Many errors when running "php artisan migrate"

Hello everyone,

I am very new to Laravel, so please excuse any ignorance. I am using EasyPHP and wanted to start developing with Laravel. I am trying to go through this tutorial (https://laravel-news.com/your-first-laravel-application), but as soon as I get to the command "php artisan migrate", I get the following error (I included the exception trace, hopefully that's helpful):

"php artisan migrate -vvv

[Symfony\Component\Debug\Exception\FatalThrowableError]

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected 'description' (T_STRING), expect ing ' ,' or ')'

Exception trace: () at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\database\m igrations\2017_09_09_043952_create_links_table.php:20 Illuminate\Filesystem\Filesystem->requireOnce() at C:\Program Files (x86) EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Datab ase\Migrations\Migrator.php:446 Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migrator->requireFiles() at C:\Program File s (x86)\EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illumina te\Database\Migrations\Migrator.php:89 Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migrator->run() at C:\Program Files (x86)\E asyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Databa se\Console\Migrations\MigrateCommand.php:69 Illuminate\Database\Console\Migrations\MigrateCommand->handle() at n/a:n/a

call_user_func_array() at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds- www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Container\BoundMethod.php:29 39m Illuminate\Container\BoundMethod::Illuminate\Container{closure}() at C:\P rogram Files (x86)\EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\s rc\Illuminate\Container\BoundMethod.php:87 Illuminate\Container\BoundMethod::callBoundMethod() at C:\Program Files (x 86)\EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\C ontainer\BoundMethod.php:31 Illuminate\Container\BoundMethod::call() at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP -Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Container\Co ntainer.php:549 Illuminate\Container\Container->call() at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP-D evserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Console\Comman d.php:180 Illuminate\Console\Command->execute() at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP-De vserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\symfony\console\Command\Command.php:264 Symfony\Component\Console\Command\Command->run() at C:\Program Files (x86) \EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Cons ole\Command.php:167 Illuminate\Console\Command->run() at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP-Devser ver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\symfony\console\Application.php:888 Symfony\Component\Console\Application->doRunCommand() at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\symfony\console\Application.php: 224 Symfony\Component\Console\Application->doRun() at C:\Program Files (x86)\E asyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\symfony\console\Application.php:125 m Symfony\Component\Console\Application->run() at C:\Program Files (x86)\Eas yPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Console Application.php:88 Illuminate\Console\Application->run() at C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPHP-De vserver-17\eds-www\links\vendor\laravel\framework\src\Illuminate\Foundation\Cons ole\Kernel.php:121 Illuminate\Foundation\Console\Kernel->handle() at C:\Program Files (x86)\E asyPHP-Devserver-17\eds-www\links\artisan:37

"

I am using Laravel v5.5.3, and PHP v7.1.3. Any idea what might be the issue?

Thanks!