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Laravel 9 Release - Checkout The LTS Framework and Its Features

• Posted by Alex Jain March 28, 2022 - Filed in Technology - #Laravel Development Agency  #laravel  #Hire Laravel Developer  - 31 views

  

  The dominance and popularity of PHP in the web development sector need no elaboration. A majority of websites you have seen are made using some derivatives of PHP. Over the years, several frameworks based on PHP have been realised, and they have become quite popular too. Among these, Laravel deserves a place of importance. It has been used by top-notch companies hailing from various niches for developing dynamic and interactive web applications. The release of version 9 has generated enough buzz in the web development arena.

  What’s so interesting about Laravel 9?

  Laravel, the popular PHP web application framework known for its expressive, elegant syntax and MVC architecture, has got a new release in 2022, after months of wait. The team behind Laravel used to unveil a new version every six months, but from version 9, that will not be the case. Now, a new version will be released per year so that it keeps in sync with Symfony, with which Laravel shares a lot of components. Laravel v 9 was unveiled in February 2022, even though the original release date was set in late 2021.

  Laravel 9 is said to be the first LTS version. It will get three years of security fixes and 2 years of bug solutions. The new version will offer momentum to the Laravel web application development sector.

  Installing Laravel 9

  Installing Laravel 9 for development and testing is not very different from the previous versions, and you should face any serious hiccup in the process. However, keep in mind that it requires a PHP v8 engine only. So, check which version of PHP you have. After installing Laravel 9, use the artisan command for version checking.

  So, what’s new in Laravel 9?

  Every Laravel version ships with some useful features, and version 9 is no exception. It comes with a set of new and useful features. This will make things better for the Laravel framework development professionals and agencies.

  • Laravel 9 needs PHP 8 and Symfony’s latest v 6.0. In fact, The Laravel team delayed the release of version 9 as the Symfony 6 release date was delayed. 
  • Anonymous Stub Migration- In Laravel 9, you get anonymous stub migration. It was actually made available earlier in Laravel 8.37 to address the Github issue. The stub migration feature helps eliminate migration class name clash issues. 
  • New Query Builder Interface- While the existing type hinting is useful and developers gain from it, there is no denying that the New Query Builder Interface makes the task of developers easier.
  • Laravel Apps on Cloud- With the introduction of Cloudways, experiencing PHP apps on managed cloud servers is possible, and it requires only a few minutes.
  • Flysystem 2.0- Laravel 9 makes a move to Flysystem 2 from 1. 
  • Symfony Mailer- As per the views of veteran Laravel website development professionals, the change from SwiftMailer to Symfony Mailer is a big reason to upgrade to version 9 of Laravel. 
  • Default HTTP Client Timeout- Now, the HTTP client has a timeout of 30 seconds by default. If the server fails to respond within that time range, an exception is tossed. It is also possible to set a longer timeout for a request manually. 
  • Bootstrap 5 Pagination Views- Those developers who are coping with pagination in their projects appreciate having a framework to handle it. Laravel offers automatic pagination, and version 9 eases the process further. 
  • New Scout database engine- Laravel v9 comes with a revamped Laravel Scout database engine. It gives you full-text search capabilities.
  • Others- Laravel 9 comes with many other useful new features. You get the handy Soketi echo server- written for Node.js. The new version also brings an improved exception page with theme choice. 

  Should you upgrade to Laravel 9?

  For most Laravel developers, especially those stuck with version 7 or older, the answer is definitely yes. However, those using version 8.3 may feel like sticking to that edition as it shares several features with version 9. Eventually, they will have to upgrade too. 

  Finding the best Laravel developer matters

  While a section of the Laravel development veterans have said the 9th iteration is not a major upgrade, there is no way you can deny the nifty additions in version 9 that make Laravel packages development faster and hassle-free. However, to gain from the new features, you will have to hire a capable Laravel developer or agency. Given the fact there are plenty of Laravel development entities, you will have to assess the contenders carefully and pick the right one thereafter.

  Here are the things that you should look for:

  • You have to check the tenure of the agency in the Laravel development sector. Some new entities may also be good but picking a veteran agency is likely to yield a better outcome.
  • You should not be affected much by claims made by a Laravel app development agency. Any agency can say lofty things about its services and applications. Keep some time for checking out their portfolios. It is necessary to see if the applications made by an agency score well on fronts like speed, performance, safety, ease of use, etc.
  • Before signing up for the services of a Laravel development company, check out its service terms well. This is necessary for evading problems later.
  • A reliable and professional Laravel development company is likely to have an impressive client base. Check if the agency has catered to different types of clients belonging to diverse niches. Use various online resources to obtain feedback from its clients as well.

  Summing it up

  Laravel 9 brings some handy features and polishes some of the existing features to make the task of developers easier. It is going to get security and bug updates for a long time, and be an LTS version. It will remain in the scene for longer. So, it is a worthy upgrade.