How to Update Old Laravel 6 Projects to Laravel 12

Updating an old Laravel 6 application to Laravel 12 can feel intimidating, especially if the project has been running in production for years. Laravel has evolved massively from PHP version requirements to frontend tooling, authentication, performance, and developer experience. In this article we will se How to Update Old Laravel 6 Projects to Laravel 12

This in‑depth guide explains how to update old Laravel 6 projects to Laravel 12, step by step. It also includes a Laravel 6 vs Laravel 12 comparison, so you clearly understand what changed, why it changed, and how to adapt your project safely.

what is laravel framework

Laravel is a free, open-source PHP web application framework used to build modern, secure, and scalable websites and web applications. Laravel helps developers build web apps faster and in a cleaner way instead of writing messy raw PHP.
Why Laravel exists :

Before Laravel, PHP code often became:

• Hard to manage
• Repetitive
• Insecure

Laravel solves this by providing:

• Best security practices by default
• A clear structure (MVC pattern)
• Ready-made tools for common tasks

Key features of Laravel

1. MVC Architecture

Laravel follows MVC (Model-View-Controller):

• Model to Database logic
• View to HTML/UI
• Controller to Business logic

This keeps code clean and organized.

MVC (Model-View-Controller) is a software design pattern that separates an application into three interconnected components: Model, which handles data, business logic, and database interactions; View, which is responsible for displaying the user interface and presenting data to the user; and Controller, which acts as an intermediary that receives user input, processes requests, communicates with the Model, and returns the appropriate View, making applications more organized, maintainable, and scalable.

Why You Should Upgrade Laravel 6

Laravel 6 reached end of life (EOL) long ago. Continuing with it means:

• No security patches
• Incompatible with modern PHP versions
• Outdated packages and dependencies
• Performance limitations

Upgrading to Laravel 12 gives you:

• Long-term support & security
• Modern PHP compatibility
• Better performance and scalability
• Modern tooling (Vite, improved queues, jobs, APIs)

Laravel 6 vs Laravel 12 – Comparison Table

Feature	Laravel 6	Laravel 12
PHP Version	PHP 7.2 – 7.4	PHP 8.2+
Release Year	2019	2025
Routing	Traditional routes	Optimized route caching
Frontend Build	Laravel Mix (Webpack)	Vite (default)
Authentication	Legacy Auth scaffolding	Modern auth, API-first
Queues	Basic queue handling	Improved queue workers
API Development	Limited helpers	API-first architecture
Security	Outdated	Stronger defaults
Performance	Moderate	Significantly improved
Maintenance	End of life	Actively maintained

Before You Start: Preparation Checklist

Before upgrading Laravel 6 to Laravel 12, never jump versions directly.

1. Backup Everything

• Database backup
• .env file
• Storage files

2. Check Current Laravel Version

php artisan --version

3. Review Dependencies

Open composer.json and list:

• Laravel packages
• Third-party packages
• Custom packages

Recommended Upgrade Path (Very Important)

You must upgrade step by step:

Laravel 6 to 7 to 8 to 9 to 10 to 11 to 12

Skipping versions will break your application.

Step 1: Upgrade Laravel 6 to Laravel 7

Update composer.json

"laravel/framework": "^7.0"

Then run:

composer update

Fix Breaking Changes

• Route model binding changes
• Middleware priority updates
• Mail configuration changes

Step 2: Upgrade Laravel 7 to Laravel 8

Laravel 8 introduced namespace changes.

Controller Namespace Fix

Old (Laravel 6):

Route::get('/users', 'UserController@index');

New (Laravel 8+):

use App\\Http\\Controllers\\UserController;
Route::get('/users', [UserController::class, 'index']);

Step 3: Upgrade Laravel 8 to Laravel 9

PHP Version Upgrade Required

Laravel 9 requires PHP 8.0+.

Symfony & Dependency Updates

Expect:

• Deprecated helpers removed
• Updated validation rules
• Updated file system (Flysystem v3)

Step 4: Upgrade Laravel 9 to Laravel 10

Major Improvements

• Faster request lifecycle
• Better exception handling
• Improved Eloquent performance

Update composer.json

"laravel/framework": "^10.0"

Step 5: Upgrade Laravel 10 to Laravel 11 & 12

Laravel 11 and 12 focus on:

• Cleaner application structure
• Simplified configuration
• Performance-first architecture

You may notice:

• Reduced default files
• Improved artisan commands
• Better API handling

Common Issues While Updating Old Laravel Projects

1. Package Compatibility

Some old packages won’t support Laravel 12.

Solution:

• Replace deprecated packages
• Use maintained alternatives

2. Authentication Changes

Old auth scaffolding may break.

Solution:

• Migrate to modern auth
• Use API-based authentication if needed

3. Frontend Build System

Laravel Mix to Vite

Solution:

• Rebuild assets using Vite
• Update JS & CSS imports

Laravel 6 to Laravel 12: Key Architectural Changes

MVC Structure

Laravel still follows MVC, but Laravel 12 enforces cleaner separation and improved service handling.

API Development

Laravel 12 is API-first, making it ideal for:

• Mobile apps
• React / Vue frontends
• Microservices

Testing After Upgrade (Mandatory)

Run:

php artisan test

Also test:

• Authentication
• Forms & validation
• APIs
• Queues & cron jobs

Should You Upgrade or Rewrite?

Scenario	Recommendation
Small Laravel 6 app	Upgrade
Medium app	Upgrade step-by-step
Large legacy system	Partial rewrite

Final Thoughts

Upgrading from Laravel 6 to Laravel 12 is not just a version bump it is a modernization process.

If done correctly, you gain:

• Long-term stability
• Better performance
• Modern development experience

Take your time, upgrade step by step, and always test after each version.

How to Update Old Laravel 6 Projects to Laravel 12

If you maintain old Laravel projects, upgrading to Laravel 12 is one of the best investments you can make in 2025-2026.

Is Laravel 12 faster than 11?

Yes, Laravel 12 is slightly faster than Laravel 11, but it’s an incremental improvement, not a dramatic jump.

Why Laravel 12 Is Faster Than Laravel 11

Laravel 12 focuses on refinement and optimization, building on the big architectural cleanup done in Laravel 11.

1. Lighter Application Bootstrap

• Laravel 11 introduced a leaner app structure
• Laravel 12 further optimizes:
  • Service provider loading
  • Config bootstrapping
  • Default middleware stack

Result: Faster request startup time

2. Improved Route & Container Performance

• Smarter route caching
• Optimized dependency injection resolution
• Less overhead in controller/middleware execution

Result: Lower latency per request

3. Better PHP 8.2+ Utilization

Laravel 12 fully embraces PHP 8.2 features:

• Faster object handling
• Improved opcode caching (OPcache)
• Better memory management

If you’re upgrading from Laravel 11 + PHP 8.1 to Laravel 12 + PHP 8.2, you’ll feel the speed boost.

4. Artisan & Developer Tooling Speed

• Faster artisan commands
• Cleaner config loading
• Reduced filesystem scans

This doesn’t affect users directly, but developer experience is faster.

Laravel 11 vs Laravel 12 – Performance Comparison

Area	Laravel 11	Laravel 12
Request lifecycle	Fast	Slightly faster
Route caching	Good	Improved
Memory usage	Optimized	More efficient
Queue processing	Stable	Slightly optimized
Bootstrap time	Reduced	Further reduced

Realistic expectations are important when comparing Laravel 11 and Laravel 12. Laravel 12 is not twice as fast as Laravel 11; instead, you can expect a modest 5-10% performance improvement in real-world applications. The most noticeable performance gains usually come from upgrading to PHP 8.2, properly configuring OPcache, optimizing database queries, and implementing effective caching strategies rather than the framework version alone. You will experience Laravel 12’s speed improvements more clearly in applications with a large number of routes, heavy use of dependency injection and service containers, high-traffic APIs, or queue-intensive workloads. Overall, Laravel 12 is indeed faster than Laravel 11, but the improvements are incremental rather than dramatic, and the best performance results come from combining Laravel 12 with PHP 8.2 and well-optimized caching and infrastructure.

From a business perspective, upgrading an old Laravel 6 application to Laravel 12 is not just a technical decision but a strategic investment. Running an end-of-life framework increases security risks, maintenance costs, and the likelihood of unexpected downtime, all of which can negatively impact revenue and customer trust. By upgrading to Laravel 12, businesses reduce technical debt, improve long-term maintainability, and ensure compliance with modern security standards, resulting in better operational stability and a higher return on investment over time.

Cost vs Benefit Analysis Paragraph

Although upgrading from Laravel 6 to Laravel 12 requires upfront development effort and resource allocation, the long-term financial benefits clearly outweigh the initial cost. A modern Laravel 12 codebase enables faster feature development, lower bug-fixing expenses, improved developer productivity, and reduced dependency on legacy expertise. Over time, these advantages translate into measurable cost savings, improved time-to-market, and more efficient use of engineering resources.

Laravel 12 provides a future-ready foundation that supports business growth and scalability without requiring major architectural changes. As traffic, users, and data volume increase, a modern framework ensures consistent performance and system reliability. This scalability directly supports revenue growth by allowing businesses to handle higher workloads, launch new features faster, and respond quickly to market demands.

Maintaining a legacy Laravel 6 application can also increase hidden operational costs, particularly in hiring and onboarding developers. Modern developers prefer working with up-to-date frameworks, and upgrading to Laravel 12 significantly improves developer satisfaction, onboarding speed, and overall engineering efficiency. This reduction in hiring friction and training time contributes to lower long-term staffing costs.

In summary, upgrading from Laravel 6 to Laravel 12 is a financially sound decision that reduces long-term risk, improves system stability, and enhances business agility. While the performance gains may be incremental, the combined benefits of improved security, lower maintenance costs, better scalability, and increased developer productivity make Laravel 12 a strong foundation for sustainable business growth.

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