Laravel 12 Top New Features, Performance Upgrades, and How to Get Started

Laravel, one of the most popular PHP frameworks, continues to evolve with each release, and Laravel 12 is no exception. Packed with exciting updates, this version aims to simplify development, enhance performance, and provide developers with modern tools to build scalable and secure applications. In this article, we’ll explore the new features of Laravel 12, how they improve application performance, and why you should consider upgrading.

What’s New in Laravel 12?

Laravel 12 introduces a host of features designed to make web development faster, more efficient, and more enjoyable. From performance optimizations to advanced debugging tools, this version is a significant upgrade over its predecessors. Let’s dive into the key updates.

1. Improved Performance and Scalability

Performance is a critical factor for modern web applications, especially those handling high traffic. Laravel 12 introduces asynchronous caching mechanisms, allowing cache operations to run in the background without blocking other processes. This significantly improves data retrieval speeds, particularly for APIs and applications with frequent cache updates.

Example: Asynchronous Caching

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache; 

// Old synchronous caching 
$user = Cache::remember('user_'.$id, 600, function () use ($id) { 
    return User::find($id); 
}); 

// New asynchronous caching 
$user = Cache::asyncRemember('user_'.$id, 600, function () use ($id) { 
    return User::find($id); 
}); 

2. Streamlined Dependency Injection

Laravel 12 simplifies dependency injection by leveraging PHP 8’s property promotion feature. This reduces boilerplate code and makes constructor definitions cleaner and more readable.

Example: Simplified Dependency Injection

// Old way 
class UserController 
{ 
    protected $service; 
    public function __construct(UserService $service) 
    { 
        $this->service = $service; 
    } 
} 

// New way 
class UserController 
{ 
    public function __construct(protected UserService $service) {} 
} 

3. Enhanced Developer Experience

Laravel 12 introduces a new scaffolding system that simplifies the creation of models, migrations, and controllers with a single command. This reduces development time and minimizes errors.

Example: Unified Scaffolding

# Old scaffolding command 
php artisan make:model Product -mcr 

# New scaffolding command 
php artisan scaffold Product 

4. Advanced Query Builder Enhancements

The Query Builder in Laravel 12 now supports nestedWhere, making complex queries more intuitive and easier to write.

Example: Nested Where Clauses

// Old way 
$users = DB::table('users') 
    ->where('status', 'active') 
    ->where(function ($query) { 
        $query->where('age', '>', 25) 
              ->orWhere('city', 'New York'); 
    })->get(); 

// New way 
$users = DB::table('users') 
    ->where('status', 'active') 
    ->nestedWhere('age', '>', 25, 'or', 'city', 'New York') 
    ->get(); 

5. Security Enhancements

Laravel 12 introduces secureValidate, a new validation method that extends existing rules with automatic security-focused enhancements.

Example: Secure Validation

// Old validation 
$request->validate([ 
    'password' => 'required|min:8', 
]); 

// New secure validation 
$request->secureValidate([ 
    'password' => ['required', 'min:8', 'strong'], 
]); 

6. Modernized Frontend Scaffolding

Laravel 12 integrates seamlessly with modern frontend tools like Vite and Tailwind CSS. The new frontend:install command provides out-of-the-box support for popular frameworks.

Example: Frontend Installation

# Old frontend setup 
php artisan ui vue 

# New frontend setup 
php artisan frontend:install vue 

7. Enhanced API Development

Laravel 12 introduces native GraphQL support and a new API versioning syntax, making it easier to manage and upgrade APIs.

Example: API Versioning

// Old API versioning 
Route::get('/api/v1/users', [UserController::class, 'index']); 

// New API versioning 
Route::apiVersion(1)->group(function () { 
    Route::get('/users', [UserController::class, 'index']); 
}); 

8. Improved Testing and Debugging Tools

Laravel 12 comes with an AI-powered debugging assistant that provides actionable suggestions based on runtime data.

Example: Debugging with Suggestions

// Old debugging 
dd($variable); 

// New debugging 
debug($variable)->suggest(); 

9. Advanced Eloquent ORM Features

Laravel 12 enhances the Eloquent ORM with features like conditional eager loading and filtered relationships.

Example: Filtered Relationships

// Old way 
$users = User::with(['posts' => function ($query) { 
    $query->where('status', 'published'); 
}])->get(); 

// New way 
$users = User::withFiltered('posts', ['status' => 'published'])->get(); 

10. Enhanced Job and Queue Management

Laravel 12 introduces dynamic prioritization and smarter retry mechanisms for background jobs.

Example: Job Prioritization

// Old job dispatch 
dispatch(new ProcessOrder($order))->onQueue('high'); 

// New job dispatch 
dispatch(new ProcessOrder($order))->prioritize('high'); 

11. Modern DevOps Integration

Laravel 12 introduces tools that integrate natively with modern CI/CD pipelines, ensuring smoother deployment processes.

Example: Deployment Automation

# Old deployment steps 
php artisan optimize 

# New deployment command 
php artisan deploy:prepare 

Deprecated Functions in Laravel 12

Laravel 12 deprecates several functions to encourage cleaner and more predictable code.

• Soft Deletes::restore() in Global Scopes
  • Use explicit model methods instead.
• route() Helper for Non-String Routes
  • Only string-based route names are now supported.
• Array-Based Relationship Definitions
  • Define relationships as methods for better readability.
• Validation Rule “Same”
  • Replaced with the compare rule for more flexible comparisons.
• Helper Functions for URL Parsing
  • Use the Url facade for robust URL parsing.

How to Install Laravel 12

To install Laravel 12, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your server or hosting platform (e.g., Cloudways).
2. Create a new server and select Laravel as the application type.
3. Use SSH to access your server and navigate to the public_html folder.
4. Run the following command:

composer global require laravel/installer

laravel new example-app

5. Access your application via the browser to see the Laravel welcome screen.

Conclusion

Laravel 12 is a game-changer for developers, offering performance enhancements, modern tools, and streamlined workflows. Whether you’re building high-traffic applications or modern APIs, Laravel 12 provides the features you need to succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Laravel still relevant in 2025?

Absolutely! Laravel remains a top choice for web development due to its robust ecosystem and regular updates.

What is the latest version of Laravel?

As of 2025, Laravel 12 is the latest stable release.

Is Laravel UI outdated?

While still functional, Laravel Breeze and Jetstream are now preferred for modern frontend scaffolding.