Development server in Laravel

Introduction

A development server lets you run your Laravel app on your computer to see changes live. It helps you test and build your app easily without uploading it online.

When you want to see your Laravel website working on your own computer.

When you are building new features and want to test them quickly.

When you want to check how your app looks and behaves before sharing it.

When you need to debug errors or fix problems in your Laravel app.

When you want to try changes without affecting a live website.

Syntax

Laravel

php artisan serve

This command starts a local server at http://localhost:8000 by default.

You can stop the server anytime by pressing Ctrl+C in the terminal.

Examples

Starts the development server on the default address and port (http://localhost:8000).

Laravel

php artisan serve

Starts the server on IP 127.0.0.1 and port 8080 instead of the default.

Laravel

php artisan serve --host=127.0.0.1 --port=8080

Sample Program

This command runs the Laravel development server. You can open your browser and visit the shown address to see your app live on your computer.

Laravel

<?php
// No code file needed, just run this in your Laravel project folder:
// Open terminal and type:
// php artisan serve

// Then open your browser and go to http://localhost:8000

// You will see your Laravel app running live locally.

Important Notes

Make sure you run the command inside your Laravel project folder.

If port 8000 is busy, you can choose another port with the --port option.

The development server is for testing only; use a real web server for production.

Summary

The development server lets you run your Laravel app locally to test and build.

Use php artisan serve to start it quickly.

You can customize the host and port if needed.