Laravel 12 Released: New Features, Starter Kits, and Laravel Cloud

Laravel, the renowned PHP framework, officially launched version 12 on February 24, 2025. This release brings a host of new features, including revamped starter kits and the introduction of Laravel Cloud, aiming to boost developer productivity and streamline application deployment.

New starter kits

Laravel 12 introduces new starter kits that give developers a seamless starting point for their projects. These kits support popular front-end technologies such as React, Vue and Livewire, and come pre-configured with modern component libraries like shadcn/ui. For Livewire users, there's an option to integrate a free version of Flux components. Each starter kit lives in its own GitHub repository, giving developers full control over the codebase with no hidden dependencies.

React starter kit

The React starter kit combines Laravel with React 19, TypeScript, Inertia 2 and shadcn/ui. This setup offers a robust foundation for building dynamic, single-page applications with a modern JavaScript stack, pairing React's component-based architecture with Laravel's backend capabilities.

Vue starter kit

For developers who prefer Vue.js, the Vue starter kit integrates Laravel with Vue 3, TypeScript, Inertia 2 and shadcn-vue. This combination makes for a smooth development experience when building interactive interfaces, using Vue's reactive data binding and component system.

Livewire starter kit

The Livewire starter kit is tailored for those who favour server-driven front-end development. It pairs Laravel with Livewire and Tailwind CSS, letting developers build dynamic interfaces without leaving the comfort of Laravel's PHP environment — no separate JavaScript framework required.

Each starter kit includes authentication, registration and user settings out of the box, so developers can focus on core features. The kits also support both light and dark modes. To get started, visit the Laravel starter kits page.

Laravel Cloud

Alongside Laravel 12, the team unveiled Laravel Cloud, a fully managed infrastructure platform tailored for Laravel applications. It lets developers deploy applications directly from a GitHub repository to a live environment in under a minute. The platform currently supports PostgreSQL databases, with MySQL support planned. The service simplifies deployment, freeing developers to focus on building features rather than managing infrastructure.

Key features of Laravel Cloud

• One-click deployment: Deploy your Laravel applications directly from your Git repository with minimal configuration, enabling continuous deployment workflows.
• Managed infrastructure: Laravel Cloud handles server maintenance, including updates, security patches and scaling, so your applications run smoothly without manual server management.
• Scalability: Automatically scale your applications based on traffic and usage. The infrastructure adjusts resources in real time to keep performance optimal during spikes.
• Integrated services: Built-in support for databases, caching, storage and more reduces the need for third-party services and simplifies your architecture.
• Team collaboration: Invite team members to collaborate on projects, with role-based access control to manage permissions.

A redesigned Laravel website

To coincide with version 12, Laravel also launched a redesigned website. The new site offers an updated experience that reflects the framework's commitment to a modern, intuitive interface for its community.

Upgrade considerations

Laravel 12 stays true to its commitment to stability: this major update introduces no breaking changes, so existing applications can upgrade seamlessly without code modifications. Developers are encouraged to review the official release notes and upgrade guides for a smooth transition.

With Laravel 12, developers can look forward to a better development experience, streamlined deployments with Laravel Cloud, and a suite of new tools to accelerate their workflow.