In today’s day and age, you know that building an app requires more than just coding knowledge ― you must also be innovative and efficient.
That’s precisely why frameworks like Laravel exist. Laravel’s primary purpose is to simplify the development of PHP applications, allowing engineers to create innovative solutions with higher productivity and lower costs.
As such, Laravel provides numerous functionalities, including Artisan ― a Command-Line Interface (CLI) which enables developers to interact with the framework, perform various tasks, and streamline their workflow through a text-driven interface.
Therefore, understanding this CLI and its commands is a must for every success-striving Laravel developer.
What is Artisan?
Artisan is Laravel’s CLI. It provides developers with commands that help them generate components, run tests, migrate databases, and more.
One of the most valuable aspects of Artisan is its capability to produce standard code for routine tasks. This can save you significant time as a developer since you don’t have to rewrite the same code whenever needed.
Simply put, Artisan streamlines the development process and enhances efficiency by automating common tasks.
8 essential Artisan commands
To use Artisan and its commands, open a terminal window and go to the root directory. Then, enter “php artisan” and add the appropriate command.
Here’s the list of useful Artisan commands you should know about:
php artisan list
Let’s start with the one that allows you to view the list of all available Artisan commands. It displays a table with names and descriptions of all commands.
php artisan help
Another useful command that allows you to see commands’ arguments and options.
To view a help screen, type “help” before the specific command’s name. For example: “php artisan help migrate”.
php artisan make:model
This command creates a new model file in the app/Models directory. The class will have a standard structure and functions.
php artisan make:controller
Use “php artisan make:controller” to generate a new controller class in the app/Http/Controllers directory. For instance, “php artisan make controller UserController”.
With Artisan, you can also create a controller and a model together by typing “php artisan make:controller UserController -m User”.
php artisan make:migration
This one creates a new file in the database/migrations directory. (Migrations allow you to adjust your database schema over time in a structured way.)
php artisan migrate
The command executes all pending migrations, which in turn updates the database schema to match the current status of the application.
php artisan test
It runs all the test cases in the tests/Unit directory, significantly streamlining the testing process by allowing you to run all the tests with a single command.
php artisan db:seed
Use this command to seed the database with test data. This allows you to test your app without manually generating test data each time.
How to create custom commands in Artisan’s command-line interface?
Artisan’s magic goes beyond built-in commands ― it also allows you to create your own!
To create a new custom command, enter the following command into the Artisan Console:
php artisan make:command <command_name>
Let’s look at an example.
First, open your terminal and run: “php artisan make:command CreateProfile”. You’ll get a file “CreateProfile” in the app/console/Commands directory.
Here’s the code:
1. <?php
2.
3. namespace App\Console\Commands;
4.
5. use Illuminate\Console\Command;
6.
7. class CreateProfile extends Command
8.
9. {
10.
11. /**
12.
13. * The name and signature of the console command.
14.
15. *
16.
17. * @var string
18.
19. */
20.
21. protected $user = ‘command:name’;
22.
23. /**
24.
25. * The console command description.
26.
27. *
28.
29. * @var string
30.
31. */
32.
33. protected $description = ‘Command description’;
34.
35. /**
36.
37. * Create a new command instance.
38.
39. *
40.
41. * @return void
42.
43. */
44.
45. public function __construct()
46.
47. {
48.
49. parent::__construct();
50.
51. }
52.
53. /**
54.
55. * Execute the console command.
56.
57. *
58.
59. * @return mixed
60.
61. */
62.
63. public function handle()
64.
65. {
66.
67. //
68.
69. }
70.
71. }
The next step is to update the Laravel command you just created. You’ll need to define $user (to create admin) and $description (to make the user account with admin role).
After this, you must also register your new command by updating the Kernel.php file inside the app/Console directory.
1. protected $commands = [
2.
3. Commands\CreateProfile::class,
4.
5. ];
Aaaand, your brand-new command is ready for use! You may now see it by executing the “php artisan list” command and, of course, employ it in your project.
Maximizing efficiency with Laravel’s Artisan command-line interface
Using Artisan is a fantastic way for you or your engineering talent to build modern apps quickly and efficiently. The CLI enables developers to focus on creating great solutions without wasting their energy on time-consuming, repetitive tasks.
However, to get the most out of Artisan and truly maximize efficiency, it’s crucial to master its commands (I hope this article helps!). Developers should also leverage Artisan’s customizability to explore options and make custom commands that fit specific development needs.
Overall, Laravel’s Artisan command-line interface is a handy tool that can greatly benefit the development process and contribute to the success of your projects!
