Review Installation Requirements 0:00It sounds like you're ready to level up your skills with Laravel. This is positively the series for you. Okay, let's get started. So, we're going to visit Laravel.com, and if we go to the documentation, let's check out the installation guide. Now, you have two ways to install Laravel, but we'll stick with the simplest approach for now. Now, just make sure on your system you have PHP at least 5.5.9 installed, as well as some of these extensions. And you very likely do, so you don't need to worry about that. If we switch to a terminal, or in my case, I have a program called iTerm2 installed, Installing Composer 0:27And you very likely do, so you don't need to worry about that. If we switch to a terminal, or in my case, I have a program called iTerm2 installed, you can run php-v to figure out, one, if you have PHP installed, and two, what the version is. Okay, next, you'll learn about this new tool called Composer. This is basically a bedrock of modern PHP development, and we'll go over all of the essentials. Don't worry about it too much, though. It's just a dependency manager. So, let's switch over real quick and make sure we have that installed. If we go to Getting Started, Installation,So, let's switch over real quick and make sure we have that installed. If we go to Getting Started, Installation, well, if you're on Windows, go over here. Otherwise, let's check Mac. And yeah, here's how you can install Composer locally, or I prefer global, so we can use this one right here. So, you're just going to copy this bit and paste it into the terminal, like so. Now, in my case, I've already done this, so I will cancel out. But the important thing is, once that runs, you should be able to open a new tab and run Composer,But the important thing is, once that runs, you should be able to open a new tab and run Composer, and you'll see all of these various options here. So, yeah, this gives you an easy way to install any number of packages you might need. Everything from Laravel itself to maybe some package that helps you out with testing or modifying images or creating dummy values. There are literally thousands of packages you can pull in through Composer. Okay, so we got that. Let's go back. Next, Laravel offers a little installer we can use. Installing Laravel Installer 1:48Let's go back. Next, Laravel offers a little installer we can use. And basically, what this translates to is I can now run Laravel new my project. And that will very quickly whip up a fresh installation of the framework. So, we're going to use Composer to pull that in. And notice I have Composer global. That means we're going to pull this in, but make sure it's available everywhere on my system, rather than limiting it to the current project. Okay, so we will run that. Adding Composer Bin to PATH 2:13rather than limiting it to the current project. Okay, so we will run that. And now remember, you only have to run this one time basically ever beyond updating it. Okay, the only final step is any dependencies we install globally with Composer. So, we want to make sure we add that to our path so that we can, in fact, run something like Laravel and our machine will know to look in that bin directory for this executable. So, how do we add this to our path? Well, you can add it in a number of locations. So, on my Mac, I could put it, for example, in my home directoryWell, you can add it in a number of locations. So, on my Mac, I could put it, for example, in my home directory in a file called bash-rc or one called bash-profile. Or if you're using Zshell, you could do zshell-rc. It's up to you. Just open one of those files. And if you scroll down to the bottom, and you can see it looks like a few programs have already updated our path here automatically. But yeah, you would just add something like this. Export path equals this path to our bin directory.But yeah, you would just add something like this. Export path equals this path to our bin directory. And then you notice above where it says colon and then dollar sign path. Think of that as just your way of saying anything else that is already in your path. So, I will paste that in. And that's it. So, I've already done this. So, I'm going to close out. But yeah, just open up a new tab. And if you run Laravel, you should see the installer. Understanding Composer Dependencies 3:25But yeah, just open up a new tab. And if you run Laravel, you should see the installer. So, notice this command new creates a new Laravel application. Laravel new project. Now, notice all of these things that are being installed. Those are being pulled in through Composer. So, what this means is, and I'm going to scroll up, Laravel is custom. It has lots of what you would call first-party components. But of course, it leverages the community.It has lots of what you would call first-party components. But of course, it leverages the community. So, it pulls in PHP unit. PHP unit pulls in Prophecy. It pulls in tons of various tools. Symfony slash YAML. Tons of things here to make Laravel the best possible framework. In the past, there was a tendency for every framework team to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. They would all create their own logging functionality or kernel or debugger or things like that. Opening the New Project 4:11They would all create their own logging functionality or kernel or debugger or things like that. And they were all widely inconsistent with one another. But now, we can have one tool that's the best at its job, and then each framework can pull in that dependency, which then frees up time to focus on more unique aspects of the framework. Okay, so let's see. Application is ready. Let's check it out. CD into my project.Let's check it out. CD into my project. List the files with ls. And there we go. Now, generally, my editor of choice is called Vim. But this is a beginner series. So I think it would be easier if we use Sublime. Now, if you have that installed, you know that you can run Sublime period to launch it. Otherwise, just open the folder within your editor of choice. And here we go.Otherwise, just open the folder within your editor of choice. And here we go. This is what a fresh installation of Laravel looks like. Great job.
