> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.laracms.nl/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.laracms.nl/get-started/installation.md).

# Installation

#### Create project with composer

```
composer create-project appdezign/lara-cms-project myapp --prefer-dist
```

#### Install NPM

```
cd myapp

npm install
```

#### Publish vendor files

```
php artisan vendor:publish --tag=lara
```

#### Create client theme

```
cp -R ./laracms/themes/demo ./laracms/themes/myclient
```

### The .env file

#### Copy .env

```
cp ./.env.example ./.env
```

#### Edit .env

```
APP_ENV=local

MIX_PARTIAL_PROCESS=
MIX_PROCESS_CSS_ONLY=false

LARA_FRONT_BS_VERSION=5
LARA_PARENT_THEME=base
LARA_CLIENT_THEME=myclient
```

#### Run webpack / mix

```
npm run "mix dev"
```

#### Create database (mysql)

Create a database and a database user, and edit the relevant lines in the .env file. Check the /config/database.php file for the available database connections. 

```
DB_CONNECTION=mysql57
DB_DATABASE=d80_myapp
DB_HOST=localhost
DB_PASSWORD=secret
DB_PORT=3306
DB_USERNAME=u80_myapp
```

#### Edit the App Url

```
APP_URL=https://www.example.com
```

### Setup

#### Run setup

Make sure that the LARA\_NEEDS\_SETUP is set to true in your .env file, and run setup

```
https://www.example.com/setup
```

If the setup wizard has completed successfully, the LARA\_NEEDS\_SETUP variable will be set to false by the wizard, and you will be redirected to the backend dashboard.

### SASS

{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** if you are working on your client theme, you can tell Mix to only process the selected theme. This can make theme development a lot faster. The relevant variables can be found in the .env file. Possible values are: base, demo, client, admin

MIX\_PARTIAL\_PROCESS=client

If you are working on your SCSS files, you can even tell Mix to only process the SCSS files, and skip the JS and assets.

MIX\_PROCESS\_CSS\_ONLY=true 
{% endhint %}

## Deploy on web server

If you publish the app to a web server, you should move all project folders (except public) **one level down**, and put them in a folder called /laravel. If you are using a shared server (e.g. Plesk) and your server uses a public folder with a different name (e.g. httpdocs), you should move all public files and folders from /public to /httpdocs. You can then delete the (empty) public folder.

Your folder structure should look like this now:

```
/httpdocs
    /assets
/laravel
    /app
    /bootstrap
    /config
    ...
```

You should now edit your .env file:

```
LFM_PUBLIC_BASE_DIR=../httpdocs
```

... and your webpack.mix.js file:

```
const PUBLIC_ASSET_PATH = './../httpdocs/assets/';
```

... and, if necessary, the bootstrap/app.php file

```
$app->usePublicPath(realpath(base_path('../httpdocs')));
```

{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** if you are copying your Lara project from your local machine to a web server with FTP, you should exclude the following folders:

/laracms/core

/laracms/themes

/node\_modules

/vendor

Make sure that both composer.json, and composer.lock are copied to your web server, and run **composer install** on your server.

**You should NOT run composer as root.** If you are logged in as root, you should use:

\
`sudo -u [user] composer install`

If you are running composer as **root**, you need to change the ownership of the relevant folders and files:

`chown -R [system_user]:psacln ./httpdocs/assets`\
`chown -R [system_user]:psacln ./laravel/laracms`\
`chown -R [system_user]:psacln ./laravel/resources`\
`chown -R [system_user]:psacln ./laravel/vendor`

OR in one statement:

`chown -R [system_user]:psacln ./httpdocs/assets ./laravel/laracms ./laravel/resources ./laravel/vendor`
{% endhint %}