Laravel Boost Installation, Setup & Usage Guide (Step-by-Step)

Introduction

Laravel Boost is one of the newest productivity tools introduced by the Laravel ecosystem. It enhances your workflow by providing code insights, AI assistant integration, and a smart MCP (Model Context Protocol) server. Whether you're building APIs, dashboards, or complex applications, Laravel Boost helps you code faster and smarter.

In this guide, you will learn the complete installation, setup, and usage process of Laravel Boost inside your Laravel project. This tutorial is fully optimized for SEO and crafted to provide maximum clarity for beginners and experienced developers.

Why Use Laravel Boost?

Laravel Boost improves developer productivity by adding code suggestions, visual helpers, live interaction with your project, and AI-powered context understanding. It integrates deeply with Laravel’s structure, allowing editors like VS Code to communicate with the Boost server.

Requirements

Before installing Laravel Boost, ensure you have:

• Laravel 10+ or 11+

• PHP 8.2 or above

• Composer installed

• Your preferred editor: VS Code, Sublime, or any MCP-supported editor

How to Install Laravel Boost

Run Composer Installation

Start by installing Laravel Boost using Composer. This will add all the required Boost packages and dependencies into your Laravel project.

composer require laravel/boost --dev
    

Install Boost into Your Application

After installing the package, run the Boost installation command. This command will configure your Boost files and begin the setup wizard.

php artisan boost:install
    

During installation, it will ask for:

• Your editor (e.g., VS Code, PHPStorm)

• Preferred AI agent

Setting Up Boost in VS Code

After installing Laravel Boost, you need to connect your editor to the MCP server that Boost provides.

Open the Command Palette

Press the shortcut based on your OS:

• Mac: Cmd + Shift + P

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + P

Select MCP Servers

Search: MCP: List Servers
    

You will see laravel-boost listed inside the servers.

Start the Laravel Boost MCP Server

Highlight the server and choose:

Start Server
    

Once started, your editor can communicate with your Laravel project using Boost features like AI-driven code analysis, improved context, and smart execution.

How to Use Laravel Boost

AI Assistance

Laravel Boost integrates directly with your preferred AI model, allowing real-time assistance:

• Generate controllers, models, and migrations

• Explain complex code

• Find issues inside your Laravel project

• Refactor large code blocks

Context-Aware Commands

Because Boost understands your Laravel project structure, it can respond with tailored answers based on your actual codebase.

Enhanced Developer Workflow

Boost provides utilities and shortcuts to speed up development by integrating directly with Laravel commands, your editor’s panels, and internal APIs.

Troubleshooting Tips

If Boost fails to start, check the following:

• Run php artisan serve or ensure your project is bootable

• Check for Composer autoload errors

• Ensure MCP is enabled in your editor’s settings

• Ensure your PHP path is correctly set

Conclusion

Laravel Boost is a powerful addition to the Laravel ecosystem. With its deep integration, AI assistance, and MCP server, it elevates your coding environment and drastically improves productivity. Whether you're building small apps or full enterprise applications, Boost is a must-have extension for modern Laravel development.