Laravel is a PHP-based web application framework. It provides tools for building powerful and robust applications. It is an open-source framework that offers structure, saving time when planning and building large applications. Laravel is one of the most secure platforms using a PHP base. It includes built-in features for user authorization, such as login, registration, and forgotten password. 

Laravel Setup on Windows 10 

1) Install Composer on Windows: 

Follow the link for composer installation steps. Click here.

2) Check the server requirements for the setup: 

• PHP >= 7.3 

• BCMath PHP Extension 

• Ctype PHP Extension 

• Fileinfo PHP extension 

• JSON PHP Extension 

• Mbstring PHP Extension 

• OpenSSL PHP Extension 

• PDO PHP Extension 

• Tokenizer PHP Extension 

• XML PHP Extension. 

3) Installing Laravel: 

Type the following command in your command prompt window:  

• composer global require “Laravel/installer”. 

• composer create-project –prefer-dist Laravel/Laravel Project name: this command will install Laravel and other dependencies, and it also generates the ANSI key. 

4) Create Database for Project:   

• Go to phpMyAdmin, click on Create a new tab. 

• Name the database. 

• Press the create button. 

5) Update .Env file: 

APP_NAME=Laravel 

APP_ENV=local 

APP_KEY=base64:TJ9Sob7KFPhL5XkqT+TyQux3x7UbW08QLb0xtirLWSs= 

APP_DEBUG=true 

APP_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8000 

LOG_CHANNEL=stack 

LOG_LEVEL=debug 

DB_CONNECTION=mysql 

DB_HOST=127.0.0.1 

DB_PORT=3306 

DB_DATABASE=first-laravel 

DB_USERNAME=root 

DB_PASSWORD= 

6) Migrate database:  

Create tables in the database for Laravel access, which also helps in database version control following are the commands for migration. 

• PHP artisan make migration create_database_table: This command is used to create the DB migration file in your ‘database/migration’ folder. 

• PHP artisan migrate: used to run the pending migration changes to the database 

7) Start development server: 

PHP artisan serve: This command starts your development server. 

8) Go to the IP URL that you see on your CMD screen. 

Following these steps, you will definitely be able to set up Laravel on your Windows system. 

What are the common errors and fixes? 

We will discuss the common errors that you can face while installing Laravel on Windows 10 with XAMPP. Moreover, we will share some fixes as well that you can implement to fix the common errors: 

1 Error: Port Problem (Apache/MySQL) 

If there is a problem in starting Apache or MySQL, this simply means that another program is also using the same port. Therefore, you have to change the port from 80 to 8080 in XAMPP settings. 

2 Error: Composer Error 

Sometimes, you may face errors with the Composer, like Composer is not added to the system Path. To fix this issue, kindly reinstall Composer or install it manually in the environmental variables. 

3 Error: PHP Extension Issue 

Laravel installation needs a few PHP extensions, including mbstring, pdo, and openssl. So, you have to enable these PHP extensions in php.ini by eliminating the semicolon before the extension line. 

4 Error: Memory Limit Problem 

In case you are dealing with the memory limit issue, or the allowed memory size is exhausted. Kindly increase the memory limit in php.ini. 

These are the common errors that you can face and fix easily while installing Laravel on the Windows operating system. 

Final Words 

At first, you might find the Laravel installation task tricky, but with the above guide, you can easily proceed with the Laravel installation on Windows 10 XAMPP. The steps are so simple: Installing Laravel, setting up Composer, creating a Laravel project, and configuring it. With these steps, the process will become easier for all users to install Laravel on Windows 10 XAMPP. 

We have also listed a few common errors that can arise during the Laravel installation. This blog has also shared fixes to deal with these common issues. You can make your development faster and deployment smoother. 

Frequently Asked Question:

Q: How do I install Laravel 8 on Windows 10 without XAMPP? 

A: You can install Laravel 8 on Windows 10 without XAMPP, using Composer with PHP installed on your system. Also, you can use WAMP/MAMP instead of XAMPP to install Laravel 8 on Windows 10 without XAMPP. 

Q: What is the required PHP version for Laravel 8? 

A: PHP 7.3 or higher version is required for Laravel 8 installation on Windows 10. So, make sure your XAMPP is using a compatible PHP version before the installation task. 

Q: Can I run multiple Laravel projects on XAMPP? 

A: Yes, you can run multiple Laravel projects on XAMPP by assigning unique localhost URLs for each Laravel project. 

Q: Why is Composer required for Laravel installation? 

A: Composer is needed to manage Laravel dependencies, helping you get the correct packages and updates that are essential for your Laravel installation.