Creating and Running a Laravel Project in ServBay

Overview

ServBay is a powerful local web development environment designed specifically for macOS. It comes bundled with a range of popular software packages including PHP, Node.js, Python, Go, Java, multiple databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB), caching services (Redis, Memcached), and web servers (Caddy, Nginx, Apache).

This document will guide you through quickly creating, configuring, and running a Laravel project using the ServBay environment. We'll make use of ServBay's built-in PHP environment, the Composer package manager, and robust "Website" (formerly "Host") management to streamline the entire process.

What is Laravel?

Laravel is a popular open-source PHP web application framework developed by Taylor Otwell. It follows the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architectural pattern and provides a wealth of out-of-the-box features aimed at streamlining common web development tasks such as authentication, routing, session management, caching, and database operations. Known for its elegant syntax, rich feature set, and strong community support, Laravel is a top choice for building modern and maintainable web applications.

Key Features and Advantages of Laravel

• Elegant Syntax: Clean, expressive code that enhances development efficiency and readability.
• Eloquent ORM: A powerful ActiveRecord implementation for simple and intuitive database interaction.
• Artisan Console: A suite of helpful CLI tools to handle migrations, code generation, running tests, and more.
• Blade Templating Engine: Clean templating syntax for building dynamic views quickly and intuitively.
• Rich Ecosystem: Thousands of official and third-party packages easily integrated through Composer.
• Vibrant Community Support: An active community providing abundant resources, tutorials, and solutions.

Advantages of Developing Laravel Projects with ServBay

ServBay streamlines Laravel development by providing the following benefits:

• Integrated Environment: Pre-installed with multiple PHP versions, Composer, and popular database and cache services. No need for manual installation or configuration.
• Easy Management: Conveniently switch PHP versions, manage website configurations, and start/stop services via ServBay’s graphical interface.
• Pre-configured Web Server: Utilizes Caddy by default, with optimized settings for popular PHP frameworks (including Laravel) to make web server setup effortless.
• HTTPS Support: Automatically configures SSL certificates (issued by ServBay User CA) for .local domains. HTTPS is enabled by default, ensuring a secure and production-like local development experience.

Creating a Laravel Project

ServBay recommends storing your website projects in the /Applications/ServBay/www directory. This helps keep your file structure clean and projects well organized.

1. Verify Composer Installation

   ServBay comes with Composer already installed—you don’t have to set it up separately. You can verify Composer is available via the terminal:

   composer --version

   If the command shows a version number, Composer is ready to use.

2. Create a New Laravel Project

   Open your terminal, navigate to the ServBay recommended directory, and use Composer to create a new Laravel project. Let’s name the project directory servbay-laravel-app:

   cd /Applications/ServBay/www
   # Create the project directory
   mkdir servbay-laravel-app
   # Enter the project directory
   cd servbay-laravel-app
   # Use Composer to create a new Laravel project in the current directory
   composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel .

   Composer will download and install Laravel along with its dependencies.

3. Enter Project Directory

   Confirm your current terminal location is the root of your newly created Laravel project:

   cd /Applications/ServBay/www/servbay-laravel-app

Initial Configuration

1. Generate the Application Key

   Laravel uses an application key to secure user sessions and encrypted data. In your project root (/Applications/ServBay/www/servbay-laravel-app), run the Artisan command to generate an app key:

   php artisan key:generate

   This command will generate and set the APP_KEY in your .env file.

2. Configure Environment Variables (.env)

   Laravel uses the .env file for managing environment-specific settings such as database connections and app URLs. Open the .env file in your project root and configure as needed. Make sure the following basic settings are correct:

   APP_NAME=ServBay Laravel Demo
   APP_ENV=local
   APP_KEY=base64:... # This is generated by php artisan key:generate
   APP_DEBUG=true
   APP_URL=https://servbay-laravel-test.local
   
   LOG_CHANNEL=stack
   
   # Database configuration example (MySQL)
   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=servbay_laravel_app # Your desired database name
   DB_USERNAME=root # ServBay default database user
   DB_PASSWORD=password # ServBay default database password
   
   # Cache/queue config example (Redis)
   CACHE_STORE=redis
   REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1
   REDIS_PASSWORD=null # ServBay Redis defaults to no password
   REDIS_PORT=6379
   
   # Cache/queue config example (Memcached)
   # CACHE_STORE=memcached
   # MEMCACHED_HOST=127.0.0.1
   # MEMCACHED_PORT=11211

   Note: You may need to adjust DB_*, REDIS_*, or MEMCACHED_* as appropriate for your setup. ServBay’s default database credentials can be found in the ServBay control panel.

Configuring the Web Server (Add a Website in ServBay)

Use ServBay’s website management to route your domain to the public directory of your Laravel project.

1. Open the ServBay Control Panel

   Start the ServBay app and open the control panel.

2. Add a New Website

   Go to the “Websites” section in the ServBay control panel. Click the add button (usually a + or similar) to create a new website entry.

3. Fill in Website Information

   Configure your website as shown below:

   • Name: My First Laravel Dev Site (any name helpful for identification)
   • Domain: servbay-laravel-test.local (the domain you wish to use in your browser)
   • Site Type: PHP
   • PHP Version: Pick a PHP version compatible with your Laravel version, e.g. 8.3.
   • Site Root: /Applications/ServBay/www/servbay-laravel-app/public (Important: Must point to the public folder inside your Laravel project root)

   For in-depth steps and options, see ServBay’s official guide on Adding Your First Website (look for the English version link).

4. Save and Apply

   Save your website configuration. ServBay will automatically update the web server settings (Caddy by default). If prompted, restart the web server as instructed.

Verifying Basic Access

At this point, your Laravel project should be accessible via your configured domain.

1. Open Your Browser

   Enter your configured domain, e.g. https://servbay-laravel-test.local, into your browser.

2. Check the Results

   If everything is set up correctly, you should see Laravel's welcome page.

Add a Simple Example Route

For a clear verification, you can add a simple route in routes/web.php that returns "Hello ServBay!".

Open the routes/web.php file in your project directory and add or modify this:

<?php

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;

/*
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Web Routes
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| Here is where you can register web routes for your application. These
| routes are loaded by the RouteServiceProvider within a group which
| contains the "web" middleware group. Now create something great!
|
*/

Route::get('/', function () {
    return 'Hello ServBay!'; // Add or modify this line
});

// ... other routes

Save the file, then visit https://servbay-laravel-test.local again. You should now see Hello ServBay! in your browser.

Database Integration Examples

Laravel features a robust database abstraction layer and ORM (Eloquent), making it easy to interact with a variety of databases. ServBay comes pre-installed with MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, and Memcached—perfect for local development and testing.

NoSQL Database Examples

ServBay has Redis and Memcached already integrated, and the necessary PHP extensions are pre-installed.

Memcached Example

1. Configure .env

   Add Memcached connection settings to your .env file (if not already configured):

   CACHE_STORE=memcached
   MEMCACHED_HOST=127.0.0.1
   MEMCACHED_PORT=11211 # ServBay default Memcached port

2. Using Memcached

   Try this route in your routes or controllers to interact with Memcached via Laravel’s Cache facade:

   Add the following to routes/web.php:

   use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
   
   Route::get('/memcached-test', function () {
       // Store data in cache for 10 minutes (600 seconds)
       Cache::put('servbay_memcached_key', 'Hello from Memcached on ServBay!', 600);
   
       // Retrieve data from cache
       $value = Cache::get('servbay_memcached_key');
   
       if ($value) {
           return "Memcached Data: " . $value;
       } else {
           return "Memcached data does not exist or has expired.";
       }
   });

   Visit https://servbay-laravel-test.local/memcached-test to test.

Redis Example

1. Configure .env

   Add Redis connection settings to your .env file (if not already configured):

   CACHE_STORE=redis
   REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1
   REDIS_PASSWORD=null # ServBay Redis defaults to no password
   REDIS_PORT=6379 # ServBay's default Redis port

   Note: If you have both Memcached and Redis configured as cache stores, ensure only one is active (comment out the other) in your .env.

2. Using Redis

   Use Laravel’s Redis facade or the Cache facade to store and retrieve data from Redis.

   Add the following route in routes/web.php:

   use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Redis;
   // Or use Cache facade, provided CACHE_STORE=redis
   // use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
   
   Route::get('/redis-test', function () {
       // Using the Redis facade
       Redis::set('servbay_redis_key', 'Hello from Redis on ServBay!');
       $value_redis = Redis::get('servbay_redis_key');
   
       // Or using the Cache facade (if CACHE_STORE=redis)
       // Cache::put('servbay_redis_key', 'Hello from Redis on ServBay!', 600);
       // $value_cache = Cache::get('servbay_redis_key');
   
       return "Redis Data: " . $value_redis;
   });

   Visit https://servbay-laravel-test.local/redis-test to try it out.

Relational Database Examples (MySQL & PostgreSQL)

ServBay comes with MySQL and PostgreSQL servers pre-installed. Laravel’s Eloquent ORM can easily connect to both.

First, create a database for your project. You can use ServBay’s database management tools (like phpMyAdmin, Adminer, pgAdmin, accessible from the ServBay control panel) or a command-line client to create the servbay_laravel_app database.

Next, we’ll use Laravel migrations to create a database table.

1. Create a Migration

   In your project root, run this Artisan command to create a new migration:

   php artisan make:migration create_accounts_table --create=accounts

   This will generate a migration file in database/migrations.

2. Edit the Migration

   Open the newly created migration file (named like YYYY_MM_DD_HHMMSS_create_accounts_table.php) and update the up method to define the structure:

   <?php
   
   use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
   use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
   use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
   
   return new class extends Migration
   {
       /**
        * Run the migrations.
        */
       public function up(): void
       {
           Schema::create('accounts', function (Blueprint $table) {
               $table->id();
               $table->string('name');
               $table->string('email')->unique();
               $table->timestamps(); // Adds created_at and updated_at columns
           });
       }
   
       /**
        * Reverse the migrations.
        */
       public function down(): void
       {
           Schema::dropIfExists('accounts');
       }
   };

   Save the file.

3. Run the Migration

   In your project root, run this Artisan command to create the accounts table:

   php artisan migrate

   If the database is configured correctly and servbay_laravel_app exists, this command will create the accounts table and Laravel’s default tables (users, password_reset_tokens, failed_jobs, cache, cache_locks, jobs, job_batches, etc.).

MySQL Example

1. Configure .env for MySQL

   Ensure your .env has settings for MySQL:

   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306 # ServBay's default MySQL port
   DB_DATABASE=servbay_laravel_app
   DB_USERNAME=root
   DB_PASSWORD=password # ServBay's default MySQL password

2. Insert Example Data

   Add a route in routes/web.php to insert a record into the accounts table:

   use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
   
   Route::get('/mysql-add-account', function () {
       DB::table('accounts')->insert([
           'name' => 'ServBay Demo User',
           'email' => 'demo-user@servbay.test',
           'created_at' => now(),
           'updated_at' => now(),
       ]);
       return 'Account added to MySQL!';
   });

   Visit https://servbay-laravel-test.local/mysql-add-account to insert a row.

3. Read Example Data

   Add another route to retrieve data from the accounts table:

   use App\Models\Account; // If you’ve created an Account model
   // Or just use the DB facade
   
   Route::get('/mysql-accounts', function () {
       // Using the DB facade
       $accounts = DB::table('accounts')->get();
   
       // Or using Eloquent ORM (if Account model exists)
       // $accounts = Account::all();
   
       return $accounts;
   });

   Visit https://servbay-laravel-test.local/mysql-accounts to view data.

PostgreSQL Example

1. Configure .env for PostgreSQL

   If you want to use PostgreSQL, update your .env accordingly:

   DB_CONNECTION=pgsql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=5432 # ServBay default PostgreSQL port
   DB_DATABASE=servbay_laravel_app
   DB_USERNAME=root # ServBay default PostgreSQL user
   DB_PASSWORD=password # ServBay default PostgreSQL password

   Note: After switching database connections, you may need to run php artisan migrate:refresh or php artisan migrate again to set up the table structures in PostgreSQL.

2. Insert Example Data (PostgreSQL)

   Add a route in routes/web.php to insert a record into the accounts table:

   use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
   
   Route::get('/pgsql-add-account', function () {
       DB::table('accounts')->insert([
           'name' => 'ServBay PG Demo User',
           'email' => 'pg-demo-user@servbay.test',
           'created_at' => now(),
           'updated_at' => now(),
       ]);
       return 'Account added to PostgreSQL!';
   });

   Visit https://servbay-laravel-test.local/pgsql-add-account to insert a row.

3. Read Example Data (PostgreSQL)

   Add another route to retrieve data from the accounts table:

   use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
   
   Route::get('/pgsql-accounts', function () {
       $accounts = DB::table('accounts')->get();
       return $accounts;
   });

   Visit https://servbay-laravel-test.local/pgsql-accounts to view the data.

Summary

With ServBay, you can easily set up a local development environment on macOS for creating and running Laravel projects. ServBay’s pre-integrated PHP, Composer, Caddy web server, and numerous database and cache services greatly simplify the entire configuration process. With just a few straightforward steps, you can spin up a new Laravel project, configure the web server, and kick-start development—with seamless integration and testing for multiple database and cache technologies. ServBay is committed to providing developers with an efficient and user-friendly local development experience.

If you encounter issues, consult ServBay’s official documentation or seek support from the community.