Migrate PHP to Laravel: A Step-by-Step Migration Guide

November 28, 2023 · 7 min read

How to Move Your Legacy PHP Application to Laravel

You have an old PHP application. It’s like an old reliable car that has taken you far in your coding journey. But now, technology moves so fast, and your old system can’t keep up. It’s time to switch to a Laravel-powered system, which will make your application run better and meet today’s web standards.

Upgrading to Laravel

Upgrading to Laravel isn’t just about looking good, it’s about making your system more stable, secure, and fast. In this guide, we’ll show you how to move your old code to a new Laravel framework without any problems. Get ready; it’s going to be quite the journey!

Whether you’re an experienced developer or new to Laravel, this article has useful tips for moving a legacy PHP application to Laravel. For beginners, we suggest reading our Laravel for Beginners series to learn the basics of this powerful framework. With knowledge from both sources, you’ll be ready to update your application with Laravel’s advanced features and practices.

Mapping out your Laravel journey

Before you start, you need to plan your transition from old PHP to Laravel:

Feature Audit: Look closely at your app. Figure out which features will work with Laravel and which need changes. For example, if your old application uses outdated custom authentication methods, you can switch to Laravel’s built-in authentication system to improve security and user management.
External Dependencies: Check if there are any third-party parts or APIs connected to your app. Make sure they work with Laravel, or find new solutions. For example, if your application depends on a specific payment gateway API, look for Laravel packages that work well with it, or consider using popular payment processors.
Database Considerations: Does your data need some changes to fit Laravel’s style? Laravel supports many database systems, like MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and SQL Server. If your current database structure needs adjustments to match Laravel’s way of doing things, you can use Laravel’s migration feature.
Human Resources: Who’s on board? Do you need to hire Laravel experts, or is your team ready to upskill?

Embarking on the Laravel route

Just like making sure your car is ready for a long trip, setting up your development environment for Laravel is important too.

Composer Installation: Composer and Laravel go together like GPS and cars. Make sure they are in sync. With Composer, you can easily add and update packages, which makes it easier to use third-party libraries in your Laravel application.
Laravel Setup: Start with a new Laravel installation in a new folder. This is where you begin updating your application. Starting with a clean install lets you build your application on a strong base and use Laravel’s features from the start.
Development Environment: Choose a comfortable development environment like Laravel Herd, Herd, or Sail. These tools are made for easy management. By picking the right development environment, you can work better and together with your team on the Laravel upgrade project.

Shifting to Laravel’s infrastructure

Now that your environment is ready, it’s time to get to work.

Directory Architecture: Laravel has its way of doing things. Populating the directory structure correctly will save lots of trouble later on. Place your controllers in the app/Http/Controllers directory, models in the app/Models directory, and views in the resources/views directory. This structured approach will help you navigate and maintain your codebase more effectively.
Routing: Plan your web routes in Laravel carefully so your web traffic runs smoothly. Use Laravel’s route parameters to take dynamic values from the URL and give them to the controller method for processing.

Refine your handling with Controllers and Middleware

You want a high-performance car to have great control, this is what Laravel’s controllers and middleware do.

Controllers: Instead of putting all your navigation logic in your route files, move it into "controller" classes. This is like making your car's driving better. Create a UserController class to manage user actions like registration, login, and profile management.
Middlewares: Middleware is like a custom filter for your apps, it’s like adjusting your car’s suspension for a race. Middleware is a handy way to check and improve incoming HTTP requests in your application.
Requests: Managing HTTP requests within Laravel’s Illuminate\Http\Request class is like having an advanced computer that responds to your commands with precision.
Controllers vs. Models: You may need to shift gears; You might need to redistribute some old logic. Laravel encourages keeping different parts of your code separate and following good software architecture principles.

Steering your database into Laravel’s lane

Migrations: Migrations in Laravel are like blueprints for setting up and managing your database. By making migration files, you can keep track of and apply changes to your database structure, which helps with consistency and version control. When moving your old database to Laravel, create migrations to copy the existing structure and change it as needed to match Laravel’s way of doing things.
Eloquent: This is Laravel’s ORM and it’s a beauty, but you’ll need to transition your legacy database code into Eloquent models and relationships. Eloquent is a powerful tool for interacting with your database using PHP objects and models.

Giving your app the Laravel look

You can’t forget about how your application looks. Use Laravel’s easy-to-use templating engine:

Blade Templates: Laravel’s Blade templating engine provides a powerful and intuitive way to create dynamic and reusable views. Convert your PHP views into Blade templates. They’re like a breath of fresh air for your UI.
Vue.js Integration: If you’re up for it, add Vue.js for a more interactive user experience. Vue.js is a modern JavaScript framework that lets you build dynamic and responsive interfaces easily.
Inertia.js and React for the Aerodynamics Edge - To really fine-tune your app, using Inertia.js with React is like adding an active spoiler, it’s modern and very efficient, perfect for those serious about being the best. Inertia.js is a tool that lets you build server-driven single-page apps using Laravel on the backend and JavaScript frameworks like React on the frontend.

Your assets need to be compiled just right, and Vite is the mechanic shop for all your front-end needs. Make sure your frontend packages work with Vite before migrating.

Laravel for Beginners: PHPUnit and PEST Tests

The victory lap: Testing your tuning

Unit Tests with PHPUnit: Laravel’s built-in PHPUnit testing is like a reliable co-driver, making sure every feature works well before you launch the app.
Pest: Pest makes testing PHP even better. It’s like the final touch that makes your car shine before race day. Pest is getting more popular, and it might be used more than PHPUnit soon.
Debugging Tools: Tools like Laravel Telescope and Tinkerwell can help you find small problems if something goes wrong.

FAQs

Why migrate to Laravel?

Moving to Laravel gives you better performance, more security, and access to modern tools and features. Laravel’s efficient routing, caching, and optimized database queries can really speed up your application. Laravel also has built-in security features like CSRF protection, secure authentication, and encryption. Plus, Laravel has many features and tools that make development easier, like an ORM system, a strong template engine, and a solid testing suite.

How long does it take to move a legacy PHP application to Laravel?

It depends on how complex your project is. There’s no quick fix, it’s a long race that takes time.

Can Laravel run alongside legacy PHP during the transition?

Yes! You can put your new Laravel app on a stagging server and check everything there before fully switching.

Should you refactor all your legacy code before moving to Laravel?

No. It’s better to replace parts slowly. Focus on areas that will improve performance or security the most.

How difficult is it to learn Laravel if you’re familiar with PHP?

It’s like switching from a manual car to an automatic one. There’s a learning curve, but it’s made for PHP developers, so you’ll learn it quickly.

How do I identify dependencies and third-party libraries?

To find dependencies and third-party libraries, list all the external libraries and APIs used by the old application, check if they work with Laravel, and find new options for outdated libraries.

How do I prepare the database for migration?

To get the database ready for migration, look at the database structure, move the data to a new database, and check that the data is correct and works well.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you’ve crossed the finish line! Updating your old PHP application to Laravel isn’t just about surviving in the digital world; it’s about doing well with a strong, secure, and modern application that’s ready for the future. Enjoy your journey on the Laravel road, and don’t forget to have fun!