Laravel 10 has been making a lot of buzz among the e-commerce developers. But do you wonder what's new in Laravel 10? Well! Let us tell you that this new version has simplified PHP development, catering to both beginners and seasoned developers. Some might even argue that it has established unparalleled standards for PHP, considering PHP itself is the preferred choice.

Do you want to know more about the new updates in Laravel 10? If yes, read this article. Here, we will guide you through the latest features, fixes, and Laravel application development methods in Laravel 10. We will also discuss why hiring experienced Laravel developers can be a game-changer for your business!

Laravel Release Schedule

• Security updates will continue for Laravel 9 until February 6, 2024.
• As for Laravel 10, maintenance and bug fixes are extended to August 6, 2024, but security fixes are guaranteed only till February 4, 2025.
• Moving forward, Laravel 11 is expected to have bug fixes up till August 5, 2025, and its security support has been extended through February 3, 2026.

Key Features of Laravel 10

Laravel 10 is better known for its unbeatable user experience. That's why it's advisable to use version constraints like '^10.0'. The rationale behind this is that new releases can bring about significant changes and improvements. Notably, the latest version, Laravel 10, includes multiple significant upgrades that offer important benefits for product owners. 

Let's have a look at the new features that Laravel 10 offers to its users:

• PHP 8.0 Support Discontinued

With the introduction of Laravel 10, you can now bid adieu to PHP 8.0, as it is no longer part of the supported lineup. To maintain the integrity of your Laravel application development, we strongly recommend making the transition to PHP 8.1 or 8.2. 
Although immediate updates for Laravel are not obligatory, they are highly advisable, especially in scenarios involving projects for paying clients or those managed by dedicated teams. Furthermore, it's crucial to note that alongside PHP 8.0, support for Predis v1 has been officially discontinued, necessitating a smooth and prompt migration to Predis v2.

• Introducing the Laravel Pennant

Introducing the Laravel Pennant, an incredibly lightweight feature with a strong focus on end-users. This feature is ideally suited for Laravel app development. By streamlining release cycles, it simplifies the process of deploying new features. 
It also provides a user-friendly A/B testing interface and seamlessly aligns with trunk-based development practices. With this feature flag, you gain the ability to dynamically enable or disable features at runtime without the need for code modifications.

• Effortless Process Handling

Laravel equips you with an extensive API for the Symfony Process component, effortlessly facilitating external process execution within your Laravel application development. This feature streamlines typical use cases, enhancing your overall development experience significantly.

• Revamped Application Skeleton Code with Type Declarations

Earlier, Laravel relied on DocBlocks as metadata for its scaffolded code, documenting functions along with their corresponding endpoints and parameters. Now, with the introduction of Type Declarations, all user-written code within the Laravel framework benefits from enhanced precision, thanks to type-hints and return types. These enhancements provide greater clarity without compromising the framework's backward compatibility.

• Farewell to 'dispatchNow()'

In Laravel 10, the 'dispatchNow()' method has been retired as it was deprecated in Laravel 9. Its successor, 'dispatchSync(),' steps in to take its place. While this may initially seem like an API change, the transition is straightforward, involving a simple one-for-one replacement for existing projects. Hire experienced Laravel Development services to take advantage of these key features.

Should You Make the Leap to Laravel 10?

Keep in mind that Laravel is an open-source framework. Whenever you establish a new instance on your device, you effectively possess the codebase. Even if your version becomes unsupported, your application will continue to function. 
However, you will be responsible for managing that particular version within your environment. Prioritizing stability should take precedence over a complete overhaul. 

Consider upgrading to Laravel 10 only if:

• Your current Laravel app is stable and functioning properly.
• The upgrade will bring a necessary feature or resolve a critical bug that will enhance the performance of your app.
• You have thoroughly tested your app before implementing the upgrade in the production environment. If you require assistance with the upgrade process, consider seeking professional help. Hire experienced Laravel Development experts to ensure a smooth transition and optimal performance for your application.

How to Upgrade from Laravel 9 to Laravel 10?

With the official release of Laravel v10, the process of upgrading your current Laravel application to this latest version has been made seamless. This tool takes the hassle out of transitioning from Laravel 9 to Laravel 10, ultimately saving you up to 2 hours of precious time. It's worth noting that both Laravel and Laravel 10.x Migration receive regular updates, and for those utilizing Migration, there's the convenience of requesting a rerun if necessary.

• Requirements for Laravel 10

Before embarking on the journey to upgrade your current Laravel application to Laravel 10, you need to meet a few essential prerequisites:

• Your Laravel application must currently be running on Laravel 9 or a later version.
• Your server environment should have PHP 8.1 or a higher version installed.
• Core Upgrades

Leveraging Laravel 10.x Migration automates a multitude of upgrades in line with the Laravel Upgrade Guide. This includes:

• Streamlining updates to the core project files of Laravel.
• Implementing new methods necessitated by changes made to interfaces.
• Incorporating PHP-type hints throughout your Laravel application development.
• Transitioning from the deprecated $dates property to the $casts property.
• Updating core dependencies to align with Laravel 10 and PHP 8.1.
• Eliminating superfluous type declarations within PHP DocBlocks.
• Detecting deprecated code segments within your application codebase.
• Additional Upgrades

In addition to the core upgrades, Laravel 10.x Migration offers supplementary enhancements detailed in the Laravel Upgrade Guide. These encompass:

• Modernizing PHP syntax, embracing elements like the null safe operator and short arrays.
• Enabling you to apply your preferred code style seamlessly.
• Embracing tuple syntax and class-based routes for enhanced functionality.
• Facilitating the conversion to anonymous migrations.
• Automating the adjustments required to align with PHPUnit 9.
• Converting Faker property access to method calls for improved consistency.
• Updating configuration files to reflect Laravel 10 specifications.
• Elevating dependency constraints for commonly used packages.

• Manual Upgrades

While the Laravel 10.x migration excels at automating numerous upgrades, there may still be instances where manual intervention is required. In such cases, it identifies these specific updates and furnishes comprehensive instructions via comments within the pull request. These comments provide clear guidance on the necessary steps for manual implementation.Keep in mind that migration can help automate upgrades for common dependencies, but it's a good idea to check the changelog and other changes for a smooth Laravel application development. If you want a trouble-free upgrade, consider hiring experienced Laravel developers.