Laravel 12: An Early Look at the Future of Web Development

In the web development community, there is an undercurrent that is set to be quite disruptive and take the developer world by storm. 

Yes, we are indeed referring to Laravel 12, the latest anticipated version of one of the most popular PHP frameworks. 

Currently in beta, this release brings a host of enhancements aimed at improving developer productivity, streamlining project setup, and introducing new features that will make building complex web applications even more efficient. 

In this blog, we’ll examine Laravel 12’s key new features and provide guidance on how to start testing and contributing to this exciting new version.

Table of contents

• When will Laravel 12 be released?
• Install and test Laravel 12 right now
• What’s new in Laravel 12: Features and changes
• How to contribute your suggestions to Laravel 12

By the end of this blog, you will know exactly what to expect with the latest update and how to make the most of it in your next web development project.

When will Laravel 12 be released?

Laravel follows a regular release schedule, with new versions typically arriving every six months. While the exact release date for Laravel 12 hasn’t been confirmed, it is expected to be released during Q1 of 2025. The beta version is already available for developers who want to get an early start on exploring the new features. This beta phase is crucial as it allows the Laravel community to test the new features, report bugs, and suggest improvements, ensuring that the final release is as stable and polished as possible.

The Laravel team encourages developers to experiment with the beta version in non-production environments. This helps identify any issues that might arise when the new features are put into real-world use, giving them time to address the problems before the official release.

How to install and test Laravel 12 

If you’re eager to dive into Laravel 12 and explore its new features, you can install the beta version. 

Since Laravel 12 is not yet officially released, you can utilize the –dev flag with the official Laravel installer. This will pull the latest code from the main branch of the laravel/laravel repository, ensuring you have access to the most up-to-date version.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:

1. Ensure you have the latest composer version: Before you install Laravel 12, make sure you have the latest version of Composer. Laravel 12 requires the most up-to-date dependencies and features, which might not be compatible with older versions of Composer. You can update Composer by running:

composer self-update

2. Create a new Laravel project: To create a new project using the Laravel 12 beta, use the following Composer command:

composer create-project –prefer-dist laravel/laravel your-project-name “12.x-dev”

Replace your-project-name with the desired name of your project. This command will set up a new Laravel application using the latest 12.x development version.

3. Explore the new features: Once your project is set up, you can start exploring the new features and enhancements in Laravel 12. Whether testing the improved application structure or experimenting with the new real-time features, getting hands-on experience will help you understand how these changes can benefit your future projects.

4. Provide feedback: As you explore Laravel 12, consider providing feedback to the Laravel development team. Reporting any bugs you encounter or suggesting improvements will contribute to the overall quality of the final release.

Wondering what features you can expect with the latest update of Laravel? Here’s what the future holds!

What’s new in Laravel 12: Features and changes

Laravel 12 introduces several new features and improvements designed to enhance developer productivity and simplify the process of building modern web applications. Below are some of the most notable changes in this release:

1. Enhanced application structure

Laravel 12 continues the trend seen in Laravel 11 by refining the application structure to be even more streamlined and minimalistic. This means that when you start a new Laravel project, the initial setup will be cleaner, with fewer files and directories cluttering your workspace. The enhanced structure includes:

• Simplified directory layout: Laravel 12 further organizes the directory structure, making it easier to navigate and manage your application files. For example, configuration files have been grouped more logically, reducing the need to hunt through multiple folders to find what you need.

• Improved configuration options: The configuration files in Laravel 12 have been optimized to be more intuitive, with better defaults that require less customization. This helps developers get up and running faster, focusing on coding rather than configuring.

This cleaner setup not only reduces the cognitive load for developers but also makes it easier to onboard new team members who might be unfamiliar with Laravel.

2. Real-time features

Real-time applications, such as chat systems, live notifications, and collaborative tools, are becoming increasingly common. Laravel 12 builds on the real-time communication features introduced in previous versions by making it easier to implement these features in your applications. Key improvements include:

• Seamless WebSocket integration: Laravel 12 enhances WebSocket support, allowing developers to integrate real-time features with less effort. This includes simplified configuration and better performance when handling multiple real-time connections.

• Enhanced broadcasting: Broadcasting events to clients in real-time has been made even more straightforward. With Laravel 12, you can send updates to users as soon as something changes on the server, providing a more dynamic and responsive user experience.

These improvements make it easier for developers to create applications that require instant updates, such as stock tickers, sports scores, or live feeds, without having to rely on third-party services or complex setups.

3. Improved developer tools

Laravel has always been known for its developer-friendly tools, and Laravel 12 takes this to the next level with several new features aimed at improving the development workflow. Some of the key enhancements include:

• New artisan commands: Artisan, Laravel’s command-line tool, is a powerful resource for developers, and Laravel 12 expands its capabilities with new commands. These commands help with everything from managing migrations to debugging issues, making the development process more efficient.

• Better integration with Telescope and Horizon: Laravel Telescope, a debugging assistant, and Laravel Horizon, a queue management tool, are now more tightly integrated with the framework. This means developers can monitor their applications in real-time, gain insights into performance bottlenecks, and manage background jobs more effectively.

These tools are especially beneficial for large projects where performance and reliability are critical. They provide developers with the information they need to diagnose issues quickly and optimize their applications for better performance.

4. Security enhancements

Security is always a top priority in web development, and Laravel 12 introduces several enhancements that make it easier to build secure applications. These updates focus on providing better protection against common vulnerabilities and improving the security of APIs and user data. Key security enhancements include:

• Stronger API authentication: Laravel 12 simplifies the process of securing APIs with improved authentication mechanisms. This includes better support for token-based authentication, making it easier to build secure, scalable APIs.

• Enhanced encryption defaults: Encryption is a critical aspect of securing sensitive data, and Laravel 12 introduces stronger encryption defaults. This ensures that your application’s data is protected by modern encryption standards without requiring additional configuration.

These security enhancements help developers build applications that are resilient against attacks, ensuring that user data remains safe and secure.

How to contribute your suggestions to Laravel 12

Laravel has a thriving community of developers who actively contribute to the framework’s growth and improvement. If you have ideas for new features or want to fix bugs, contributing to Laravel 12 is a great way to get involved in the open-source community. Here’s how you can contribute your own changes to Laravel 12:

• Fork the Laravel repository: Start by visiting the Laravel GitHub repository and forking it to your account. This gives you a personal copy of the Laravel codebase that you can modify.

• Clone your fork locally: Once you’ve forked the repository, clone it to your local machine using Git. This allows you to make changes to the code and test them locally before submitting them to the main Laravel project.

• Make your changes: Whether you’re adding a new feature, fixing a bug, or improving documentation, make sure your changes adhere to Laravel’s coding standards. It’s also a good idea to write tests for your changes to ensure they work as expected.

• Submit a pull request: After you’ve made and tested your changes, submit a pull request (PR) to the main Laravel repository. In your PR description, provide a detailed explanation of what your changes do and why they are necessary. This helps the Laravel maintainers review your contribution and decide whether to merge it into the framework.

• Engage with the community: Once your PR is submitted, be prepared to engage with the Laravel community. Respond to feedback, answer questions, and collaborate with other contributors to refine your changes.

Contributing to Laravel is a rewarding experience that helps improve the framework and enhances your skills as a developer. It’s a great way to give back to the community and be part of something that’s used by millions of developers worldwide.

The road ahead

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