Laravel Tutorial for Beginners #1 - Introduction & Setup

Introduction

This tutorial series is designed for beginners who want to learn how to create web applications using Laravel, one of the most popular PHP frameworks. In this first video, you'll set up your development environment and become familiar with the tools and resources you'll need throughout the series.

Step 1: Install PHP and Composer

To start building applications with Laravel, you need to have PHP and Composer installed on your machine.

1. Install PHP:

   • Download the latest version of PHP from the official website: PHP downloads.
   • Follow the installation instructions specific to your operating system.

2. Install Composer:

   • Download Composer from the official site: Get Composer.
   • Follow the installation instructions for your operating system. Composer is essential for managing Laravel dependencies.

Step 2: Set Up Laravel

Once you have PHP and Composer installed, you can create a new Laravel project.

1. Open Terminal or Command Prompt.

2. Create a new Laravel project using Composer:

   composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel project-name
   

   • Replace project-name with your desired project folder name.

3. Navigate to your project directory:

   cd project-name
   

Step 3: Set Up a Local Development Server

You will need a local server to run your Laravel application.

1. Use Laravel's built-in server:

   • Start the server by running:

   php artisan serve
   

   • This command will start a server at http://localhost:8000.

2. Access your application:

   • Open your web browser and go to http://localhost:8000 to see your Laravel application in action.

Step 4: Install a Code Editor

A good code editor will enhance your development experience.

1. Choose a code editor:

   • Popular options include Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, and PHPStorm.

2. Install and configure the editor:

   • Download and install the editor of your choice.
   • Consider installing relevant extensions for PHP and Laravel to improve functionality.

Step 5: Review Documentation and Resources

Familiarizing yourself with Laravel's documentation and resources will be beneficial.

1. Explore Laravel documentation:

   • Visit the official Laravel documentation: Laravel Docs.

2. Access course files:

   • Download the course files from the GitHub repository: GitHub Repository.

3. Consider additional learning resources:

   • If you need a refresher on PHP and MySQL, check out the PHP & MySQL Crash Course: PHP & MySQL Course.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you have set up your development environment for Laravel by installing PHP, Composer, and a local server. You also learned how to create a new Laravel project and access it through your browser. As you continue with this series, ensure you have a code editor ready and familiarize yourself with the Laravel documentation to enhance your learning experience. Next, you'll dive deeper into building your first application!