Laravel Boost: Your AI Coding Starter Kit Guide 2025

Table Of Contents

• Introduction
• What is Laravel Boost?
• Key Features and Tools
• Installation and Setup
• Advanced Configuration
• Real-World Use Cases and Examples
• Working with Popular Laravel Packages
• Performance and Best Practices
• Troubleshooting Common Issues
• Advanced Features and Techniques
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Future Roadmap and Updates
• Conclusion

Introduction

Laravel development just got supercharged with the official release of Laravel Boost, announced at Laracon US 2025. If you've been struggling with AI tools that generate inaccurate Laravel code, hallucinate APIs, or miss framework conventions, Laravel Boost is the solution you've been waiting for.

Laravel Boost isn't just another AI tool - it's your AI coding starter kit, specially crafted by the Laravel team to provide AI agents with the exact context they need to generate high-quality, Laravel-specific code. Whether you're using Cursor, Claude Code, or any AI-powered development environment, Boost transforms generic AI into a Laravel expert.

In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn everything about Laravel Boost: what it is, how to install it, its powerful features, and practical implementation strategies that will revolutionize your Laravel development workflow in 2025.

What is Laravel Boost?

Laravel Boost is a Composer package that accelerates AI-assisted Laravel development by providing essential context AI needs to generate high-quality, Laravel-specific code. Developed and maintained by the Laravel team, Boost addresses the fundamental problem that AI models face when working with Laravel: lack of context.

The Context Problem

Large language models are surprisingly good at PHP because there's abundant training data. However, without proper context, they often:

• Invent non-existent APIs
• Misuse framework idioms
• Skip writing tests
• Generate code that doesn't follow Laravel conventions
• Hallucinate package features

Boost fixes the context problem: It gives the agent the exact docs and programmatic access to your app, so the output is much more accurate and actionable.

Core Architecture

At its foundation, Laravel Boost is an MCP server equipped with over 15 specialized tools designed to streamline AI-assisted coding workflows. The package consists of three main components:

1. Laravel-Specific MCP Server

• 15+ specialized tools for Laravel development
• Direct access to your application internals
• Real-time database and schema inspection

2. Documentation API

• Over 17,000 pieces of Laravel-specific information, all enhanced by semantic search capabilities using embeddings for precise, context-aware results
• Version-specific documentation for your exact package versions
• Vectorized content from the entire Laravel ecosystem

3. AI Guidelines

• Composable, version-specific rules
• Framework convention enforcement
• Best practice recommendations for popular IDEs

Key Features and Tools

MCP Server Tools

Boost's Laravel-specific MCP exposes 15+ tools to the agent, including application info, search docs, Tinker, browser logs, database queries, database schema, list Artisan commands, last errors, list routes, read configuration values, read log entries, and report feedback.

Here's what each tool provides:

Application Information

• Read PHP & Laravel versions
• Database engine detection
• List of ecosystem packages with versions
• Eloquent models discovery

Database Tools

• Schema inspection and analysis
• Direct database queries
• Model relationship mapping
• Migration status checking

Development Tools

• Tinker integration for real-time testing
• Artisan command listing and execution
• Route inspection and analysis
• Configuration value reading

Debugging and Monitoring

• Browser log access
• Error log entries
• Last errors tracking
• Feedback reporting system

Documentation API

The Documentation API is one of Boost's most powerful features. All the Laravel ecosystem docs have been ingested and vectorised, and so should have fewer hallucinations. This includes things like Inertia, Livewire, Flux, Filament, etc. So you get the most relevant information.

Supported Packages Include:

• Laravel Framework (all versions)
• Livewire
• Inertia.js
• Filament
• Laravel Nova
• Sanctum
• Passport
• And many more ecosystem packages

AI Guidelines

Laravel maintained AI guidelines: It can create your Cursor rules, Junie guidelines, Github Co-Pilot instructions, and your Claude.md files.

The guidelines help AI agents:

• Follow Laravel coding conventions
• Use correct APIs for specific versions
• Generate appropriate tests
• Avoid common pitfalls
• Maintain code quality standards

Installation and Setup

Prerequisites

Before installing Laravel Boost, ensure your environment meets these requirements:

• PHP: 8.1 or higher
• Laravel: 10, 11, or 12
• Composer: Latest version
• AI IDE: Cursor, Claude Code, or compatible AI agent

Installation Process

Step 1: Install via Composer

composer require laravel/boost --dev

Step 2: Run the Interactive Installer

php artisan boost:install

The installer is interactive and will auto-detect IDEs and agents already in the repo and let you opt in to the pieces you want. We do not force opinionated style rules on existing projects by default.

Step 3: Review Installation

The installer will create several files and configurations:

.ai/
├── guidelines/
│   ├── laravel.blade.php
│   ├── livewire.blade.php
│   └── custom-guidelines.blade.php
├── cursor/
│   └── .cursorrules
└── config/
    └── boost.json

Step 4: Configure Your IDE

For manual MCP server registration, use these details:

{
  "name": "laravel-boost",
  "command": "php",
  "args": ["artisan", "boost:mcp"],
  "cwd": "/path/to/your/laravel/project"
}

Advanced Configuration

Custom AI Guidelines

To augment Laravel Boost with your own custom AI guidelines, add .blade.php files to your application's .ai/guidelines/* directory. These files will automatically be included with Laravel Boost's guidelines when you run boost:install.

Example custom guideline file:

{{-- .ai/guidelines/custom-api.blade.php --}}
When building API endpoints:

1. Always use API resources for data transformation
2. Implement proper error handling with try-catch blocks  
3. Use FormRequest classes for validation
4. Return consistent JSON response formats
5. Include rate limiting for public endpoints

Example API controller structure:
```php
class UserController extends Controller
{
    public function index(Request $request)
    {
        try {
            $users = User::paginate(15);
            return UserResource::collection($users);
        } catch (Exception $e) {
            return response()->json(['error' => 'Failed to fetch users'], 500);
        }
    }
}

### Environment Configuration

Create a `.env` configuration for Boost-specific settings:

```env
# Boost Configuration
BOOST_ENABLED=true
BOOST_MCP_PORT=3000
BOOST_DEBUG=false
BOOST_CACHE_DOCS=true

IDE-Specific Setup

For Cursor Users:

Boost automatically generates .cursorrules files that include:

• Laravel-specific coding standards
• Testing requirements
• Security best practices
• Performance optimization guidelines

For Claude Code Users:

The installation creates a claude.md file with comprehensive instructions for Laravel development.

Real-World Use Cases and Examples

Database Schema Exploration

One of Boost's most powerful features is real-time database inspection. Here's how it works in practice:

Scenario: You need to understand the relationship between User and Order models.

Without Boost: You'd manually check migration files, model definitions, and possibly run database queries.

With Boost: The AI agent can:

1. Use the database-schema tool to inspect table structures
2. Analyze foreign key relationships
3. Understand index configurations
4. Generate appropriate Eloquent relationships

// AI-generated code with proper context
class User extends Model
{
    public function orders()
    {
        return $this->hasMany(Order::class);
    }
    
    public function recentOrders()
    {
        return $this->orders()
            ->where('created_at', '>=', now()->subDays(30))
            ->orderBy('created_at', 'desc');
    }
}

Version-Specific Documentation

For complicated tasks, such as adding and using a Deferred component in VueJS while using Inertia, the search-docs MCP tool enabled the AI to find the "Inertia way" solution, specifically following version 2.0 Inertia documentation, where general AI knowledge failed to deliver.

Automated Testing Generation

When I asked to implement per-second rate limiting, the AI, following the guidance of Laravel Boost, successfully added the feature to AppServiceProvider, and it even automatically created tests for the new feature, which is often overlooked without such guidance.

Example of AI-generated test with Boost context:

// tests/Feature/RateLimitingTest.php
class RateLimitingTest extends TestCase
{
    public function test_api_rate_limiting_per_second()
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();
        
        // Make requests up to the limit
        for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {
            $response = $this->actingAs($user)
                ->getJson('/api/users');
            $response->assertStatus(200);
        }
        
        // Next request should be rate limited
        $response = $this->actingAs($user)
            ->getJson('/api/users');
        $response->assertStatus(429);
    }
}

Working with Popular Laravel Packages

Livewire Integration

Boost includes specific guidelines for Livewire development:

// AI-generated Livewire component following best practices
<?php

namespace App\Livewire;

use Livewire\Component;
use Livewire\WithPagination;
use App\Models\Post;

class PostList extends Component
{
    use WithPagination;
    
    public $search = '';
    
    protected $queryString = ['search'];
    
    public function updatingSearch()
    {
        $this->resetPage();
    }
    
    public function render()
    {
        return view('livewire.post-list', [
            'posts' => Post::where('title', 'like', '%'.$this->search.'%')
                ->latest()
                ->paginate(10)
        ]);
    }
}

Filament Administration

For Filament projects, Boost provides context-aware code generation:

// AI-generated Filament resource with proper structure
class PostResource extends Resource
{
    protected static ?string $model = Post::class;
    
    public static function form(Form $form): Form
    {
        return $form
            ->schema([
                TextInput::make('title')
                    ->required()
                    ->maxLength(255),
                    
                RichEditor::make('content')
                    ->required()
                    ->columnSpanFull(),
                    
                Select::make('category_id')
                    ->relationship('category', 'name')
                    ->required(),
                    
                Toggle::make('is_published')
                    ->default(false),
            ]);
    }
    
    public static function table(Table $table): Table
    {
        return $table
            ->columns([
                TextColumn::make('title')
                    ->searchable()
                    ->sortable(),
                    
                TextColumn::make('category.name')
                    ->badge(),
                    
                IconColumn::make('is_published')
                    ->boolean(),
                    
                TextColumn::make('created_at')
                    ->dateTime()
                    ->sortable(),
            ])
            ->filters([
                SelectFilter::make('category')
                    ->relationship('category', 'name'),
                    
                TernaryFilter::make('is_published'),
            ]);
    }
}

Performance and Best Practices

Development Workflow Optimization

1. Start with Schema Inspection Always begin new features by using Boost's database tools to understand existing data structures.

2. Leverage Documentation Search Use the search-docs tool for package-specific implementations rather than relying on general AI knowledge.

3. Follow Generated Guidelines Review and customize the AI guidelines generated by Boost to match your team's coding standards.

4. Test-Driven Development Boost encourages AI agents to generate tests alongside features, improving code quality.

Memory and Performance

Boost is designed to be lightweight in development:

• MCP server runs only when needed
• Documentation API uses efficient caching
• Minimal impact on application performance
• Works seamlessly with Laravel's existing tooling

Security Considerations

Local Development Focus Boost is designed for local development environments and should not be deployed to production.

Data Privacy All processing happens locally - no code or data is sent to external services.

Secure Guidelines Built-in security guidelines help AI agents generate secure code by default.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

MCP Server Connection Problems

Issue: AI agent cannot connect to Boost MCP server

Solutions:

# Check if Boost is running
php artisan boost:status

# Restart the MCP server
php artisan boost:restart

# Verify configuration
php artisan boost:config

Documentation Search Issues

Issue: Search results are not relevant or accurate

Solutions:

1. Clear documentation cache: php artisan boost:clear-cache
2. Re-index documentation: php artisan boost:reindex
3. Check package versions in composer.json

IDE Integration Problems

Issue: IDE doesn't recognize Boost guidelines

Solutions:

1. Manually register MCP server in IDE settings
2. Restart IDE after installation
3. Check .ai/ directory permissions

Performance Issues

Issue: Slow response times during AI interactions

Solutions:

// config/boost.php
return [
    'cache' => [
        'enabled' => true,
        'ttl' => 3600,
    ],
    'mcp' => [
        'timeout' => 30,
        'max_connections' => 10,
    ],
];

Advanced Features and Techniques

Custom Tool Development

You can extend Boost with custom MCP tools:

// app/Boost/Tools/CustomDatabaseTool.php
class CustomDatabaseTool implements BoostTool
{
    public function getName(): string
    {
        return 'custom-db-analyzer';
    }
    
    public function getDescription(): string
    {
        return 'Analyze database performance and suggest optimizations';
    }
    
    public function execute(array $params): array
    {
        // Custom database analysis logic
        return [
            'slow_queries' => $this->getSlowQueries(),
            'suggestions' => $this->getOptimizationSuggestions(),
        ];
    }
}

Team Collaboration

Boost supports team-wide configuration:

// .ai/team-config.json
{
    "guidelines": {
        "enforce_tests": true,
        "code_style": "psr-12",
        "security_level": "strict"
    },
    "tools": {
        "database_access": true,
        "log_access": false
    }
}

CI/CD Integration

Integrate Boost guidelines into your CI/CD pipeline:

# .github/workflows/ai-quality-check.yml
name: AI Code Quality Check
on: [pull_request]

jobs:
  ai-review:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Setup PHP
        uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
        with:
          php-version: 8.2
      - name: Install Boost
        run: composer install --dev
      - name: Run AI Guidelines Check
        run: php artisan boost:validate-guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Laravel Boost free to use?

Boost is free and open source, available on GitHub with an MIT license. There are no subscription fees or usage limits for the core functionality.

Which AI editors and tools work with Laravel Boost?

Once Laravel Boost has been installed, you're ready to start coding with Cursor, Claude Code, or your AI agent of choice. Any editor that supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) can integrate with Boost.

Can I use Laravel Boost with existing Laravel projects?

Yes, Boost is designed to work seamlessly with existing Laravel applications. We do not force opinionated style rules on existing projects by default. Review what it installs, then enable the bits that make sense for you and your team.

How often is the documentation updated?

The Laravel team has guaranteed that Boost will always be in sync with the latest docs for the Laravel ecosystem, ensuring you always have access to current information.

What about security when using AI code generation?

Boost includes security-focused guidelines and runs entirely locally. No matter how good the output looks, treat all generated code as a draft: run your tests, review the diffs, and make code review a non-negotiable part of the process.

Can I contribute to Laravel Boost development?

Thank you for considering contributing to Boost! The contribution guide can be found in the Laravel documentation. The project welcomes community contributions and feedback.

Future Roadmap and Updates

Current Beta Status

Boost is in public beta, so you can expect some rough edges and behavioral changes as we gather feedback and ship updates. The Laravel team is actively collecting feedback and implementing improvements.

Planned Improvements

Enhanced Documentation Coverage

• Minor and patch version specificity
• More third-party package integrations
• Community package guidelines

Additional Tools

• Performance profiling integration
• Advanced debugging capabilities
• Code quality metrics

IDE Integrations

• Native support for more editors
• Enhanced autocomplete features
• Visual debugging interfaces

Community Feedback

Boost includes a "report feedback" tool for frictionless feedback that goes straight from your editor to the Laravel team. User feedback directly influences the development roadmap.

Conclusion

Laravel Boost represents a significant leap forward in AI-assisted Laravel development, addressing the fundamental challenge of providing proper context to AI coding assistants. By combining a powerful MCP server with comprehensive documentation and intelligent guidelines, Boost transforms generic AI tools into Laravel experts.

The key benefits of implementing Laravel Boost include dramatically improved code quality from AI assistants, faster development cycles with context-aware suggestions, reduced debugging time through intelligent error handling, consistent adherence to Laravel conventions, and seamless integration with existing development workflows. These advantages make Boost an essential tool for modern Laravel developers.

Whether you're building complex enterprise applications, rapid prototypes, or contributing to open-source projects, Laravel Boost provides the intelligent assistance needed to write better Laravel code faster. The combination of 15+ specialized tools, version-specific documentation, and framework-aware guidelines creates an unparalleled development experience.

Ready to supercharge your Laravel development with AI? Install Laravel Boost today using composer require laravel/boost --dev and experience the difference that proper context makes in AI-assisted coding. Share your experience and help improve the tool by providing feedback through the built-in reporting system.

What Laravel development challenges could Boost help you solve? Join the conversation and let us know how AI-assisted development is transforming your workflow!