Laravel is one of the most widely used PHP web frameworks in the world. It is known for its simplicity, scalability, and flexibility. If you are looking to start a PHP project, Laravel may be the perfect template for you. In this article, we will discuss how to run a Laravel project on localhost.
What is Localhost
Before we dive into running Laravel, let us define what "localhost" means. Localhost is a term used to refer to the computer you are using or the server hosting your web application. When working on a Laravel project, localhost is an essential concept as it allows you to test the project locally before deploying it to a live server.
Running Laravel on Localhost – Steps
Step 1: Install the Laravel Installer
The first step in running Laravel on your localhost is to install the Laravel installer. The installer is a command-line interface tool that helps you create new Laravel projects and manage existing ones. To install the Laravel installer, open a terminal window on your computer and type:
composer global require laravel/installer
This command installs the Laravel installer globally on your computer. Once the installation is complete, you can create a new Laravel project using the command:
laravel new my_project_name
The above command creates a new Laravel project named "my_project_name." You can replace the name with the name of your project.
Step 2: Start the PHP development server
After creating a new Laravel project, the next step is to start the PHP development server. To do this, open a terminal window, navigate to the root directory of your project, and type:
php artisan serve
When you run this command, you should see output like:
Laravel development server started: http://localhost:8000
The development server is now running on port 8000 on your localhost.
Step 3: Open your web browser and access the Laravel project
To access your Laravel project, open your web browser and enter the URL http://localhost:8000. This URL loads the homepage of your Laravel project.
Troubleshooting
If you run into any issues while trying to run your Laravel project, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot:
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Make sure your environment meets Laravel's requirements. Laravel requires PHP version 7.3 or higher and some PHP extensions to be installed and enabled. You can check Laravel's requirements in their official documentation.
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Make sure the PHP development server is running. If you were not able to start the server, try running the command again.
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If you see a "404 Not Found" error when accessing your project, make sure the route you are trying to access exists and is correctly defined in your project.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed how to run a Laravel project on localhost. We have covered the steps required to install the Laravel installer, start the PHP development server, and access your Laravel project. We hope this article has been helpful and provides you with essential information to start developing Laravel projects on your localhost.
let's dive deeper into the three steps and troubleshooting of running a Laravel project on localhost.
Step 1: Install the Laravel Installer
Before installing the Laravel installer, ensure that you have Composer installed on your system. Composer is a dependency manager for PHP, and Laravel uses it extensively. To install Composer, go to Composer's official website and download the Composer binary file.
Once you have Composer installed, you can run the command to install the Laravel installer globally on your system:
composer global require laravel/installer
This command installs the Laravel installer globally on your system, allowing you to create new Laravel projects with ease.
Step 2: Start the PHP Development Server
After creating a new Laravel project using the Laravel installer, the next step is to start the PHP development server. The PHP development server is essential for testing your Laravel project locally before deploying it to a live server.
To start the PHP development server, navigate to the root directory of your project using the terminal and run the command:
php artisan serve
Running this command starts the development server on port 8000 (by default) and opens up the Laravel homepage for you in your default browser. However, if you would like to use a different port, you may specify it after the serve command, like this:
php artisan serve --port=9000
In the above command, the PHP development server is started on port 9000.
Step 3: Access Your Laravel Project
Once the PHP development server is up and running, you can access your Laravel project in your web browser by entering the URL http://localhost:8000. This URL will direct you to the Laravel homepage.
At this point, you can proceed to develop your Laravel project, set up the database, create new routes, controllers, and views, as well as any other customization to suit your specific project needs.
Troubleshooting
When running a Laravel project on localhost, issues may arise due to different factors. Here are some common troubleshooting techniques you can try:
- Ensure that you have the correct PHP version. Laravel requires PHP version 7.3 or higher. To check your PHP version, run the following command in your terminal:
php -v
If you have the wrong PHP version, you can install the correct one or upgrade your current PHP version using the instructions provided by the developer's website.
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Make sure that all the necessary PHP extensions are installed. Laravel requires several PHP extensions, including OpenSSL, PDO, Mbstring, Tokenizer, and XML. You can check to ensure that they are all installed and enabled by running the command:
php -m
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Verify that the route you are trying to access is correctly defined. If you are getting a
404 Not Founderror, the chances are high that the route you are trying to access is not correctly defined. You can check your routes by opening your project'sweb.phpfile located in theroutesfolder. -
Check your database configuration. Ensure that you have configured your database correctly in the
.envfile. Make sure the credentials are correct and that the database exists. -
Check your server logs. If none of the above helps resolve your issue, check the server logs in your terminal to see if there are any error messages:
tail -f storage/logs/laravel.log
The above command checks the Laravel log file and outputs the latest log entries. If there is any error message, the logs will give you a clearer indication of where the issue lies.
Conclusion
Running a Laravel project on localhost is easy as long as you follow the three steps outlined in this article. Always make sure that you have the correct PHP version installed and all the necessary PHP extensions are enabled. If you encounter any problems, follow the troubleshooting techniques outlined above.
Popular questions
Sure, here are five questions with answers about running a Laravel project on localhost:
Q: What is the first step to run a Laravel project on localhost?
A: The first step is to install the Laravel installer by running the command "composer global require laravel/installer" in your terminal.
Q: How do you start the PHP development server for a Laravel project?
A: Navigate to the root directory of your Laravel project in your terminal and run the command "php artisan serve."
Q: What URL do you use to access your Laravel project on localhost?
A: To access your Laravel project on localhost, use the URL "http://localhost:8000" in your web browser.
Q: How can you troubleshoot issues when running a Laravel project on localhost?
A: You can troubleshoot issues by checking your PHP version and necessary extensions, verifying your routes, checking your database configuration, and reviewing server logs in your terminal.
Q: What is the purpose of the Laravel installer?
A: The Laravel installer is a command-line interface tool that helps you create new Laravel projects and manage existing ones. It also provides a basic project structure and installs all the necessary dependencies for the project.
Tag
"Laravel Development"
