Step 1: Prepare Your Laravel Project

Before uploading, make sure your project is ready for production:

1. Run database migrations:

php artisan migrate --force

2. Install dependencies in production mode:

composer install --optimize-autoloader --no-dev

3. Optimize configuration and routes:

php artisan config:cache
php artisan route:cache
php artisan view:cache

Step 2: Upload Files to the Server

Shared Hosting (cPanel/FTP):

Upload all project files to your hosting account.

Typically, the public_html folder is your root. Place Laravel’s public folder contents inside public_html.

Keep the rest of your Laravel files in a separate directory (e.g., laravel_project) for security.

VPS or Dedicated Server:

Use SSH to clone or upload your project into /var/www/yourdomain.com.

Step 3: Configure .env File

Edit your .env file on the server with:

Database credentials (from your hosting or VPS).

APP_URL to your domain name.

Storage or mail settings if needed.

Example:

APP_NAME=Laravel
APP_ENV=production
APP_URL=https://yourdomain.com
APP_KEY=base64:xxxxxx

Step 4: Point Domain to Public Folder

Laravel’s entry point is public/index.php. On cPanel, set your domain’s document root to the public folder.

If you’re on a VPS with Nginx/Apache:

Point the server block (Nginx) or virtual host (Apache) to project_path/public.

Step 5: Set File Permissions

Run these commands to allow Laravel to write to necessary directories:

chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache

Step 6: Run Your Application

Now open your domain in a browser. If configured correctly, your Laravel website should load successfully! 🎉

Conclusion

Hosting a Laravel website involves preparing your project, uploading files, configuring the .env file, and pointing your domain to the public folder. Whether you’re using cPanel shared hosting or a VPS server, following these steps ensures a smooth deployment. For larger projects, you can explore Laravel Forge, Docker, or cloud hosting platforms for more advanced deployment options.

👉 Do you want me to write this specifically for cPanel hosting (step-by-step with screenshots style), or keep it general for both shared hosting and VPS?

php artisan config:cache
php artisan route:cache
php artisan view:cache

composer install --optimize-autoloader --no-dev

php artisan migrate --force