How to Clone a Laravel Project from GitHub and Run it in VS Code
Tags: laravel, webdev, php, beginners
Published: 2023-08-01 12:38:34

**Introduction:**
Cloning a Laravel project from GitHub and setting it up in Visual Studio Code is an essential skill for developers working with Laravel applications. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the entire process, making it easy for you to get started with your Laravel development journey. Let's dive in!

**Step 1: Install Prerequisites**
- Install Git, Composer, and Laravel globally on your computer.
  - Git: Download and install Git from https://git-scm.com/downloads.
  - Composer: Install Composer from https://getcomposer.org/download/.
  - Laravel: Install Laravel globally via Composer by running `composer global require laravel/installer` in your terminal.

**Step 2: Clone the Laravel Project**
1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
2. Navigate to the directory where you want to store the project.
3. Clone the Laravel project from GitHub using the `git clone` command.
   ```
   git clone <repository-url>
   ```
   Replace `<repository-url>` with the URL of the GitHub repository.

4. Navigate into the cloned project directory.
   ```
   cd <project-name>
   ```

**Step 3: Install Dependencies**
1. Install the project's PHP dependencies via Composer.
   ```
   composer install
   ```

2. Install the JavaScript dependencies using npm or Yarn.
   ```
   npm install
   ```
   or
   ```
   yarn
   ```
**
Step 4: Set Up Environment File**
1. Create a copy of the `.env.example` file and rename it to `.env`.
   ```
   cp .env.example .env
   ```

2. Generate an application key for your Laravel project.
   ```
   php artisan key:generate
   ```

**Step 5: Set Up Database**
1. Create a new database for your Laravel project using your preferred database management tool (e.g., phpMyAdmin).

2. Update the `.env` file with your database credentials.
   ```
   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=your_database_name
   DB_USERNAME=your_database_username
   DB_PASSWORD=your_database_password
   ```

**Step 6: Serve the Application**
1. Start the Laravel development server.
   ```
   php artisan serve
   ```

2. Access the application by visiting `http://localhost:8000` in your web browser.

**Step 7: Set Up Visual Studio Code**
1. Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code) if you haven't already from https://code.visualstudio.com/download.

2. Install Laravel-related extensions for VS Code:
   - Laravel Extension Pack (by Jun Han)
   - PHP Intelephense (by Ben Mewburn)
   - DotENV (by mikestead)

3. Open your Laravel project folder in VS Code.

**Step 8: Start Coding!**
Congratulations! You have successfully cloned a Laravel project from GitHub and set it up in Visual Studio Code. Now, you are all set to begin your Laravel development journey. Remember to run `php artisan migrate` to set up your database tables and `php artisan test` to run tests.

**Conclusion:**
Cloning a Laravel project from GitHub and running it in Visual Studio Code is a fundamental process for any Laravel developer. By following this step-by-step guide, you have successfully set up your development environment and are ready to start building amazing Laravel applications. Happy coding!