Laravel - Configuration

Laravel Configuration Guide

In the previous chapter, we explored Laravel's core configuration files located in the config directory. This chapter provides a detailed overview of the types of configurations and best practices for working with them.

Environment Configuration

Laravel uses environment variables to manage services and settings for your web application. These are defined in the .env file located in the root directory of your project. This file contains values required to initialize your application's configuration.

Example .env File:

APP_ENV=local
APP_DEBUG=true
APP_KEY=base64:ZPt2wmKE/X4eEhrzJU6XX4R93rCwYG8E2f8QUA7kGK8=
APP_URL=http://localhost

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=name_db
DB_USERNAME=username_db
DB_PASSWORD=secret

CACHE_DRIVER=file
SESSION_DRIVER=file
QUEUE_DRIVER=sync

REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1
REDIS_PASSWORD=null
REDIS_PORT=6379

MAIL_DRIVER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=mailtrap.io
MAIL_PORT=2525
MAIL_USERNAME=null
MAIL_PASSWORD=null
MAIL_ENCRYPTION=null

Important Notes:

• Do not commit the .env file to version control, as it contains sensitive and environment-specific information.

• Instead, include a .env.example file with default values for reference and onboarding new developers.

Accessing Environment Variables

Environment variables can be accessed using Laravel’s env() helper function. These variables are also available in the global $_ENV array when the application processes a request.

Example:

'env' => env('APP_ENV', 'production'),

This example fetches the APP_ENV variable, defaulting to 'production' if it's not set.

Accessing Configuration Values

To retrieve or set configuration values within your application, use the global config() helper.

Example: Setting Timezone

config(['app.timezone' => 'Asia/Bakong']);

If a value is not already set, the helper returns the default specified value.

Configuration Caching

To optimize performance, Laravel allows you to cache all configuration values into a single file. This significantly reduces load times.

Cache Configuration Command:

php artisan config:cache

This command compiles all config files into one cached file for faster loading.

Maintenance Mode

When performing updates or making configuration changes, it’s a good practice to put your application into maintenance mode.

Enable Maintenance Mode:

php artisan down

While in maintenance mode, Laravel throws a MaintenanceModeException with a 503 HTTP status code.

Disable Maintenance Mode:

php artisan up

Once you're done, your application will return to normal operation.