Installing Laravel on a Windows machine in 2025 can be a seamless process if you follow the right steps. Laravel, a powerful PHP framework, is known for its elegant syntax that makes web development a joyful experience. This guide will walk you through the process to get you started on Windows.
Prerequisites
Before beginning the installation process of Laravel, ensure you have the following prerequisites installed:
- PHP 8.1 or higher: Laravel requires PHP 8.1+, which comes with new features and improvements.
- Composer: The PHP Dependency Manager, used to manage project dependencies.
- WAMP/XAMPP Server: A local server environment to facilitate PHP development.
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
Step 1: Install PHP
- Go to the official PHP website and download the latest version that is compatible with Laravel.
- Follow the instructions provided to install PHP and configure your system's environment variables.
Step 2: Install Composer
- Visit the Composer download page and download the installer for Windows.
- Run the installer and follow the guide to set up Composer on your system. Make sure to check the option to add Composer to your PATH.
Step 3: Install WAMP/XAMPP
- Download and install either WAMP or XAMPP to create a local server environment.
- Follow the installation instructions for the chosen server and start the server to ensure it's working correctly.
Step 4: Install Laravel
- Open a terminal or command prompt.
- Navigate to your projects directory with the command:
bash cd path\to\your\projects\directory - Use Composer to create a new Laravel project by running:
bash composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel my-laravel-app - Navigate into your new project directory:
bash cd my-laravel-app - Serve the application using Artisan:
bash php artisan serve
Visit http://localhost:8000 in your browser to see your Laravel application up and running!
Post-Installation Tips
To optimize your Laravel application, consider the following tips:
- Learn about Laravel caching to improve your application's performance.
- Follow best practices for structuring your project with guides like Laravel folder upload and avoiding nested forms.
Conclusion
Installing Laravel on Windows in 2025 is a straightforward process. By ensuring you have the necessary prerequisites and following these steps, you'll quickly have a powerful web application framework ready for development. Happy coding! ```
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