CraftCMS Announces Laravel Adoption
CraftCMS Announces Laravel Adoption — Here’s Everything You Need to Know
Hey everyone, big news just dropped in the world of web building: CraftCMS is switching to Laravel for its next big update. If you're into creating websites or managing content, this could change how you work with one of the coolest content management systems out there. The announcement came during the Dot All 2025 conference in sunny Lisbon, Portugal, and it's got folks buzzing. Don't worry if you're new to this—I'll break it down step by step in plain English, no fancy tech talk. By the end, you'll know why this matters and what to expect next.
First off, let's get the basics straight. What exactly is CraftCMS?
It's a flexible tool for building websites, especially ones where you need to handle a lot of content like blogs, e-commerce sites, or company pages. Unlike those stiff, one-size-fits-all systems, Craft lets you customize everything without pulling your hair out. It's been around for years, loved by designers and developers for its clean setup and easy tweaks. Right now, it's built on something called Yii 2, which is like the engine under the hood—solid but getting a bit dated.
Now, enter Laravel. If Craft is the car, Laravel is like upgrading to a high-performance engine that's super popular among builders. Laravel is a free, open-source framework for making web apps in PHP (that's a common web language). It's known for being easy to learn, packed with ready-made tools, and backed by a huge community. Think of it as a toolbox full of shortcuts for things like user logins, databases, or sending emails. Millions of sites run on it, from small blogs to big corporate setups.
So, why team up now?
The Craft team, led by founder Brandon Kelly, shared the news on stage at Dot All. They said Craft 6—the next major version—will run on Laravel instead of sticking with Yii. This isn't some random flip; it's a smart move after listening to users. Back in 2013, Craft switched to Yii for version 3, and that was a bumpy ride with some headaches for plugin makers (those are add-ons that extend the system). This time, they're aiming for smooth sailing.
The main reason?
Laravel feels like home to most Craft users already. Surveys and chats in the community showed that devs know Laravel inside out. Plus, it opens the door to a ton of extra packages—think pre-built bits for security, payments, or analytics that Craft can plug right in. No more reinventing the wheel. In their blog post, the team put it simply: "Laravel is by far the most familiar PHP framework among Craft developers, and it comes with a massive ecosystem." That means faster builds and fewer bugs for everyone.
Timeline-wise, don't hold your breath for tomorrow. Craft 6 beta (that's the test version) is set for the third quarter of 2026—around July to September. The full release, called general availability or GA, follows in the fourth quarter, so late 2026. That's about a year away, giving plenty of time to prep. Meanwhile, Craft 5 gets long-term support (LTS) status, meaning bug fixes and updates for five full years after Craft 6 launches. If you're happy with version 5, you can chill—no rush to switch.
What's exciting about Craft 6 beyond the engine swap? A bunch of user-friendly upgrades. For starters, content handling gets smarter. Imagine "content releases" where you bundle up multiple posts or drafts and publish them all at once, either right away or on a schedule. Or scheduled drafts that go live automatically when you're ready. There's even a built-in tool to import content from spreadsheets or other sources, saving hours of copy-paste work.
Teamwork shines too. Approval workflows let you set up steps where bosses okay changes before they go public. You can add comments right on edit pages, like Google Docs but for your site. And element activity logs? That's a neat timeline showing who changed what and when on any page or post. No more "Who moved my cheese?" moments.
The control panel (that's the dashboard where you manage stuff) is getting a fresh look. Dark mode for late-night editing—yes, please. It's mobile-ready from the ground up, so you can tweak sites on your phone without squinting. They're using a new setup called Lion for the buttons and layouts, making it snappier. Best part? Devs can grab these pieces for their own plugins, like Lego blocks for web design. Everything's tested for accessibility, so it's friendly for all users, including those with disabilities.
How are they pulling off the switch without chaos?
Smart planning. It's mostly a "strict port," meaning they're copying over the core code with few changes. Craft's setup works great as is, so why mess with it? The big win is a Yii 2 adapter—a bridge package that lets old plugins run on the new system without updates. Most add-ons should just work, and if you're a plugin creator, you can add one line to keep things compatible. That's huge for the 1,000+ plugins in the Craft store. No mass rewrite panic.
For everyday users—like marketers or site owners—this means Craft stays easy and powerful. You'll get those new features without learning a whole new system. Sites built on Craft 5 will upgrade smoothly, and with LTS support, you can test the waters slowly. Hosting? Craft Cloud (their managed service) will handle the shift seamlessly.
Developers, this is your jam. If you already code in Laravel, jumping into Craft feels natural. You can mix in Laravel tools directly, speeding up custom jobs. The community gets a boost too—more shared knowledge, tutorials, and events blending the two worlds. Agencies that use both (and many do) can now streamline teams, reusing code across projects.
The buzz online? Pretty positive. On Reddit's Laravel forum, one user said, "This is great news. We do a lot of work with WordPress and it's a nightmare. I toyed with Craft and it seems great—now with Laravel, it's a no-brainer." Twitter (or X) lit up with devs sharing excitement about easier integrations. Some Yii fans are sad, but most see the logic. A GitHub thread from earlier this year even predicted this, with folks dreaming of the combo. Enovate, a UK agency, blogged years ago about wishing for it, calling it a "match made in heaven."
Of course, nothing's perfect. If you're deep into Yii-specific tricks, there might be a learning curve. But the adapter softens that blow. Pixel & Tonic (Craft's makers) learned from past shifts—they're all about minimizing pain this time.
Looking ahead, this could put Craft on a growth spurt. Laravel's popularity means more eyes on Craft, pulling in fresh talent. Expect cooler plugins, better performance, and sites that scale effortlessly as your business grows. It's not just tech; it's about making content creation fun and fast.
In the end, this Laravel adoption is Craft saying, "We're listening, and we're evolving." Whether you're a solo blogger or running a big team, Craft 6 promises tools that fit your flow. Keep an eye on their blog for beta sign-ups next year. Got thoughts? Hit the forums or socials— the community's always up for chatting. Here's to smoother sites and happier building!
