As the Laravel community grows, more and more learning resources are becoming available. That’s great! But how do you choose the best ones? Which ones are worth your time? These are questions asked by those who are new to the framework. Here are seven tips to help you learn Laravel more effectively.
Some of them are specific to Laravel, while others are general tips for learning any programming language or framework. Let’s get started.
- Don’t start with the official documentation. Seriously.
Usually, the first thing beginners read is the official Laravel documentation. Don’t get me wrong — the documentation is good! But it assumes that you already have knowledge of the PHP ecosystem and modern tools.
For example, the first section of the documentation is installation, which is not just “download and install.” You need to know how to use Composer, how to use the terminal or command line, how to execute commands, how web servers work, etc. This brings us to the second tip.
- Learn PHP, OOP, the terminal, and Composer first
It may seem funny, but I increasingly encounter people trying to learn Laravel without knowing PHP. Another similar example is those who try to work with jQuery without knowing JavaScript at all. Don’t fool yourself and start with the basics.
To start learning any modern PHP framework (Laravel, Symfony, etc.), you must have a good understanding of PHP and, even more so, object-oriented programming. All frameworks are written using OOP methodology, and you need to understand classes, objects, properties, methods, dependencies, types, and other “keywords.”
In general, I advise you to do at least one simple project in pure PHP without any frameworks. Then you will understand PHP better, and this will allow you to use Laravel’s internal capabilities more effectively.
Also, Composer is a tool that, in my opinion, has made PHP great again. Knowing Composer will help you use Laravel dependencies correctly, which is a key part of modern PHP development.
Oh, did I mention the terminal? Or the command line for Windows. Again, modern PHP frameworks use commands for many of their functions: code generation, library installation, configuration changes, deployment, etc. You need to know the basics.
This is what you need to know before you start working with Laravel. Now it doesn’t seem so simple, does it? But let’s continue, the tips have only just begun.
- Books, courses, or videos? Free or paid?
This is perhaps the most important question: what is the best way to learn? It’s a personal choice; some people learn better by reading, while others prefer videos. And that’s okay! Decide for yourself what works best for you.
The information you study must be properly structured. You can’t just pick random articles or YouTube videos — that won’t give you the results you want. You need the author to present the information in a logical, step-by-step manner. Otherwise, you may lose track of the train of thought and be unable to understand the subsequent lessons.
By the way, this is a fundamental difference between free and paid lessons on the Internet. Some may say that you can learn programming by searching the Internet because there is a huge amount of information available for free. This is partly true, but if you choose this path, you will spend a lot of time trying to piece it all together. Often, the best way is to take paid courses or read books because the information is prepared for you in a convenient form, and you don’t have to spend time searching for it.
- Stop reading, start writing
It is impossible to learn programming without writing code. Don’t spend too much time reading books or watching videos; start writing code as soon as you can. In fact, try to put what you’ve learned from each lesson or section into practice right away.
In general, I advise you to try to create a test project during your training. This not only makes the process more practical, but also motivates you. Without the right goals and desired results, learning theory is psychologically difficult.
When you write code, you encounter difficulties and questions arise. By overcoming difficulties, you grow as a developer and accumulate knowledge.
- Learn how to use Google and StackOverflow
Although this is not specifically related to Laravel, it is important. I am amazed at how many forum topics are created by people who could have Googled the answer in two minutes.
This is how deep you need to dive to find the information you need.
You should use StackOverflow in the same way. Their results usually appear on the first pages of Google search results. Do you understand how to choose the right answer to a question? It’s not always the first one. Do you know which version of Laravel this answer is suitable for? Is this information still useful?
But you need to know not only how to read forums, but also how to ask questions correctly. Many forums and communities have their own culture, rules, and norms of behavior. If you are polite, patient, and respectful, you are more likely to get help.
- Find a mentor
The biggest problem in learning programming is solving problems when something goes wrong. The best solution to this problem is to ask someone for help.
I have mentored several students, and they said that without my help, they would not have been able to solve their problems and might have stopped studying altogether. That’s how important personal help is!
Where can you find a mentor? In your community, whether it’s local or online. Twitter has a great community of developers, and if you find someone there who can help you, don’t hesitate to reach out. Follow them on Twitter, subscribe to their feed, then find their email address and start a conversation.
- Don’t give up
As mentioned in the previous tip, when faced with a problem that is too difficult, it’s easy to give up and stop learning. This is probably the main reason why so many people start learning, but only a few become professional developers. No one promises that it will be easy. There will be many problems, difficult questions, doubts, and the desire to throw your computer out the window. I’ve been through it, believe me. The main thing is to keep going, no matter what.
Approach the process creatively, it always helps.
And finally, speaking of constant progress, my last piece of advice is not to take long breaks between learning sessions. Constantly learn something new, every week or even every day. It’s like training: if you miss one session, it will be harder to get back into the rhythm.
These are my tips. I hope you find the best way to learn, and maybe we’ll create some great Laravel projects together!