Fully compatible with older applications.

Introduced the Process facade for managing external processes, including features for concurrent process handling, fake process testing, and specific process assertions.

Laravel Pennant, is a new package for feature flag management, with support for in-memory and database storage, feature definition methods, and Blade directives for feature checks.

Added a --profile option for the Artisan test command to highlight the slowest tests in CLI output, aiding in performance optimization.

Support for Pest testing framework as an opt-in for new projects, enabled with the --pest flag during application setup.

Updated the generator commands to be more user-friendly by eliminating the need for initial input and instead prompting for necessary details.

Significant design updates to Horizon and Telescope UIs, focusing on improved aesthetics and user experience.

Now, let's see why Laravel is the most suitable choice for web development.

Why Laravel is the most suitable choice for web development

Laravel has quite a lot of advantages that makes it a WOW option for website & web application development. All 15 reasons make Laravel the best web-based development framework.

Let's understand all of them in detail:

1. Widespread Community Support

Laravel's vast user base offers extensive help, ensuring you find solutions to any issues you encounter.

2. Robust Security

Laravel provides strong built-in security features to protect your site from hackers, ensuring it remains safe and secure.

3. Developer-Friendly

The framework offers optimized code for all your website needs, simplifying development and reducing costs.

5. Effective Error Handling

Laravel allows for efficient error detection and correction, particularly in form submissions, enhancing user alertness to issues.

6. Mail Service Integration

With Laravel's API and drivers, sending emails and notifications to customers is straightforward, enhancing communication.

7. High Performance

Laravel ensures your website loads quickly, which is crucial for search engine rankings and user experience.

8. Multilingual Support

The framework supports multiple languages, allowing you to reach a wider audience and boost sales.

9. Easy Testing

Laravel comes with built-in tools for testing web applications and websites, helping identify and fix flaws to improve the user experience.

10. Suitable for Large Projects

Ideal for both large-scale and smaller projects due to its scalability, Laravel facilitates continuous development and improvements.

11. Task Scheduling Management

The command scheduler feature simplifies task management, allowing for efficient project development.

12. Database Migration

Laravel ensures secure data migration, reducing the risk of data theft and simplifying database schema sharing.

13. Cost-Effective

Being open-source with pre-built libraries, Laravel reduces development costs and project completion time.

14. Quick Market Entry

The framework's libraries are easy to integrate, speeding up website updates and market entry.

15. Traffic Handling

Laravel keeps your website operational under high traffic, preventing crashes and maintaining your reputation.

16. Extensive Library Selection

Laravel's massive library caters to almost any website requirement, supported by its large community and continuously growing resources.

What are the top 6 characteristics of the Laravel framework

Laravel has several features that enable you to have the best experience when writing code & creating a web page or application. Below, I've mentioned a few valuable features that make Laravel the most popular.

Innovative Template Engine

Templates are always WOW as they allow software developers & web developers to be simple & fast in the development process. Moreover, templates offer an option of adding personalization to your web page. Laravel provides a variety of templates to choose from, these are light & easy to integrate.

MVC architecture

MVC is the abbreviated name for Model View Controller. It fastens up the development process for your site by separating both frontend & backend. Several frameworks are compatible with MVC architecture, one of them is Laravel.

OOL Libraries & OEM libraries

Laravel comes with object-oriented libraries and a tool called ORM for managing databases. The libraries help with things like monitoring user actions, resetting passwords, and protecting against security threats. ORM makes working with databases faster and easier.

Secure & Strong

Keeping your website safe is a must today, and Laravel helps with that. It has many security features to prevent common types of cyberattacks and keep your important data safe.

Automated Tasks using the Artisan tool

Laravel includes a tool called Artisan which helps you use built-in commands to automate boring tasks. This can save you time and money when you're building websites or web apps.

Installation & management of activities

You need to manage tasks, so Laravel lets you schedule jobs like cleaning up databases or sending emails. Each time you schedule a task, it records it on the server, making it easy for you to keep an eye on things.

So that’s it from the first part. I’ll meet you in the second part with some other things revolving around Laravel from a web development viewpoint. Before we end up the discussion let’s quickly wrap up by running a recap of what we learned.

Wrapping Up!

In conclusion, Laravel stands out as a premier choice for web development in 2024 due to its robust features, continuous evolution, and strong community support. 

With its history of consistent updates and improvements, Laravel ensures that developers have access to a framework that is both modern and efficient. Its unique selling proposition (USP) lies in its ability to adapt and evolve, making it highly suitable for projects of any size or complexity. 

From its innovative template engine and MVC architecture to its secure and scalable environment, Laravel provides an array of tools and features designed to enhance productivity and performance.

Whether you're building a small website or a large-scale application, Laravel's extensive library, automated task management, and developer-friendly ecosystem make it a wise choice for any web development project. 

As we move forward, Laravel's commitment to excellence and innovation continues to make it the go-to framework for developers looking to build high-quality, secure, and performant web applications.

We’ve gathered common questions about Laravel that people and our customers frequently ask and are happy to share our answers with you at Laravel Answers