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Upgrading PHP from 7.x to 8.x in Laravel: A Complete Guide

Upgrading your Laravel application to PHP 8 is a crucial step to ensure better performance, security, and access to the latest language features. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the steps to seamlessly upgrade from PHP 7 to PHP 8 in your Laravel application.

Why Upgrade to PHP 8?

PHP 8 brings a host of improvements:

  • Performance Boost: Faster execution due to the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler.
  • New Features: Null-safe operators, named arguments, union types, and more.
  • Improved Error Handling: Clearer and more consistent error messages.
  • Security: Ongoing updates and security patches for PHP 8 ensure safer applications.

With Laravel constantly evolving, it’s important to stay aligned with modern PHP standards to leverage its full potential.

Step-by-Step Guide to Upgrade

1. Check Laravel Version Compatibility

First, ensure your Laravel version supports PHP 8:

  • Laravel 8 and above are fully compatible with PHP 8.
  • If you’re using an older Laravel version, upgrade your Laravel framework before proceeding.

Run this command to check your Laravel version:

bashCopy codephp artisan --version

2. Review Dependencies

Your application’s dependencies must support PHP 8. Check your composer.json file for incompatible packages.

Use the following command to identify package compatibility:

bashCopy codecomposer update --dry-run

Alternatively, visit PHP Package Versions to verify PHP 8 support for specific packages.

3. Upgrade Your PHP Version

Update your PHP version to 8.x. If you’re using a Linux distribution like Ubuntu, you can update with these commands:

bashCopy codesudo apt update
sudo apt install php8.0 php8.0-cli php8.0-fpm php8.0-mysql

For Windows or macOS, download the latest version from php.net or use tools like Homebrew (macOS).

4. Update PHP Configuration

Ensure your PHP extensions meet Laravel’s requirements. Commonly needed extensions include:

  • bcmath
  • ctype
  • fileinfo
  • json
  • mbstring
  • openssl
  • pdo
  • tokenizer
  • xml

Verify installed extensions using:

bashCopy codephp -m

5. Update Composer Dependencies

After upgrading PHP, update your project dependencies:

bashCopy codecomposer update

If any conflicts arise, check for updates to problematic packages or consider replacing outdated ones.

6. Test the Application

Testing is critical after upgrading. Perform these checks:

  • Unit Tests: Run your test suite to identify breaking changes.bashCopy codephp artisan test
  • Functional Tests: Test core features like authentication, API endpoints, and database queries.
  • PHP Compatibility: Tools like PHPCompatibility can help scan for deprecated features.

7. Fix Deprecations

PHP 8 introduces several deprecations. Review Laravel and PHP migration guides to resolve any warnings or errors.

Common Issues After Upgrading

  1. Strict Type Changes: PHP 8 is stricter with type checks. Update your code accordingly.
  2. Deprecated Functions: Replace deprecated functions like create_function() with modern alternatives.
  3. Third-party Libraries: Ensure all libraries are updated to versions supporting PHP 8.

Benefits Observed Post-Upgrade

After upgrading, users often report:

  • Improved application performance due to JIT.
  • Cleaner and more maintainable code with PHP 8 features.
  • Better error clarity, speeding up debugging and development.

Conclusion

Upgrading to PHP 8 is a significant yet rewarding step for Laravel developers. By staying current, you future-proof your application, improve performance, and enhance security.

Are you planning your PHP 8 upgrade? Share your experiences and challenges in the comments! Let’s build better applications together.