Laravel project structure - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Understanding Laravel Project Structure

📖 Scenario: You are starting a new web application using Laravel. To build it well, you need to understand how Laravel organizes its files and folders.

🎯 Goal: Learn the basic Laravel project structure by creating key folders and files in the right places.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create the main Laravel project folder structure

Add a configuration file for database settings

Create a simple route in the routes file

Add a basic controller file

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Laravel projects follow this structure to keep code organized and easy to maintain. Understanding this helps you build web apps faster.

💼 Career

Knowing Laravel's project structure is essential for backend web developer roles using PHP and Laravel framework.

1

Create the main Laravel folders

Create a Laravel project folder structure with these exact folders inside the main laravel_project folder: app, config, routes, and public.

Laravel

# Create the folders app, config, routes, and public inside laravel_project
# Your code here

Hint

Think of these folders as the main parts of your Laravel app: app for code, config for settings, routes for URLs, and public for web files.

2

Add a database configuration file

Inside the config folder, create a file named database.php with a PHP array variable called $databaseConfig that has keys 'host' set to '127.0.0.1' and 'database' set to 'laravel_db'.

Laravel

laravel_project/config/database.php
<?php
// Define $databaseConfig array with host and database keys
# Your code here

Hint

Use a PHP array to hold the database settings inside database.php.

3

Create a simple route

Inside the routes folder, create a file named web.php. Add a route using Route::get that listens to the URL '/' and returns the string 'Welcome to Laravel'.

Laravel

<?php
// Add a Route::get for '/' that returns 'Welcome to Laravel'
# Your code here

Hint

Routes define what happens when someone visits a URL. Use Route::get for a GET request.

4

Add a basic controller

Inside the app folder, create a PHP file named HomeController.php. Define a class HomeController with a public method index that returns the string 'Home Page'.

Laravel

<?php
// Define HomeController class with index() method returning 'Home Page'
# Your code here

Hint

Controllers hold the logic for your pages. Define a class and a method that returns a string.

Practice

1. Which folder in a Laravel project contains the files that define the URL routes for the application?

easy

A. config

B. app

C. resources

D. routes

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of the routes folder

   The routes folder holds files that define how URLs map to code actions in Laravel.

2. Step 2: Compare with other folders

   The app folder contains core code, resources holds views and assets, and config stores configuration settings.

3. Final Answer:

   routes -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   URL routes = routes folder [OK]

Hint: Routes are always in the routes folder [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing app with routes folder
• Thinking views are in routes
• Mixing config files with routes

2. Which of the following is the correct path to store Blade template files in a Laravel project?

easy

A. public/templates

B. app/Views

C. resources/views

D. config/views

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify where Blade templates are stored

   Blade templates are stored in the resources/views folder by Laravel convention.

2. Step 2: Verify other options

   app/Views is not standard, public/templates is for public assets, and config/views is not used for templates.

3. Final Answer:

   resources/views -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Blade templates = resources/views [OK]

Hint: Templates live in resources/views folder [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Putting templates in app folder
• Confusing public assets with views
• Trying to store views in config folder

3. Given this Laravel project structure snippet:

app/
  Http/
    Controllers/
resources/
  views/
routes/
  web.php

Where should you place a new controller named ProductController.php?

medium

A. app/Http/Controllers/ProductController.php

B. resources/views/ProductController.php

C. routes/ProductController.php

D. app/ProductController.php

Solution

1. Step 1: Locate where controllers go in Laravel

   Controllers are placed inside app/Http/Controllers folder to handle requests.

2. Step 2: Check other folders for controllers

   resources/views is for templates, routes is for route files, and app root is not for controllers.

3. Final Answer:

   app/Http/Controllers/ProductController.php -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Controllers = app/Http/Controllers [OK]

Hint: Controllers live in app/Http/Controllers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing controllers in views folder
• Putting controllers directly in app root
• Confusing routes folder with controllers

4. You try to access a configuration value in Laravel using config('database.host') but get an error. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The routes/web.php file is empty

B. The database.php config file is missing or misnamed

C. The app/Http/Controllers folder is missing

D. The resources/views folder has no Blade files

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand how config() works in Laravel

   The config() helper reads values from files in the config folder, like database.php.

2. Step 2: Identify cause of error

   If database.php is missing or misnamed, config('database.host') cannot find the value, causing an error.

3. Final Answer:

   The database.php config file is missing or misnamed -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Missing config file = error on config() call [OK]

Hint: Check config files exist for config() calls [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Blaming routes or controllers for config errors
• Ignoring missing or misnamed config files
• Assuming views affect config values

5. You want to add a new API endpoint in your Laravel app. Which folders must you update to add a route, controller, and response view correctly?

hard

A. Update routes/api.php, create controller in app/Http/Controllers, and add view in resources/views

B. Update routes/web.php, create controller in app/Models, and add view in public

C. Update config/api.php, create controller in app/Http/Controllers, and add view in resources/assets

D. Update routes/api.php, create controller in app/Http/Middleware, and add view in resources/views

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify where API routes are defined

   API routes go in routes/api.php to separate them from web routes.

2. Step 2: Locate correct controller and view folders

   Controllers belong in app/Http/Controllers, and views go in resources/views.

3. Step 3: Check incorrect options

   app/Models is for data models, public is for assets, config/api.php is not standard, and middleware folder is for request filters.

4. Final Answer:

   Update routes/api.php, create controller in app/Http/Controllers, and add view in resources/views -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   API route + controller + view folders = Update routes/api.php, create controller in app/Http/Controllers, and add view in resources/views [OK]

Hint: API routes in routes/api.php, controllers in app/Http/Controllers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Putting API routes in routes/web.php
• Creating controllers in wrong folders
• Adding views outside resources/views