Laravel Best Practices

Laravel is one of the most popular PHP frameworks used by developers to build modern web applications. It offers powerful built-in tools, clean syntax, and a developer-friendly structure that makes web development faster and easier. However, to get the best results from Laravel, it’s important to follow proven practices that improve code quality, performance, and security.

In this blog, we will explore the top Laravel best practices shared by industry experts to help you write better, cleaner, and more efficient code. From organizing your code to using the latest tools and features, these best practices will give you the confidence to deliver professional web solutions that are easy to maintain and upgrade. A PHP development company can gain client trust and improve its market reputation by following the best practices mentioned in this blog.

1. Overview of Laravel

Laravel is a PHP-based web application framework designed for elegant and efficient development. It offers features like routing, authentication, an ORM with the Eloquent model for managing database records and relationships, and a powerful templating engine. It follows the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture, separating presentation and business logic layers. With clean syntax and robust tools, Laravel simplifies common tasks, speeds up development, and supports scalable architecture, making it a preferred choice for building modern, full-featured web applications.

2. Laravel Best Practices

Following Laravel best practices ensures cleaner code, improved performance, and easier maintenance throughout your application’s development lifecycle. We’ll discuss the best practices for Laravel coding in three categories, which are:

2.1 Laravel General Practices to Follow

Let’s understand the twelve most common and essential best practices to keep in mind when developing applications with the Laravel framework:

1. Use the Latest Version

Using the latest version of Laravel is one of the most basic best practices to ensure your application benefits from the newest features, performance improvements, and security patches. Each new release includes optimizations, updated dependencies, and better developer tools that enhance productivity and code quality. Additionally, new Laravel versions often introduce new tools that further improve developer experience and functionality. Staying up to date also ensures long-term support and compatibility with modern PHP versions. It reduces technical debt and simplifies future upgrades.

Laravel’s active development cycle encourages developers to adopt newer versions regularly. Before upgrading, always test thoroughly in a staging environment to avoid issues in production. Keeping your Laravel project up to date helps maintain a stable and secure codebase.

2. Maintain Coding Standards

Adhering to coding standards in Laravel is essential for maintaining clean, consistent, and high-quality code. Laravel encourages developers to follow established PHP standards such as PSR-2 and PSR-4. PSR-2 provides a standard coding style that promotes uniform formatting, making it easier for teams to collaborate and maintain codebases. PSR-4, on the other hand, defines specifications for autoloading classes according to file structure and namespace alignment, which improves organization and enhances scalability.

While Laravel doesn’t strictly enforce these standards, following them ensures that your code aligns with broader PHP community practices. It also improves compatibility with packages and makes it easier for new developers to understand and contribute to the project. Maintaining a consistent code style results in fewer errors, better readability, and a smoother development workflow. Overall, respecting Laravel’s internal standards and community-recommended practices helps deliver reliable and professional web applications.

3. Use Artisan CLI

Using Laravel’s command-line interface, Artisan CLI, is a valuable best practice that significantly enhances productivity and application performance. Built on Symfony’s Console component, Artisan simplifies many common development tasks through powerful command-line utilities.

• Developers can use commands like php artisan config:clear followed by php artisan config:cache to merge all configuration files into a single cache file, reducing I/O operations and improving load times.
• The commands php artisan route:clear and php artisan route:cache help boost routing performance by pre-compiling routes. However, if your application uses closures in routes, avoid route caching. 
• The php artisan optimize command further increases performance by compiling views and streamlining the class autoloader.

These commands not only speed up the development workflow but also ensure the application runs efficiently in production. Regularly using Artisan for optimization and cache management is a smart approach to maintaining a high-performing and well-structured Laravel application.

4. Eloquent ORM

The Eloquent ORM implements the Active Record software design pattern to simplify database interaction using PHP classes instead of typical SQL queries. The ORM contains a model associated with each database object. 

• Always define relationships like hasOne, hasMany, or belongsTo clearly to simplify queries.
• Use eager loading (with) to reduce unnecessary database calls and improve performance.
• Keep models focused by avoiding business logic in them. Use service classes if needed.
• Use accessors and mutators for consistent data formatting. When querying large datasets, paginate results instead of loading everything at once.

5. Regular Review and Refactoring

As your application grows and requirements evolve, some parts of the code may become outdated, inefficient, or unnecessarily complex. Regular code reviews allow teams to identify such areas, ensuring the codebase stays consistent with Laravel’s conventions and modern development standards.

Code refactoring means improving the internal structure of code without changing its behavior. In the context of Laravel, this could involve breaking down large controllers into smaller, reusable methods or moving logic into service classes or jobs for better separation of concerns. Removing unused code, simplifying conditionals, and updating deprecated functions also contribute to a cleaner architecture.

Code reviews also promote team collaboration by allowing developers to share feedback, catch potential bugs early, and maintain consistent coding styles. Tools like Laravel Pint and static analysis tools can help automate the process and enforce coding standards.

6. Follow the Laravel Naming Convention

Laravel follows PSR standards, which recommend clear and predictable naming patterns. These patterns help communicate the purpose and working of variables, functions, classes, and other elements used in Laravel code. For example, model names should be singular and use PascalCase, like Product or User. Controller names also follow PascalCase and often end with “Controller,” such as OrderController. Table names should be plural, like products or orders, and use snake_case formatting. Variable and function names use camelCase, such as $userName or getTotalPrice().

Adhering to these conventions helps Laravel automatically map resources correctly, such as linking models to their corresponding database tables. These conventions help organize your codebase into a well-defined, coherent structure. They also reduce confusion and errors, especially in larger projects or team environments. Sticking to Laravel’s standard naming practices ensures your codebase remains clean, predictable, and aligned with the framework’s internal logic, ultimately making development more efficient and your applications easier to manage.

7. Business Logic in Service Class

Instead of placing complex logic inside controllers or models, service classes handle specific tasks or workflows, such as user registration or order processing. This separation of concerns makes your code easier to test, reuse, and update. It also keeps controllers focused on handling HTTP requests and responses, improving readability. By isolating business logic, your application becomes more scalable and easier to debug. This approach promotes a cleaner architecture and helps teams manage larger Laravel projects more effectively over time.

 Bad Example:

public function store(Request $request)
{
    if ($request->hasFile('avatar')) {
        $img = $request->file('avatar');
        $img->storeAs('temp', $img->getClientOriginalName(), 'public');
    }
 
    // Other unrelated logic...
}

Good Example:

public function store(Request $request, ProductService $productService)
{
    $productService->uploadProductImage($request->file('avatar'));
 
    // Other unrelated logic...
}
 
class ProductService
{
    public function uploadProductImage(?UploadedFile $img): void
    {
        if ($img) {
            $img->storeAs('uploads/temp', uniqid() . '_' . $img->getClientOriginalName(), 'public');
        }
    }
}

8. Use Plugins Wisely

Laravel comes with a variety of packages and plugins that are useful for developers. While using plugins can add functionality to web solutions, users should select them wisely. Avoid adding too many third-party packages, as each one introduces dependencies that may affect performance or security. Always review the code quality, community support, and compatibility of a plugin before using it. Unused or poorly built packages can bloat your application and make updates more difficult. When possible, prefer Laravel’s built-in features or write custom solutions for simple tasks.

The DRY principle in Laravel encourages reducing repeated logic using abstraction and automating repetitive tasks. Unneeded package features can be safely disabled, helping to streamline your project without affecting its overall functionality or stability. Being selective with plugins ensures a lightweight, secure, and maintainable application that’s easier to manage and scale in the long run.

9. Test Isolation

Test isolation ensures that each test runs independently without relying on the outcome or state of other tests. By following this practice, you improve the accuracy of your test suite and reduce the chance of bugs slipping into production. In an isolated testing environment, tests do not share data, files, or application states, which helps identify issues more accurately and prevents false positives or negatives. Laravel provides several tools to support test isolation, such as the RefreshDatabase trait, which rolls back the database after each test, ensuring a clean slate every time. Test isolation allows developers to write focused and reliable tests that are easier to debug and maintain. 

Each test should set up its own required data and environment, ensuring that test results are predictable and consistent regardless of the order in which tests are executed. Avoid sharing state or applying global mocks across tests, as this can lead to unexpected behaviors. Use Laravel’s actingAs() method to simulate users without affecting other tests while testing APIs or authentication features.

10. Debugging

Laravel includes its own debugging tools, but using additional packages like Laravel Debugbar can greatly enhance your debugging experience. Debugbar offers detailed insights into requests, database queries, memory usage, and more, all displayed directly in your browser. It registers a service provider that automatically attaches debug information to your application’s output. This helps developers identify performance bottlenecks and optimize their code effectively.

For browser-based testing, Laravel Dusk is an excellent tool. It allows you to simulate user interactions in a real browser environment using ChromeDriver or other Selenium-compatible drivers. Dusk is especially useful for testing front-end behavior and full workflows, ensuring your Laravel applications perform correctly in real-world scenarios.

11. Keep Database Clean

Laravel applications rely heavily on database operations. Hence, keeping the database clean is vital for better performance, security, and maintainability.

• Remove unused tables, columns, and outdated data regularly to avoid unnecessary storage and confusion.
• Use proper naming conventions and keep relationships clearly defined. 
• Run database migrations carefully, avoiding redundant or repetitive changes. 
• Clear outdated cache files from the database while preserving essential session data.
• Regularly remove old backup entries to free up space and maintain optimal database performance and cleanliness.

12. Use Factories and Seeders

Model factories allow you to quickly generate fake data for your models, making it easier to test features and populate your application with sample content during development. You can define the structure of your dummy data using Laravel’s built-in Faker integration, which generates realistic values like names, emails, and dates.

Seeders are used to insert generated data into the database. Seeder classes use methods like DB::table or Eloquent to insert data within the run method. The DatabaseSeeder class, found in the database/seeders directory, serves as the main entry point, coordinating and executing other individual seeders for structured database seeding. Running seeders helps developers simulate real-world scenarios, validate application logic, and identify issues early in the development process. This is especially useful when setting up your application in different environments, as it allows for consistent and repeatable data creation.

2.2 Laravel Security Best Practices

Website or application development is the primary goal of any software project. However, it should not be considered the end in itself. To achieve the objectives, the website must be free from security flaws. Now, let us look at the top five Laravel best practices that should be considered from the security perspective of the application. They are:

1. Avoid Directly Using .env in Code

Avoid accessing .env variables directly in your Laravel code, as it can lead to tight coupling and reduced flexibility. Instead, use Laravel’s config() helper to retrieve environment values. This approach promotes cleaner, more maintainable code and allows easier configuration management across different environments and deployment stages.

Follow this:

// config/api.php
'api_secret_key' => env('API_SECRET_KEY'),
 
// Use the data
$apiSecretKey = config('api.api_secret_key');
 
// Avoid this
$apiSecretKey = env('API_SECRET_KEY');

2. Add a Secure Layer of SSL and HTTPS

SSL encrypts sensitive information such as login credentials, payment details, and personal data, protecting it from interception or tampering. It makes the information unreadable to anyone except the intended recipient. 

Laravel makes it easy to enforce HTTPS using middlewares, which automatically redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS. Additionally, updating the application’s configuration and setting secure cookies provides further protection. Using HTTPS not only improves security but also builds user trust and enhances search engine ranking. Implementing SSL is essential for maintaining a safe and professional Laravel application.

3. Use CSRF Tokens

Laravel automatically generates a CSRF token for each active session, including AJAX calls, which must be included in form submissions. The framework then verifies this token on the server side to ensure the request is legitimate. This prevents attackers from tricking users into submitting unintended requests, thereby strengthening the security of forms and sensitive user interactions within the application.

4. Prevent SQL Injection by Avoiding Raw Queries

In a SQL injection attack, the attacker executes malicious SQL queries by inserting unfiltered or improperly handled user input into the query structure. These inputs can come through cookies, server variables, and methods like GET and POST. Follow the best practices given below to protect your application from SQL injection threats:

• Use Eloquent ORM: Work with Laravel’s Eloquent ORM or its query builder instead of writing raw SQL. These tools automatically protect against SQL injection by safely handling user input.
• Parameterized Queries: Always use parameter binding when writing database queries. This ensures that input values are treated strictly as data, not as part of the SQL command, preventing injection attempts.
• Input Validation: Apply strong validation rules to all incoming data to filter out unexpected or harmful content, reducing the chance of malicious SQL commands being executed.
• Stored Procedures: Place your database logic inside stored procedures whenever possible. This adds a security layer by limiting how directly users or inputs can affect your SQL operations.
• Database User Permissions: Grant each database user only the access they need. This reduces the risk of damage if a user account is compromised, keeping sensitive data safer.

5. Sanitize User Input

User inputs must be properly validated to prevent security threats such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). These attacks can take many forms, so no input source should be trusted blindly—whether it comes from form submissions, URL parameters, cookies, or file uploads. To help safeguard your application, below are some proven strategies you should implement to effectively sanitize and validate all types of user input:

• Input Validation: Always check that user input matches the required format or type. This helps prevent harmful data from entering your system and reduces the chances of security issues like injection attacks.
• Use Laravel’s Built-in Validation Tools: Laravel’s built-in validation features, such as form request classes and validation rules, enforce correct input and maintain data consistency.
• Avoid Using Raw Dynamic Queries: Do not create SQL queries by directly inserting user input into them. Instead, use parameter binding to safely insert values and protect your database from injection attacks.
• Escape Output: Use Laravel’s Blade templating engine, which automatically escapes output by default. This ensures that any user content displayed on your site does not run harmful scripts.
• Content-Length Limitations: Apply limits to the amount of data a user can submit through forms or uploads. This helps prevent attackers from overwhelming your server with large payloads, protecting against DoS attacks.

2.3 Tips For Laravel Performance Optimization

Laravel applications often encounter various performance issues, including the “N+1” query problem, excessive use of the Eloquent ORM, insufficient server resources, such as CPU and memory for resource-intensive operations, and storing large session variables.

Addressing these challenges is essential for the smooth operation of applications. Follow these best practices to enhance the performance of Laravel applications.

1. Check and Optimize Load Time

The loading time of a page directly affects a website’s performance. The shorter the loading time, the more time users will spend on your page, which boosts user engagement and conversion rates.

2. Route Caching

Large-scale applications have different numbers and types of configurations and routes throughout the code. Route caching helps by grouping multiple routes into a single command, eliminating the need to configure each one manually. This reduces page load time. The application can retrieve routes whenever required without configuring them every time for each user request. 

The command below is used to cache the routing data:

php artisan route:cache

Remember that the cache remains active as long as the user is active on the site. It expires as soon as the user session is terminated. Any structural modification, such as changes to route files, requires running the route cache command mentioned above. To clear the route cache, execute the following command:

php artisan route:clear

3. JIT Compiler

Integrating a JIT compiler into a Laravel application can greatly improve runtime efficiency by converting parts of the code into machine-level instructions during execution. This process enhances performance across routing, controllers, and models. By aligning the application’s structure with the compiler, developers can achieve faster processing and better resource utilization, ultimately resulting in a more responsive and efficient web application.

4. Avoid N+1 queries

N+1 query problems can slow down Laravel applications by triggering multiple database calls inside loops.

// User model
class User extends Model {
    public function posts()
    {
        return $this->hasMany(Post::class);
    }
}
 
// Post model
class Post extends Model {
    public function user()
    {
        return $this->belongsTo(User::class);
    }
}

//BAD EXAMPLE
 
$posts = Post::all();
foreach ($posts as $post) {
    echo $post->user->name . ': ' . $post->title . '
';
}
 
//GOOD EXAMPLE
 
$posts = Post::with('user')->get();
foreach ($posts as $post) {
    echo $post->user->name . ': ' . $post->title . '
';
}

Eager loading addresses this by retrieving all related records in a single query, minimizing database interactions. Using methods like with() in Laravel ensures that associated data is loaded efficiently, significantly boosting performance and reducing unnecessary query execution, especially when handling large collections of related models.

5. Optimize Composer

Laravel relies on Composer to manage its dependencies, including both development and production packages. During development, Composer installs dev dependencies that aid in testing and debugging. However, for a live application, retaining these can lead to slower performance. To optimize for production, you can run:

composer install --prefer-dist --no-dev -o

This excludes unnecessary development tools and creates an optimized autoloader, reducing load times and resource usage. However, it’s essential to ensure that no required runtime packages are excluded during this process, as missing dependencies can lead to functional errors or even critical application failures in a production environment.

3. Final Words

Incorporating Laravel best practices from the beginning sets a strong foundation for successful development and ensures the creation of high-quality web applications that are secure, performant, and future-proof. Regularly updating dependencies, keeping up with the latest Laravel versions, implementing caching mechanisms, and exploring new features will ensure applications remain cutting-edge and aligned with industry best practices.