Laravel 11 Release Unveils Game-Changing Features!

Summary

The open-source PHP web framework Laravel is popular for developing scalable web applications. Based on MVC architecture, it is a robust PHP framework that facilitates backend development. 

Its Blade templating engine further enables developers to create a dynamic frontend for your application. Laravel is known for its elegant syntax, scalability, flexibility, accessibility, huge community, and continuous upgrades. 

Major Laravel updates are released every year around February with minor releases every week or so. We already have another major update of the PHP framework – Laravel 11, released on February 6, 2024. 

If you are already a Laravel user or want to leverage the latest Laravel version for building your web application, then this blog is for you. In this blog post, you will see various new features and upgrades that the Laravel 11 brought forward. 

We will also discuss what the update means for existing Laravel users and the reasons businesses should consider migrating to Laravel 11. So get set and read all of it before you decide to hire Laravel developers for your next project!

Laravel 11 New Features

The latest version obviously comes with a lot of new exciting features and benefits that can elevate your development game; one of the many reasons why businesses bend towards upgrading to the latest version. 

Let’s check what are some notable Laravel 11 changes!

Dropped Support for PHP 8.1

We already have PHP 8.2 and PHP 8.3 versions in their stable state. With two new upgraded PHP versions, the need to use PHP 8.1 in Laravel 11 becomes absolute. Thus, Laravel 11 has dropped support for PHP 8.1. 

However, it doesn’t signify you will have to immediately upgrade to the latest version. You can update your application gradually as per your needs.

Minimalistic App Structure

The new streamlined app structure of Laravel 11 is to deliver a modern experience and a leaner interface while retaining many of the already existing Laravel concepts. 

• Application Bootstrap File: Your application’s high-level behavior settings are now unified in a bootstrap/app.php file. It enables you to customize your app’s middleware, exceptional handling, service providers, etc. 

• Service Providers: Earlier default Laravel app structure had about 5 service providers. But Laravel 11 includes a single AppServiceProvider, which may contain the functionalities of the other service providers. 

• Configuration Files: Your config directory doesn’t contain any default configuration files. So, instead of using individual configuration files, all your configuration files are configured via the .env file. 

In Laravel 11, you can use the config:publish Artisan command to configure any files you need. The new cascade feature lets you remove the options you don’t wish to customize, giving you complete control over the configuration. 

You can also publish all configuration files using the following command: 

php artisan config:publish –all

• Opt-In API and Broadcasting Routing: Since most applications don’t require api.php and channels.php route files, these are not available by default and can be added using Artisan commands. It simplifies coding for you and gives your structure a more modular and customizable app structure. 

• Middleware: Before the Laravel 11 release, these applications contained 9 middleware for trimming input strings, authenticating requests, and validating CSRF tokens. In the Laravel 11 update, these middleware have been moved to the framework so your application structure doesn’t get bulky. 

• Scheduling: Define scheduled tasks directly in the routes/console.php file, eliminating the need for a separate Kernel class. 

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schedule;

Schedule::command(‘emails:send‘)->daily();

App Defaults: New Laravel applications use SQLite for database storage, session management, cache, and queue management. Thus, you don’t have to worry about installing any additional software or setting up database migrations and start development easily.

Kernel Console Removed

The dedicated Console Kernel file is removed in Laravel 11. Developers can now define their console commands in the routes/console.php files where you can store all Artisan commands. It helps ease the management of console commands during development.

Per-Second Rate Limiting

For rate limiters, Laravel now supports per-second rate limiting for queued jobs and HTTP requests. Earlier, these were set at per-minute granularity. 

RateLimiter::for(‘invoices‘, function (Request $request) {

   return Limit::perSecond(1);

});

Graceful Encryption Key Rotation

Laravel encrypts all cookies, which means changing the encryption key logs out all users and makes data encrypted with the old key unreadable. Laravel 11 lets you list old encryption keys in the APP_PREVIOUS_KEYS environment variable, so you can change keys without these issues.

Model::casts() Method Live in Laravel 11

In Laravel 11, Model casts are defined as methods and not as property. Defining them as methods helps call other methods directly from casts. Earlier, you had to declare attribute casting in an eloquent model. However, you can now use the casts() method to easily define casting in Laravel 11.

New Artisan Commands

Laravel founder Taylor Otwell introduced some new Artisan commands to help create classes, interfaces, and traits quickly. 

php artisan make:class

php artisan make:interface

php artisan make:trait

Laravel 10 Vs Laravel 11: A Brief Comparison

Are you a Laravel 10 user and contemplating if you should upgrade to Laravel 11 or not? Then, this comparison table should come in handy. 

Why Businesses Should Upgrade To Laravel 11?

As every update brings exciting new features, upgrading to the latest version becomes a lucrative option for businesses. Here, let’s check the various reasons why businesses should consider upgrading to Laravel 11. 

• Elevated Performance: Laravel 11 helps improve the performance of your web application with enhancements like an improved caching mechanism, fast routing, optimized database queries, and increased speed. 

• Improved Developer Experience: With more elaborate documentation, improved debugging tools,  and error-handling functionalities, you can develop faster and more effortlessly. 

• Blade Templating Enhancements: The revamped Laravel 11 templating engine Blade offers more flexibility for designing reusable views for your web application. 

• Backward Compatibility: Laravel 11 is backward compatible, which makes it suitable for businesses to upgrade to the latest version with minimal effort. 

• Laravel 11 New Features: From streamlined API development to improved authentication, Laravel 11 has introduced several new features and functionalities. 

Pro Tip: Who should upgrade to Laravel 11? Anyone who needs to build robust, scalable, and secure web applications. But most importantly, if you are a Laravel 9 user, you must note that the security fixes have ended as of February 6th, 2024. Laravel will no longer support it. Also note that Laravel 10 will receive bug fixes until August 6, 2024, and security fixes till February 4, 2025. 

Want to upgrade to Laravel 11 or build a web app using the latest Laravel version? Our team can assist you with the design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance of your website seamlessly. Our pre-vetted team of experts can help you right from consultation to providing custom Laravel development solutions for your unique needs. 

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Conclusion

Laravel 11 introduces a range of exciting features and updates that enhance the framework’s functionality, security, and user-friendliness. With the introduction of a simplified approach for managing console commands directly within the routes/console.php file and the innovative Schedule facade, developers can enjoy streamlined application configuration and task scheduling. The default use of SQLite for database storage simplifies the initial setup process, allowing developers to dive straight into building applications. 

Furthermore, the new ability to specify previous encryption keys ensures smoother transitions and enhances data security during key rotations. Overall, Laravel 11’s updates reflect a strong focus on efficiency, security, and developer convenience, reinforcing its position as a leading PHP framework for modern web application development.