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Introduction

Laravel is one of the most popular PHP frameworks used by developers worldwide. Known for its elegant syntax, powerful tools, and developer-friendly features, Laravel makes it easier to build modern web applications. Whether you're just starting with PHP or switching from another framework, setting up your first Laravel project can be a smooth process when you follow the right steps.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the complete process of creating a new Laravel project from scratch — from installation to basic configuration — so you can get started with confidence.

Step 1: Install PHP, Composer, and Node.js

Before creating a Laravel project, make sure you have:

• PHP >= 8.1

• Composer installed

• Node.js and npm (for frontend dependencies)

php -v
composer -v
node -v
npm -v

Step 2: Create a New Laravel Project

Open your terminal and run:

composer create-project laravel/laravel project-name

Replace project-name with your desired project folder name.

Alternatively, you can use Laravel Installer:

composer global require laravel/installer
laravel new project-name

Step 3: Navigate to Your Project

Go to your project directory:

cd project-name

Step 4: Serve the Application

Start Laravel’s development server:

php artisan serve

Visit http://localhost:8000 in your browser to see the Laravel welcome page.

Step 5: Configure Environment (.env)

Open .env file and set your database and app configuration:

APP_NAME=MyLaravelApp
APP_URL=http://localhost:8000

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

Step 6: Generate App Key

Laravel requires an app key:

php artisan key:generate

This will update your .env with a secure APP_KEY.

Step 7: Run Migrations

Create database tables:

php artisan migrate

Step 8: Install Frontend Dependencies

For styling and JS (optional):

npm install
npm run dev

Step 9: Start Developing

Now your Laravel project is ready! Start creating routes, controllers, and views.

Optional Tips for Beginners

• Use Laravel Sail for a Docker-based environment.

• Explore Laravel Breeze or Jetstream for authentication scaffolding.

• Always commit your .env.example to version control, not .env.

Conclusion

Setting up a new Laravel project is straightforward if you follow the above steps. Once your environment is ready, you can focus on building your web application without worrying about setup issues.