Upgrading Your Laravel Application from PHP 7.2 to PHP 8

Moving your Laravel app from PHP 7.2 to PHP 8 can boost performance, add new features, and improve security. However, you need to plan and execute the upgrade carefully to avoid issues. Here’s a simple guide to help you upgrade your Laravel app to PHP 8.

Step 1: Check Compatibility

Before you start, make sure your Laravel version and all your app’s dependencies work with PHP 8. Laravel 6 and newer versions are compatible, but older versions are not. Also, check if the third-party packages you use are compatible.

Check Your Laravel Version:

php artisan --version

Check Dependencies:

Look at your composer.json file and verify the dependencies' PHP 8 compatibility from their documentation or repositories.

Step 2: Update Composer Dependencies

Next, update your app’s dependencies to versions that support PHP 8. Edit your composer.json file to set the PHP version and update package versions.

Update PHP Requirement:

Open composer.json and change the PHP requirement:

"require": {
    "php": "^8.0",
    // other dependencies
}

Update Laravel and Other Packages:

Update Laravel and other packages to the latest compatible versions:

"require": {
    "laravel/framework": "^8.0",
    // other dependencies
}

Run Composer Update:

After editing composer.json, run:

composer update

Step 3: Test Locally on PHP 8

Before deploying to production, test your app locally on PHP 8.

Install PHP 8 Locally:

The steps depend on your OS. For example, on Ubuntu:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install php8.0

Switch to PHP 8:

Ensure your local server uses PHP 8:

sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php8.0