Upgrading an existing Laravel application

A Laravel upgrade involves the application around the framework as well as the framework itself. PHP versions, third-party packages, background jobs and external connections can all affect the work.

Establish what is running

Start with the application code, installed versions, hosting configuration and deployment process. Identify scheduled tasks, queue workers and services such as payments or email that the application depends on.

That inventory helps establish which parts need to change together and whether the upgrade can be delivered in stages.

Check the workflows people rely on

Identify the tasks customers and staff need to complete. Sign-in, permissions, billing, imports and exports often deserve particular attention.

Existing automated tests help, but the upgrade also needs checks against how the application is used. Add coverage where a regression would interrupt an important workflow.

Update and verify dependencies

Review the upgrade instructions for each version involved and check compatibility across the application’s packages. Some dependencies may need replacing or changes to the code that uses them.

Run the updated application in a separate environment, including its scheduled tasks and background processing. Check integrations using suitable test accounts or sample data.

Plan the release

Deployment may include database changes, updated workers and changes to the hosting environment. Prepare backups, decide how the release will be checked and establish a recovery plan before making the change.

After release, check errors, queued jobs and the workflows identified earlier.

We upgrade and maintain Laravel applications, including codebases started by other developers. Get in touch with the application’s current version and what needs attention.