How to become a successful Laravel Developer - A complete guide

In the dynamic world of web development, mastering a powerful framework can open doors to numerous opportunities. If you are confused about which framework to put your time and effort into, then we suggest the most popular and in-demand open-source PHP framework – Laravel. 

Laravel, a popular PHP framework, has gained immense popularity for its elegant syntax and feature-rich ecosystem. If you’re aspiring to become a proficient Laravel developer, read on as in this blog we will give you a step-by-step roadmap to kickstart your journey in the world of Laravel development.

What is Laravel?

Before diving into the technical aspects, it’s crucial to understand what Laravel is and why it holds immense significance in the realm of web development. Even though we can find many developers claiming PHP to be a “Dead framework” it is still in wide use all over the world. So any confusion regarding whether spending your time and effort in mastering Laravel web development might be a waste is not true. You can rest assured that Laravel Development holds a wide range of rich opportunities.

To move on to what Laravel is, Laravel is an open-source PHP web framework known for its elegant syntax and a platter of built-in features that help in easier and faster development. It follows the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architectural pattern, ensuring clean and organized code. Its popularity is attributed to features such as Eloquent ORM, Blade templating engine, and artisan command-line tool.

What does a Laravel Developer do?

As obvious it might be a Laravel Developer specialises in developing projects and applications using the Laravel framework. The major responsibilities of a Laravel Developer include:

Building New Applications using the Laravel Framework

The major responsibility that comes with being a Laravel developer is to build and create applications using the framework for the company they work for or their clients. As a developer, you will be entrusted with developing various applications that include: Single Page Applications (SPA), multi-page applications (MPA), dynamic, and even portal web applications.

Maintaining existing applications with Laravel

Web applications require constant and frequent maintenance, hence a Laravel Developer merely does not just create new applications, but maintains existing ones as well. Maintenance includes regular big fixes and updating the application to better suit the user.

UI Testing

When launching new applications or even redesigning old and existing applications, Laravel developers need to perform user-interface testing. This can be done using tools like Parasoft, Selenic, Katalon, etc, but it is also required to have manual testing from your end for best results.

Documentation

The developers are also required to create complete documentation of their applications which can help the users to install and use the same with ease and not many complications. Software development documentation is also required from the developers that will help other developers to work on their applications.

How to Become a Laravel Developer – Basics 

Prerequisites 

To embark on your journey as a Laravel developer, you need a solid foundation in PHP, HTML, CSS, and a basic understanding of databases. Install PHP, a web server (like Apache or Nginx), and a database (MySQL or PostgreSQL) to get started.

• Learn PHP

Use the advantages of the digital world and educate yourself on how to build applications using a PHP framework. The best source will be online tutorials as they will give a complete guide and view of how PHP works

• Learn Laravel Basics

Use the same source – online tutorials, to learn the basics for a beginner. Being popular and in demand you can find numerous tutorial videos and podcasts that can help you begin your journey in Laravel Development

• Setting up Laravel

Utilise Composer, a dependency management tool, to install Laravel. Use the Laravel installer or the command-line tool to create a new project. This creates the basic structure needed for your application.

• Explore the Structure

 Familiarise yourself with Laravel’s directory structure, which helps maintain a clean and organized codebase. Key directories include app (core application code), resources (views, assets), and routes (URL routing).

Building Real-world Applications

Explore and build up your skills by engaging yourself in small-scale projects that will help you learn Laravel with better use cases and trial-and-error methods. This can help you to learn about the framework and how to put your literal knowledge into practical skills.
Becoming a proficient Laravel developer requires dedication, continuous learning, and hands-on experience. By understanding the core concepts, mastering essential tools, and building real-world applications, you can pave your way toward a successful career in Laravel development. Embrace the Laravel community, explore its vast ecosystem, and stay updated with the latest trends to excel in this ever-evolving field. Remember, the journey may be challenging, but the rewards are worth the effort.