What Is Laravel Octane: Boost Performance with Swoole and RoadRunner

Laravel Octane revolutionizes PHP application performance by leveraging high-powered servers like Swoole and RoadRunner. Unlike traditional setups where every request reboots the framework, Octane keeps your app in memory, slashing response times and resource usage. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to install, configure, and optimize Laravel Octane to handle thousands of requests per second—without breaking a sweat.

What Is Laravel Octane?

Laravel Octane is a performance-enhancing package that uses Swoole (a coroutine-based PHP extension) or RoadRunner (a Go-powered app server) to run your app. By caching bootstrapped services in memory, Octane eliminates redundant processes, delivering lightning-fast responses.

Key Benefits of Laravel Octane

• 30-50% faster response times compared to traditional Laravel.
• Reduced memory consumption by reusing services across requests.
• Horizontal scalability for handling traffic spikes.
• Built-in tools for concurrent tasks and caching.

Installing Laravel Octane

Step 1: Install via Composer

First, add Octane to your project:

composer require laravel/octane

Step 2: Publish Configuration Files

Generate the Octane config file:

php artisan octane:install  

Choosing Your Server: Swoole vs. RoadRunner

Option 1: Swoole Setup

Swoole uses asynchronous programming to handle tasks like WebSocket communication.

Install the Swoole Extension:

pecl install swoole  

Start the Octane Server:

php artisan octane:start --server=swoole  

Option 2: RoadRunner Setup

RoadRunner, written in Go, offers multi-threaded processing for PHP apps.

Install RoadRunner Binary:

./vendor/bin/rr get-binary  

Launch the Server:

php artisan octane:start --server=roadrunner  

Optimizing Octane for Production

Configuring Workers

Adjust worker counts based on your server’s CPU cores:

php artisan octane:start --workers=8 --task-workers=4  

Enabling HTTPS

Set OCTANE_HTTPS=true in your .env file and update Nginx/Apache to proxy requests to Octane’s port (default: 8000).

Auto-Reload for Development

Use –watch to restart Octane when code changes:

php artisan octane:start --watch  

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Dependency Injection Best Practices

Avoid injecting the HTTP request or container into long-lived objects. Instead, resolve dependencies dynamically:

// ❌ Avoid this in singletons 
public function __construct(Request $request) { ... } 

// ✅ Use closures to fetch the current request 
public function __construct() { 
    $this->request = fn() => app(Request::class); 
}  

Managing Memory Leaks

Static arrays or global variables persist between requests. Use Octane’s cache or database for shared data:

// ❌ Risky: Static array grows indefinitely 
public static $cache = []; 

// ✅ Safe: Use Octane's in-memory cache 
Cache::store('octane')->put('key', 'value', 10);  

Advanced Features

Concurrent Tasks (Swoole Only)

Process multiple tasks in parallel:

use Laravel\Octane\Facades\Octane; 

[$users, $posts] = Octane::concurrently([ 
    fn() => User::all(), 
    fn() => Post::with('comments')->get(), 
]);  

Interval-Based Caching

Refresh cached data automatically:

Cache::store('octane')->interval('trending', function() { 
    return Post::mostViewed()->take(10)->get(); 
}, seconds: 30);  

Real-World Benchmarks

Tested using 50 concurrent connections on an AWS t3.medium instance.

When to Use Laravel Octane

• High-traffic apps needing real-time features (chat, notifications).
• APIs requiring low-latency responses.
• Legacy apps seeking performance boosts with minimal code changes.

Final Tips for Success

1. Monitor memory usage with tools like Laravel Telescope.
2. Use Octane’s cache for frequently accessed data.
3. Combine with Laravel Vapor for serverless autoscaling.

Ready to Turbocharge Your App?

Laravel Octane unlocks PHP’s hidden potential, making it a must-have for developers aiming to build blazing-fast apps.

FAQs

1. What is Laravel Octane?

Laravel Octane is a high-performance package that supercharges PHP apps using servers like Swoole or RoadRunner. It keeps your app loaded in memory between requests, reducing bootstrapping overhead and speeding up response times.

2. How is Octane different from traditional Laravel?

Traditional Laravel reboots the framework on every request, which slows performance. Octane keeps your app in memory, reusing services across requests for faster execution and lower resource usage.

3. How do I install Laravel Octane?

Install Octane via Composer:

Then run php artisan octane:install to generate config files. Ensure your PHP version is 8.1+.

4. Should I use Swoole or RoadRunner?

Swoole: Best for advanced features like WebSockets or concurrent tasks. Requires a PHP extension.

RoadRunner: Easier setup (Go-based), ideal for simple scaling. No PHP extensions needed.

5. How to avoid memory leaks with Octane?

Avoid static variables or global arrays. Use Octane’s built-in cache (Cache::store(‘octane’)) or databases to store data that persists between requests.

6. Can I use Octane in production?

Yes! Configure worker counts based on your server’s CPU cores and use a reverse proxy (Nginx/Apache) for HTTPS. Monitor performance with tools like Laravel Telescope or Forge.