Getting Started with Laravel: A Complete Beginner's Guide

Source: Dev.to

Why Laravel Is the Right Starting Point

Starting web development with PHP can feel confusing. You learn syntax, write small scripts, and suddenly you are expected to build full applications with authentication, databases, and security. Many beginners quit at this stage because everything feels unstructured and overwhelming.

Laravel exists to solve exactly this problem. It gives beginners a clear path, a clean structure, and professional tools that make learning modern backend development realistic and achievable. This guide walks you step‑by‑step through getting started with Laravel, even if you have never used a framework before.

By the end of this article, you will understand:

• What you need before learning Laravel
• How Laravel projects are structured
• How requests flow inside Laravel
• How to create your first working Laravel application

Laravel is beginner‑friendly, but it is not a replacement for basic PHP knowledge.

Prerequisites

Before starting Laravel, you should be comfortable with:

• PHP variables and arrays
• Functions and conditional statements
• Basic understanding of how websites work (request and response)
• Basic database concepts like tables and rows

You do not need to be an expert. Laravel is actually a great way to improve your PHP skills while building real projects.

Required Tools

Laravel uses Composer, PHP’s dependency manager. Composer ensures all required libraries are installed correctly.

• PHP (recommended version according to Laravel documentation)
• Composer
• A database system (MySQL is commonly used)

Once these are installed, you are ready to create your first Laravel project.

Creating Your First Laravel Project

composer create-project laravel/laravel my-first-laravel-app

The command:

• Downloads Laravel
• Sets up project folders
• Installs dependencies

cd my-first-laravel-app
php artisan serve

Visit http://localhost:8000. If you see the Laravel welcome page, your environment is ready.

Laravel Project Structure

app/        # Application logic (controllers, models, services)
routes/     # Route definitions (URL → logic)
resources/  # Blade templates, CSS, frontend assets
database/   # Migrations, seeders, factories
public/     # Public entry point (index.php) and assets

Understanding this structure early will save you from confusion later.

Request Flow

1. The request enters through public/index.php.
2. Laravel checks the defined routes.
3. The matching controller method is called.
4. The controller fetches data from models.
5. A view is returned to the user.

This flow ensures clean separation of logic, easier debugging, and better maintenance.

Routes

Routes define what happens when a user visits a page.

// routes/web.php
Route::get('/welcome', function () {
    return view('welcome');
});

• The route responds to a GET request at /welcome.
• For real applications, routes should point to controller actions rather than inline closures.

Controllers

Controllers group related logic into one place, keeping the project organized and scalable.

Typical responsibilities:

• Fetch data from the database
• Validate user input
• Return views or JSON responses

Blade Views

Blade is Laravel’s templating engine. It enables:

• Reusable layouts
• Cleaner HTML
• Secure output rendering

A common pattern is a master layout that other pages extend, reducing duplicated code and simplifying design updates.

Environment Variables

Database credentials and other configuration values are stored in the .env file, keeping them secure and flexible.

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=your_database
DB_USERNAME=your_user
DB_PASSWORD=your_password

Migrations

Migrations let you define database tables using code.

Benefits:

• Version control for database structure
• Easy rollbacks
• Team‑friendly development

Instead of manually creating tables, migrations keep everything consistent across environments.

Eloquent ORM

Eloquent lets you work with database records as objects.

• Models represent tables.
• Methods represent queries.

This approach leads to cleaner, safer, and more readable database code compared to raw SQL scattered throughout the application.

Validation

Handling user input safely is critical. Laravel provides:

• Built‑in validation rules
• Automatic error handling
• Clean feedback for users

Using validation rules from day one keeps your application secure and user‑friendly.

Authentication

Laravel includes a ready‑made authentication system with features such as:

• Login
• Registration
• Password reset
• Email verification

These components follow industry security standards, making Laravel suitable for professional applications.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping PHP basics
• Editing core framework files
• Ignoring Laravel’s conventions
• Writing business logic in views
• Not understanding the request flow

Avoiding these pitfalls early will help you grow faster.

Starter Projects

Begin with small, meaningful projects to reinforce concepts:

• Todo application
• Simple blog
• Contact form system
• User management system

These projects teach real‑world Laravel concepts without overwhelming you.

Learning Approach

The most effective way to learn Laravel is by:

• Building projects
• Reading the official documentation
• Debugging your own mistakes
• Continuously improving code quality

Consistency matters more than speed.

Conclusion

Laravel removes the frustration from PHP development and replaces it with clarity, structure, and confidence. For beginners, Laravel provides:

• A clean learning path
• Professional development standards
• Tools that grow with your skills

If you want to become a serious backend developer, getting started with Laravel is one of the smartest decisions you can make.