Laravel - Configuration

In the previous chapter, we have seen that the basic configuration files of Laravel are included in the config directory. In this chapter, let us discuss the categories included in the configuration.

Environment Configuration

Environment variables are those which provide a list of web services to your web application. All the environment variables are declared in the .env file which includes the parameters required for initializing the configuration.

By default, the .env file includes following parameters −

APP_ENV = local
APP_DEBUG = true
APP_KEY = base64:ZPt2wmKE/X4eEhrzJU6XX4R93rCwYG8E2f8QUA7kGK8 =
APP_URL = http://localhost
DB_CONNECTION = mysql
DB_HOST = 127.0.0.1
DB_PORT = 3306
DB_DATABASE = homestead
DB_USERNAME = homestead
DB_PASSWORD = secret
CACHE_DRIVER = file
SESSION_DRIVER = file
QUEUE_DRIVER = sync
REDIS_HOST = 127.0.0.1
REDIS_PASSWORD = null
REDIS_PORT = 6379
MAIL_DRIVER = smtp
MAIL_HOST = mailtrap.ioMAIL_PORT = 2525
MAIL_USERNAME = null
MAIL_PASSWORD = null
MAIL_ENCRYPTION = null

Important Points

While working with basic configuration files of Laravel, the following points are to be noted −

• The .env file should not be committed to the application source control, since each developer or user has some predefined environment configuration for the web application.
• For backup options, the development team should include the .env.example file, which should contain the default configuration.

Retrieval of Environment Variables

All the environment variables declared in the .env file can be accessed by env-helper functions which will call the respective parameter. These variables are also listed into $_ENV global variable whenever application receives a request from the user end. You can access the environment variable as shown below −

'env' => env('APP_ENV', 'production'),

env-helper functions are called in the app.php file included in the configfolder. The above given example is calling for the basic local parameter.

Accessing Configuration Values

You can easily access the configuration values anywhere in the application using the global config helper function. In case if the configuration values are not initialized, default values are returned.

For example, to set the default time zone, the following code is used −

config(['app.timezone' => 'Asia/Kolkata']);

Caching of Configuration

To increase the performance and to boost the web application, it is important to cache all the configuration values. The command for caching the configuration values is −

config:cache

The following screenshot shows caching in a systematic approach −

Maintenance Mode

Sometimes you may need to update some configuration values or perform maintenance on your website. In such cases, keeping it in maintenance mode, makes it easier for you. Such web applications which are kept in maintenance mode, throw an exception namely MaintenanceModeException with a status code of 503.

You can enable the maintenance mode on your Laravel web application using the following command −

php artisan down

The following screenshot shows how the web application looks when it is down −

Once you finish working on updates and other maintenance, you can disable the maintenance mode on your web application using following command −

php artisan up

Now, you can find that the website shows the output with proper functioning and depicting that the maintenance mode is now removed as shown below −

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Laravel - Application Structure

The application structure in Laravel is basically the structure of folders, sub-folders and files included in a project. Once we create a project in Laravel, we get an overview of the application structure as shown in the image here.

The snapshot shown here refers to the root folder of Laravel namely laravel-project. It includes various sub-folders and files. The analysis of folders and files, along with their functional aspects is given below −

App

It is the application folder and includes the entire source code of the project. It contains events, exceptions and middleware declaration. The app folder comprises various sub folders as explained below −

Console

Console includes the artisan commands necessary for Laravel. It includes a directory named Commands, where all the commands are declared with the appropriate signature. The file Kernal.php calls the commands declared in Inspire.php.

If we need to call a specific command in Laravel, then we should make appropriate changes in this directory.

Events

This folder includes all the events for the project.

Events are used to trigger activities, raise errors or necessary validations and provide greater flexibility. Laravel keeps all the events under one directory. The default file included is event.php where all the basic events are declared.

Exceptions

This folder contains all the methods needed to handle exceptions. It also contains the file handle.php that handles all the exceptions.

Http

The Http folder has sub-folders for controllers, middleware and application requests. As Laravel follows the MVC design pattern, this folder includes model, controllers and views defined for the specific directories.

The Middleware sub-folder includes middleware mechanism, comprising the filter mechanism and communication between response and request.

The Requests sub-folder includes all the requests of the application.

Jobs

The Jobs directory maintains the activities queued for Laravel application. The base class is shared among all the Jobs and provides a central location to place them under one roof.

Listeners

Listeners are event-dependent and they include methods which are used to handle events and exceptions. For example, the login event declared includes a LoginListener event.

Policies

Policies are the PHP classes which includes the authorization logic. Laravel includes a feature to create all authorization logic within policy classes inside this sub folder.

Providers

This folder includes all the service providers required to register events for core servers and to configure a Laravel application.

Bootstrap

This folder encloses all the application bootstrap scripts. It contains a sub-folder namely cache, which includes all the files associated for caching a web application. You can also find the file app.php, which initializes the scripts necessary for bootstrap.

Config

The config folder includes various configurations and associated parameters required for the smooth functioning of a Laravel application. Various files included within the config folder are as shown in the image here. The filenames work as per the functionality associated with them.

Database

As the name suggests, this directory includes various parameters for database functionalities. It includes three sub-directories as given below −

• Seeds − This contains the classes used for unit testing database.
• Migrations − This folder helps in queries for migrating the database used in the web application.
• Factories − This folder is used to generate large number of data records.

Public

It is the root folder which helps in initializing the Laravel application. It includes the following files and folders −

• .htaccess − This file gives the server configuration.
• javascript and css − These files are considered as assets.
• index.php − This file is required for the initialization of a web application.

Resources

Resources directory contains the files which enhances your web application. The sub-folders included in this directory and their purpose is explained below −

• assets − The assets folder include files such as LESS and SCSS, that are required for styling the web application.
• lang − This folder includes configuration for localization or internalization.
• views − Views are the HTML files or templates which interact with end users and play a primary role in MVC architecture.

Storage

This is the folder that stores all the logs and necessary files which are needed frequently when a Laravel project is running. The sub-folders included in this directory and their purpose is given below −

• app − This folder contains the files that are called in succession.
• framework − It contains sessions, cache and views which are called frequently.
• Logs − All exceptions and error logs are tracked in this sub folder.

Tests

All the unit test cases are included in this directory. The naming convention for naming test case classes is camel_case and follows the convention as per the functionality of the class.

Vendor

Laravel is completely based on Composer dependencies, for example to install Laravel setup or to include third party libraries, etc. The Vendor folder includes all the composer dependencies.

In addition to the above mentioned files, Laravel also includes some other files which play a primary role in various functionalities such as GitHub configuration, packages and third party libraries.

The files included in the application structure are shown below −

Read More

Laravel - Application Structure

The application structure in Laravel is basically the structure of folders, sub-folders and files included in a project. Once we create a project in Laravel, we get an overview of the application structure as shown in the image here.

The snapshot shown here refers to the root folder of Laravel namely laravel-project. It includes various sub-folders and files. The analysis of folders and files, along with their functional aspects is given below −

App

It is the application folder and includes the entire source code of the project. It contains events, exceptions and middleware declaration. The app folder comprises various sub folders as explained below −

Console

Console includes the artisan commands necessary for Laravel. It includes a directory named Commands, where all the commands are declared with the appropriate signature. The file Kernal.php calls the commands declared in Inspire.php.

If we need to call a specific command in Laravel, then we should make appropriate changes in this directory.

Events

This folder includes all the events for the project.

Events are used to trigger activities, raise errors or necessary validations and provide greater flexibility. Laravel keeps all the events under one directory. The default file included is event.php where all the basic events are declared.

Exceptions

This folder contains all the methods needed to handle exceptions. It also contains the file handle.php that handles all the exceptions.

Http

The Http folder has sub-folders for controllers, middleware and application requests. As Laravel follows the MVC design pattern, this folder includes model, controllers and views defined for the specific directories.

The Middleware sub-folder includes middleware mechanism, comprising the filter mechanism and communication between response and request.

The Requests sub-folder includes all the requests of the application.

Jobs

The Jobs directory maintains the activities queued for Laravel application. The base class is shared among all the Jobs and provides a central location to place them under one roof.

Listeners

Listeners are event-dependent and they include methods which are used to handle events and exceptions. For example, the login event declared includes a LoginListener event.

Policies

Policies are the PHP classes which includes the authorization logic. Laravel includes a feature to create all authorization logic within policy classes inside this sub folder.

Providers

This folder includes all the service providers required to register events for core servers and to configure a Laravel application.

Bootstrap

This folder encloses all the application bootstrap scripts. It contains a sub-folder namely cache, which includes all the files associated for caching a web application. You can also find the file app.php, which initializes the scripts necessary for bootstrap.

Config

The config folder includes various configurations and associated parameters required for the smooth functioning of a Laravel application. Various files included within the config folder are as shown in the image here. The filenames work as per the functionality associated with them.

Database

As the name suggests, this directory includes various parameters for database functionalities. It includes three sub-directories as given below −

• Seeds − This contains the classes used for unit testing database.
• Migrations − This folder helps in queries for migrating the database used in the web application.
• Factories − This folder is used to generate large number of data records.

Public

It is the root folder which helps in initializing the Laravel application. It includes the following files and folders −

• .htaccess − This file gives the server configuration.
• javascript and css − These files are considered as assets.
• index.php − This file is required for the initialization of a web application.

Resources

Resources directory contains the files which enhances your web application. The sub-folders included in this directory and their purpose is explained below −

• assets − The assets folder include files such as LESS and SCSS, that are required for styling the web application.
• lang − This folder includes configuration for localization or internalization.
• views − Views are the HTML files or templates which interact with end users and play a primary role in MVC architecture.

Storage

This is the folder that stores all the logs and necessary files which are needed frequently when a Laravel project is running. The sub-folders included in this directory and their purpose is given below −

• app − This folder contains the files that are called in succession.
• framework − It contains sessions, cache and views which are called frequently.
• Logs − All exceptions and error logs are tracked in this sub folder.

Tests

All the unit test cases are included in this directory. The naming convention for naming test case classes is camel_case and follows the convention as per the functionality of the class.

Vendor

Laravel is completely based on Composer dependencies, for example to install Laravel setup or to include third party libraries, etc. The Vendor folder includes all the composer dependencies.

In addition to the above mentioned files, Laravel also includes some other files which play a primary role in various functionalities such as GitHub configuration, packages and third party libraries.

The files included in the application structure are shown below −

Read More