How to Set Up Laravel 12 Development Environment on Linux Using Valet Linux

While macOS and Windows developers have Laravel Herd, there is currently no official Herd release for Linux. However, Linux developers can achieve a nearly identical native Laravel experience using Valet Linux.

Valet Linux works across most modern Linux distributions, especially those commonly used by developers.

Supported Linux Distributions

Valet Linux works best on Debian-based and Ubuntu-based systems, and also supports several Arch-based distributions with minor adjustments.

Debian / Ubuntu Family (Best Supported)

• Ubuntu (20.04, 22.04, 24.04)
• Linux Mint
• Pop!_OS
• Elementary OS
• Kubuntu / Xubuntu / Lubuntu
• Debian 11 / 12

These distributions are fully compatible with Valet Linux using the steps in this guide.

Arch-Based Distributions (Works with Adjustments)

• Manjaro
• Arch Linux

On Arch-based systems, package names and PHP installation steps may differ slightly, but Valet Linux functions the same once PHP, Nginx, and Dnsmasq are installed.

Fedora / RHEL-Based (Advanced Users)

• Fedora
• Rocky Linux
• AlmaLinux

Valet Linux can run on these systems, but manual dependency handling is required. This guide focuses on Debian/Ubuntu-based systems for reliability.

Why Valet Linux Is the Best Herd Alternative on Linux

Valet Linux mirrors the same philosophy as Herd:

• Native OS performance (no Docker, no VM)
• Nginx-based web serving
• Automatic .test domains
• Minimal configuration
• Extremely fast for Laravel projects

For Linux developers who prefer lightweight, system-level tooling, Valet Linux is the closest match to Herd.

Prerequisites

• Any supported Linux distribution listed above
• sudo access
• Basic terminal familiarity

PHP & Laravel 12 Compatibility

Laravel 12 officially supports:

• PHP 8.2
• PHP 8.3

This guide uses PHP 8.3, which works across Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, and Manjaro (with distro-specific package names).

Database Note (Important for Laravel 12)

Laravel 12 uses SQLite by default, which means:

• No database server is required initially
• Ideal for local development
• Zero configuration friction

If you want MySQL for production parity, you can install MariaDB later (covered in this guide).

When to Use MySQL vs SQLite

SQLite is not a limitation for most local Laravel workflows.

Step 1: Update System & Install Core Tools

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y curl git unzip software-properties-common

Step 2: Install PHP (Laravel 12 Compatible)

Laravel 12 officially supports PHP 8.2 and 8.3. Install PHP 8.3 using the Ondřej Surý PPA (Ubuntu/Debian).

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php -y
sudo apt update

Install PHP and required extensions:

sudo apt install -y \
php8.3 php8.3-cli php8.3-common php8.3-curl php8.3-mbstring \
php8.3-xml php8.3-zip php8.3-sqlite3 php8.3-bcmath php8.3-gd

Verify PHP:

php -v

Step 3: Install Composer

curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php
sudo mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer

Verify:

composer --version

Step 4: Install Valet Linux

Install Valet Linux globally using Composer:

composer global require cpriego/valet-linux

Add Composer global binaries to PATH:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.config/composer/vendor/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Install Valet:

valet install

This automatically configures Nginx, Dnsmasq, and required permissions.

Step 5: Laravel 12 Default Database (SQLite)

Laravel 12 uses SQLite by default, which is recommended for local development.

Create your projects directory:

mkdir ~/Projects
cd ~/Projects
valet park

Step 6: Create a Laravel 12 Project

Use the Laravel installer (preferred):

composer global require laravel/installer
laravel new cool-app

During setup, choose SQLite.

Move into the project:

cd cool-app
touch database/database.sqlite
php artisan migrate

Visit http://cool-app.test.

Step 7: When You Need MySQL (Optional)

If you want production parity, install MariaDB:

sudo apt install -y mariadb-server
sudo systemctl enable mariadb
sudo systemctl start mariadb

Create database:

sudo mysql
-- inside mysql shell:
CREATE DATABASE laravel_local;
EXIT;

Update .env for MySQL:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=laravel_local
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

Run migrations:

php artisan migrate

Step 8: Enable HTTPS (Optional)

To enable trusted HTTPS:

valet secure

Your site becomes https://cool-app.test.

Common Issues & Fixes

Site Not Loading

valet restart

DNS Issues

sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq

Permission Errors

sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ~/Projects
chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache

Summary

• Linux does not have Herd, but Valet Linux provides the same workflow
• Works on Ubuntu, Mint, Pop!_OS, Debian, Manjaro
• Laravel 12 defaults to SQLite
• MySQL is optional and easy to add
• Native performance without Docker complexity