Getting Started with Laravel 11: What’s New and Improved?

The Laravel framework has always been a beacon for modern PHP development, championing elegance, simplicity, and a robust developer experience. With the release of Laravel 11, the team led by Taylor Otwell has taken a significant step forward, not by adding a plethora of flashy new features, but by refining, streamlining, and future-proofing the framework. This release is less about "more" and more about "better"—shedding weight, simplifying structure, and empowering developers to build more efficiently than ever before.

If you're a seasoned Laravel developer or just considering the framework for the first time, Laravel 11 represents a fantastic starting point. Let's dive into what makes this version a milestone and how you can get started.

A New Philosophy: Slimmed-Down and Streamlined

The overarching theme of Laravel 11 is simplification. Previous versions, while powerful, could feel a bit "heavy" out-of-the-box, with numerous files and configurations that weren't always necessary for every project. Laravel 11 tackles this head-on with a bold, new application skeleton.

1. The Revolutionary bootstrap/app.php File

The most immediate change you'll notice is the dramatic reduction in the number of configuration files. But the crown jewel of this simplification is the new bootstrap/app.php file. This single file has been transformed from a simple script into the command center for your entire application.

Here, you can now fluently define your application's core settings:

• Routing API and Web Middleware: Instead of hunting down Kernel.php files, you can define your web and API middleware groups directly.

• Broadcasting and Authentication Routing: You can enable or disable these route definitions with a simple boolean.

• Service Provider Registration: You can conditionally load service providers.

• Commands and Scheduling: You can easily register console commands.

Here’s what a typical Laravel 11 bootstrap/app.php looks like:

<?php

use Illuminate\Foundation\Application;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Configuration\Exceptions;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Configuration\Middleware;

return Application::configure(basePath: dirname(__DIR__))
    ->withRouting(
        web: __DIR__.'/../routes/web.php',
        api: __DIR__.'/../routes/api.php',
        commands: __DIR__.'/../routes/console.php',
        health: '/up',
    )
    ->withMiddleware(function (Middleware $middleware) {
        //
    })
    ->withExceptions(function (Exceptions $exceptions) {
        //
    })->create();

This approach is incredibly intuitive. It consolidates what was previously scattered across multiple files into a clean, declarative, and easily understandable configuration.

2. A Leaner config/ Directory

Gone are the days of a config directory filled with dozens of files for every possible service. By default, Laravel 11 now ships with only essential configuration files. The rest have been removed or merged into the framework itself, where sensible defaults are assumed.

You can still publish any of the old config files if you need to make specific adjustments using the php artisan config:publish command. This keeps the initial project structure clean for beginners and simple applications while retaining full flexibility for power users.

3. Streamlined Routing

The routes/ directory has also been slimmed down. The api.php, console.php, and web.php files remain, but the channels.php file (for broadcasting) is no longer present by default. As mentioned, broadcasting routes can now be enabled in the bootstrap/app.php file, keeping things centralized.

Powerful New Features and Enhancements

Beyond the structural diet, Laravel 11 introduces several powerful new tools.

1. The php artisan make:class Command

This is a small but wonderfully useful addition. Laravel's Artisan make: commands are legendary for boosting productivity. Now, you can quickly generate any arbitrary PHP class without needing a specific stub. Need a Services/PaymentProcessor.php class? Just run:

php artisan make:class Services/PaymentProcessor

It’s a simple touch that eliminates the manual creation of directories and files for custom, non-Laravel-specific classes.

2. Model Casts as Methods

While array-based model casts are still supported, Laravel 11 encourages defining casts as methods within your Eloquent model. This provides a more fluent, IDE-friendly way to work with casts and allows for more complex, custom cast logic without creating a separate cast class.

// Laravel 11 Style
class Podcast extends Model
{
    protected function casts(): array
    {
        return [
            'published_at' => 'datetime',
            'is_published' => 'boolean',
            'metadata' => AsArrayObject::class,
        ];
    }
}

3. Dumpable Trait

Ever wanted to quickly dump an Eloquent model or any other object and then stop execution with dd()? Laravel 11 introduces a Dumpable trait that adds dump() and dd() methods directly to your objects.

$user = User::first();
$user->dd(); // Dumps the user model and ends execution.

// You can also chain it:
User::where('active', 1)->get()->dd();

4. Health Routing and Deployment Confidence

A new /up health route is now defined by default. This endpoint is crucial for modern deployment practices. Deployment services (like Laravel Forge or Envoyer) can ping this endpoint to check if your application has been successfully deployed and is running correctly before switching traffic to the new version. It’s a small feature that embodies Laravel’s focus on robust, production-ready applications.

5. Per-Second Rate Limiting

The rate limiter, crucial for API development, now supports granular per-second throttling, in addition to the traditional per-minute limiting. This gives you much finer control over your API's throttle policies.

RateLimiter::for('api', function (Request $request) {
    return Limit::perSecond(10)->by($request->user()?->id ?: $request->ip());
});

Getting Your Hands Dirty: Starting a New Laravel 11 Project

Ready to try it out? Getting started is as easy as ever.

1. Prerequisites
Ensure you have PHP 8.2 or higher and Composer installed on your machine.

2. Create the Project
Use the Composer create-project command. This will always fetch the latest stable version of Laravel.

composer create-project laravel/laravel my-laravel11-app
cd my-laravel11-app

3. Configure Your Environment
Copy the .env.example file to .env and generate your application key.

cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate

Configure your database connection details within the .env file.

4. Serve the Application
Spin up Laravel's built-in development server:

php artisan serve

Navigate to http://localhost:8000 in your browser. You should see the sleek, default Laravel welcome page.

5. Explore the New Structure
Take a moment to look around. Open bootstrap/app.php and see the new configuration style. Peek into the config directory and appreciate its minimalism. You've just set up the most streamlined Laravel application to date.

Upgrading from Laravel 10: What to Know

If you have an existing project, a major version upgrade requires careful planning. The official Laravel Upgrade Guide is your best friend. The process will largely involve:

• Comparing your current configuration files with the new Laravel 11 defaults.

• Adapting to the new bootstrap/app.php paradigm.

• Updating deprecated code.

• Thoroughly testing your application.

For most projects, using the Laravel Shift service can automate a significant portion of the upgrade process and is a highly recommended investment.

Conclusion: A Framework Maturing Gracefully

Laravel 11 isn't a chaotic revolution; it's a thoughtful evolution. It demonstrates a mature framework confident enough to refine its core principles rather than chase trends. By shedding unnecessary weight and introducing smarter ways to configure an application, it lowers the barrier to entry for newcomers while simultaneously making experienced developers more productive.

The focus on a clean, centralized application structure, combined with practical new features like health checks and per-second rate limiting, proves that Laravel remains laser-focused on the real-world needs of developers building applications for the modern web. Whether you're starting fresh or planning an upgrade, Laravel 11 is a compelling and powerful foundation for your next great idea.