How To Install Laravel?

Installing Laravel is simpler than it looks: builders just need PHP and Composer on their machine, then one command creates a ready-to-run project. The steps are to install PHP, install Composer (PHP's dependency manager), create a new project with composer create-project laravel/laravel example-app, and start the server with php artisan serve. 

In a few minutes, you go from nothing to a running Laravel application you can open in the browser. Getting set up and building from there is part of Acquaint Softtech's Laravel development services.

Laravel runs on PHP, so install it first (the current Laravel needs PHP 8.3 or higher). The commands differ by operating system, and Laravel's official installation documentation lists the full requirements:

Next, install Composer, the dependency manager that pulls in Laravel and its packages. Download it from getcomposer.org and install it like any other program, then confirm it works. 

Composer is what makes the rest of the process a single command, and it is the foundation of almost all Laravel web application development at Acquaint Softtech.

Now create the project. Open your terminal, navigate to the folder where you want it, and run composer create-project laravel/laravel example-app, which downloads Laravel and all its dependencies (this can take a couple of minutes depending on your connection). 

You can also install the Laravel installer once with composer global require laravel/installer and then use the shorter laravel new example-app for every new project, which can even scaffold a starter kit at the same time. 

Finally, run cd example-app and php artisan serve to start the development server, then open http://localhost:8000 to see your new app. Building on that foundation is part of custom Laravel development.

A few quick steps get you ready to build. Open the .env file in your project root and set your database connection (driver, host, port, name, username, and password). Run php artisan migrate to create the tables from Laravel's migrations, and php artisan key: generate to set the application key that secures encrypted data (composer create-project usually does this for you). With that done, your app is ready, a fast start that suits Laravel startups at Acquaint Softtech.

There is an even easier route today, which the original guide predates. Laravel Herd is a free native app for macOS and Windows that bundles PHP, a web server, and the tools you need in one install, so builders can skip the manual PHP setup from Step 1 entirely and get a new project running in moments. 

Laravel Sail offers a ready-made Docker environment that includes PHP, a database, and more, which is handy when you want everyone on the team working in an identical setup. Either way, you spend less time configuring and more time building, one of the reasons teams choose Laravel, as covered in why use Laravel for web development.

How do I install Laravel on Windows? Install PHP and Composer, then run composer create-project (or use Laravel Herd to skip the manual setup). Do I need Composer? Yes, it installs Laravel and its dependencies. 

What is laravel new? The Laravel installer's command for creating new projects quickly. How do I run Laravel after installing? With php artisan serve. What PHP version do I need? PHP 8.3 or higher for the current Laravel. Getting the right local setup is the kind of call Laravel consulting services at Acquaint Softtech can help with.

Once installed, the fun part is exploring what Laravel gives you: Eloquent ORM for the database, the Blade templating engine for views, and the Artisan command-line tool for automating tasks, all included and designed to work together. That completeness is a big part of what makes Laravel the best choice for PHP web development.

Installing Laravel comes down to PHP, Composer, and one create-project command, then a few post-install steps, and modern tools like Herd make it even quicker. To set up and build your project the right way, you can hire Laravel developers from Acquaint Softtech, an Official Laravel Partner, who get your environment production-ready from day one.

And that is how you install Laravel on your computer. By following these steps, installing PHP and Composer, creating the project, starting the server, and completing a few post-install tasks, builders get a fully functional Laravel installation ready to serve as the foundation for their next web application.

From here, explore Laravel's features and keep building, and you will quickly see why it is such a popular choice for modern web development.