Laravel: set Locale to Dutch for translated dates

Use $user->created_at->translatedFormat('Y - F') instead of `$user->created_at->format('Y - F')`

// php file
// note: don't use format() but translatedFormat() instead
echo $user->created_at->translatedFormat('Y - F'); // 2025 - februari

When needed, you might want to add the locale to your docker image as well

// file: Dockerfile
RUN apt update && apt-get install -y locales && \
    sed -i '/nl_NL.UTF-8/s/^# //g' /etc/locale.gen && \
    locale-gen

My default laravel packages

I almost always install the following packages on a new laravel project.

What about you?

composer require \
    "lab404/laravel-impersonate" \
    "livewire/livewire" \
    "lorisleiva/laravel-actions" \
    "sentry/sentry" \
    "sentry/sentry-laravel" \
    "spatie/laravel-data" \
    "spatie/laravel-login-link" \
    "spatie/laravel-permission" \
    "spatie/laravel-ray" \
    "spatie/laravel-slack-alerts" 

And for development

composer require --dev \
    "barryvdh/laravel-debugbar" \
    "driftingly/rector-laravel" \
    "fakerphp/faker" \
    "larastan/larastan" \
    "laravel/pint" \
    "pestphp/pest" \
    "pestphp/pest-plugin-laravel" \
    "phpstan/phpstan" \
    "rector/rector" \
    "spatie/laravel-ignition" \
    "xammie/mailbook" 

Add pint to PHPStorm File Watchers

Open your settings in PHPStorm and go to Tools > File Watchers

Add a new Custom File Watcher and use the following information:

Name: pint
File type: PHP
Program: $ProjectFileDir$/vendor/bin/pint
Arguments: $FileRelativePath$
Output paths to refresh: $FileRelativePath$
Working directory: $ProjectFileDir$

Add url (and other info) to your laravel Exception context

Laravel 11: bootstrap/app.php

Add the full url, environment and the used HTTP method to the context of your exception so it gets logged with all needed information:

<?php
  // file: bootstrap/app.php
  
return Application::configure(basePath: dirname(__DIR__))
    ...
    ->withExceptions(function (Exceptions $exceptions): void {
        $exceptions->context(fn () => [
            'app' => config('app.name'),
            'url' => url()->full(),
            'environment' => app()->environment(),
            'method' => request()->getMethod(),
        ]);
    })->create();

Laravel 10: app/Exceptions/Handler.php

props to @_newtonjob this tweet

<?php
// In laravel 10
// file app/Exceptions/Handler.php
class Handler extends ExceptionHandler
{
   
    public function register(): void
    {
       
       //
    }

    public function context()
    {
        return array_merge(parent::context(), [
            'app' => config('app.name'),
            'url' => url()->full(),
            'environment' => app()->environment(),
            'method' => request()->getMethod(),
        ]);
    }
}