We know that Laravel is currently the most used and most popular framework on the PHP platform in the world. Although its popularity started from version 4.x, Developers and entrepreneurs began to use the Laravel 5.X version extensively to develop most of their projects because of its simple and developer friendly template engine, built-in powerful Artisan commands, powerful and fastest Eloquent ORM to keep developers focused on PHP code without the hassle of SQL Code, pre-installed Object-Oriented libraries collection, capability of running multiple unit testing facilities and facilitates for the developers to write their own unit-tests, built-in unified API for various caching systems and above all due to having a good built-in authentication and authorization security systems. It has very nice, organized and extensive official documentation helpful for the developers at all aspects. There are also a large communities and forums from which any questions about Laravel can be easily answered. According cyblance statistics, Laravel framework occupied 25.85% market share among others PHP framework. Now it's 2020 and the percentage definitely increased. More than millions of top business, e-commerce, news, real estates, entertainment, social and other type of applications are running build with Laravel because of its expressive, elegant, powerful and robust features. Now the question is, while Taylor Otwell is happy to see these huge users of Laravel and the growth of Laravel users day by day, are the owners of the applications made with Laravel equally happy?
We know that Laravel is currently the most used and most popular framework on the PHP platform in the world. Although its popularity started from version 4.x, Developers and entrepreneurs began to use the Laravel 5.X version extensively to develop most of their projects because of its simple and developer friendly template engine, built-in powerful Artisan commands, powerful and fastest Eloquent ORM to keep developers focused on PHP code without the hassle of SQL Code, pre-installed Object-Oriented libraries collection, capability of running multiple unit testing facilities and facilitates for the developers to write their own unit-tests, built-in unified API for various caching systems and above all due to having a good built-in authentication and authorization security systems. It has very nice, organized and extensive official documentation helpful for the developers at all aspects. There are also a large communities and forums from which any questions about Laravel can be easily answered. According cyblance statistics, Laravel framework occupied 25.85% market share among others PHP framework. Now it's 2020 and the percentage definitely increased. More than millions of top business, e-commerce, news, real estates, entertainment, social and other type of applications are running build with Laravel because of its expressive, elegant, powerful and robust features. Now the question is, while Taylor Otwell is happy to see these huge users of Laravel and the growth of Laravel users day by day, are the owners of the applications made with Laravel equally happy?
As a Laravel developer working in various development agencies I always faced a problem. When the software agencies start earning revenue from the users after the product is made, they start gurgling happily and bursting with complacency. This is more common in people who trade in the market with their own products. But this problem is not so much in the case of developer companies that make products according to the needs of others. Because, then there is a maintenance contract after product delivery. So, for the case of own products it is sure as the number of users increases day by day, the database also becomes heavier and the owner also spends his days with a happy smile as the income continues to come. Maybe from time to time the owner builds one or more modules by the developer to increase efficiency of the software he is running to business. In most cases, the focus is on making it more usable by adding new features, But software owners don't pay as much attention to upgrading their product timely as the platform or framework do on their up gradations regularly. In this situation, the developers face the most problems as front-runners. After a gap of several days, when new features have to be added, it is seen that many new versions of the platform or framework have arrived. Inevitably updates of dependent packages also come. During this time lots of data are stored into the database when the application is running as well as doing business. Of course it can happened additions or modifications to the original libraries of the platform or framework when the improved version of them comes out. But the owners of custom software, whether due to laziness or fear of losing database containing lots of data or for fear of breaking the code of the Software that is running and doing business, do not bother to upgrade their versions parallel with the platform or framework versions they are using. As a result developers faced problems after a long times when he is going to add new features to the unupgraded version In favor of the owner's requirements.
If the problem is kept alive, the complexity becomes deeper. In most cases it is seen that the dance starts to add new features instead of upgrading in a timely parallel way with the framework or platform. The Application may be then backdated when developers want to add new features. The result is conflict with classes, methods or properties due to older style conventions, older style dependencies. The developer then talks about upgrade as the need arises. Though, in between the income times lots of data already accumulated which the owner was worried about from the beginning didn't want to go to the trouble of the up gradation then, now the owner has no choice but to put his hand on his head. For the fear that he didn't upgrade then, that fear is haunting him now. But the hope is that most frameworks or platforms release updates for older versions. But one day it will stop. All giant companies do the same, closes updates to older versions. Even Laravel will one day stop updating to the older versions.
Your software product is made for your revenue. Just as it is important to increase the efficiency of the software by adding features, it is also important to upgrade your product as soon as new upgrades are released. Your database may be ruined, your codebase may be destroyed, a fear in your mind works all the time, may be you think If there is any misfortune!! Move away from these thoughts. Laravel has beautiful documentation. There is a nice description of how to upgrade your application from version 4.x to version 7.x. Make sure every day, no matter how small or large your application is, whether any new upgrades have been released. Keep upgrading immediately and follow the upgrade guide as well. Keep a developer busy at all times if needed. Even then, if you are afraid to update manually or do not have confident of that, you can knock on various trusted marketplaces for a skilled and experienced developer who will help you upgrading your software to latest releases. Laravel is a very powerful and advanced PHP framework for large scale application development. Without keeping upgrade you are throwing yourself backdated. Take away the unknown fear from the mind that you are thinking about up gradation. Rather, if you do not upgrade your application regularly, there may be serious risks later. I will explain a step by step guide later in this series of Laravel application up gradation. There is also an official services from Laravel named SHIFT (Automated, instant Laravel upgrade services by an army of thorough bots and friendly humans too.). That is paid services on monthly or project basis. But, I suggest learn yourself about Laravel up gradation that will take your confident level high and later you will be able to maintain and secure your application by your own.
Whenever there is an upgrade from Laravel, you will have to upgrade your application as well because future proof and bullet proof application are desirable for everyone. So, don’t be afraid to upgrade your application. Rather, there will be more danger if you do not upgrade. By spending a lot of money, with a lot of labor and talent, with a lot of care, always upgrade the application you have created to make money.