Back to articles

Laravel and Me: A Senior Software Engineer’s Perspective

5 min read
LaravelPHPFrameworkPerformanceDelivery

Over the past few months, I’ve been actively exploring new opportunities and analyzing job descriptions, particularly those involving pure PHP, Laravel, ReactJS, and VueJS. Before discovering Laravel, I embarked on an ambitious project: building my own PHP framework called Railway. My goal was to simplify development by reducing repetitive tasks while maintaining a structured MVC (Model-View-Controller) approach. Railway included an authentication layer, an ORM, and a routing system—core components that any well-designed framework should have.

However, after several weeks of development, I discovered Laravel and Symfony. I quickly realized that I was duplicating features that Laravel had already perfected. Laravel wasn’t just superior—it was elegantly structured, well-documented, and intuitive. It offered a clean API, making it easy to build maintainable applications efficiently.

At the time, I was working as the first in-house engineer at YourParkingSpace.co.uk. The initial system had been developed by a digital agency, and my role was to improve and scale the application. This experience reinforced my preference for structured frameworks—especially Laravel, which streamlined my workflow and improved maintainability.

The Value of Using a Framework

Some companies still hire developers to work with pure PHP, without any frameworks. While I have no problem writing raw PHP, I strongly believe that public-facing applications benefit greatly from a well-established framework. Frameworks provide security, scalability, and maintainability—key aspects that are difficult to achieve when building from scratch.

That said, using a framework doesn’t automatically solve all problems. Security vulnerabilities can still arise if best practices aren’t followed. However, Laravel drastically improves development speed and reduces redundant work. If I were to develop without a framework, I would still end up building something similar to Laravel because its architecture aligns perfectly with efficient development practices.

Why Laravel Stands Out

Laravel’s ecosystem is one of its greatest strengths. Here are a few reasons why it remains my go-to framework:

  1. Elegant Syntax and Developer Experience

Laravel is designed to make development enjoyable. Its clean, expressive syntax enhances readability and speeds up development. The Blade templating engine allows for flexible front-end rendering, while built-in helpers and facades simplify common tasks. This ease of use makes collaboration seamless in team environments.

  1. Robust Authentication and Authorization

Security is a critical component of any application. With Laravel Sanctum (for lightweight authentication) and Laravel Passport (for full OAuth2 authentication), implementing authentication and authorization is incredibly straightforward. These tools reduce development time while ensuring robust security.

  1. Eloquent ORM – Intuitive Database Management

Laravel’s Eloquent ORM provides an elegant way to interact with databases. Unlike raw SQL queries, Eloquent allows for readable, object-oriented interactions that streamline database management. Features like relationships, mutators, accessors, and query scopes make data handling much more efficient.

Example:

// Retrieve a user's active bookings
$user = User::find(1);
$activeBookings = $user->bookings()->where('status', 'active')->get();

This approach eliminates the need for complex SQL queries, making code easier to maintain.

  1. Laravel Horizon and Queue System

For applications requiring background job processing, Laravel’s queue system is a lifesaver. Whether handling email notifications, database processing, or third-party API calls, queues offload heavy tasks, improving application performance.

Laravel Horizon provides a sleek dashboard for monitoring and managing queues, making it an indispensable tool for optimizing background processes.

  1. Testing with Pest and PHPUnit

As a senior engineer, I emphasize Test-Driven Development (TDD). Laravel integrates seamlessly with PHPUnit and Pest, making it easier to write unit, integration, and feature tests. Automated testing ensures reliability, catching potential issues before they reach production.

  1. Scalability and Performance Optimization

Laravel offers built-in caching mechanisms (Redis, Memcached), database optimization tools, and task scheduling for handling large-scale applications. These features make Laravel a viable choice for businesses looking to scale efficiently.

Laravel in My Current Projects

Currently, I’m working on Passmate, a web and mobile application designed to help users prepare for their driving theory tests in the UK. Laravel powers the backend API, ensuring a seamless experience for learners and instructors.

Technologies Used in Passmate:

  • Laravel Sanctum – Secure authentication for API requests.
  • Laravel Horizon – Efficient background job management.
  • PostgreSQL – A scalable and performant relational database.
  • Wasabi Technologies – Cost-effective cloud storage.
  • RevenueCat – Simplifies handling in-app subscriptions.

One key reason I chose Wasabi over AWS S3 was its cost-efficiency. For applications with large storage needs but relatively low retrieval frequency, Wasabi offers a lower-cost alternative without sacrificing performance.

Laravel’s ability to integrate smoothly with third-party services has allowed me to build a high-performance system while keeping operational costs low.

The Future of Laravel in My Career

Laravel continues to evolve rapidly, with new features and optimizations being introduced regularly. As I explore new technologies, I am particularly interested in:

  • Serverless architectures – Exploring Laravel with services like AWS Lambda, Vapor, and Bref.
  • AI-driven applications – Leveraging Laravel with OpenAI APIs for intelligent automation.
  • Microservices architecture – Using Laravel in conjunction with Node.js and Go for modular applications.

With Laravel’s adaptability and ever-growing community, I’m confident it will remain a core part of my development toolkit for years to come.

Conclusion

My journey as a senior software engineer has been deeply intertwined with Laravel. From my early days experimenting with pure PHP to building production-grade applications, Laravel has provided me with the structure, efficiency, and scalability needed for professional development.

If you’re a developer looking to build maintainable, scalable, and secure applications, Laravel is an excellent choice. Its simplicity and power make it one of the best frameworks for modern web development.

What’s your experience with Laravel? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to connect and share your journey.