From debugging to role management, these open-source packages can save hours of work and dramatically improve your Laravel projects. Here’s what each one does, how to use it, and a quick pros/cons breakdown.
1. Laravel Debugbar
Why use it?
Visual debugging with real-time request, query, and memory data.
Install:
composer require barryvdh/laravel-debugbar --dev
Usage:
Once installed, Debugbar automatically appears in your browser (development only). It logs:
- Queries with timing
- Models loaded
- HTTP requests
- Exceptions
Pros:
- Fast install and auto-configuration
- Pinpoints performance issues
- Easy breakdown of requests
Cons:
- Don’t use in production
- Can add slight overhead during heavy debugging
2. Spatie Laravel Backup
Why use it?
Automates backups for your files and databases with notifications.
Install:
composer require spatie/laravel-backup
php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Spatie\Backup\BackupServiceProvider"
Example backup job:
// Schedule daily backups (in app/Console/Kernel.php)
$schedule->command('backup:run')->daily();
Pros:
- Multi-cloud support (AWS, Dropbox, etc.)
- Cleanup and notification options
- Easy config
Cons:
- Requires storage setup
- Backup files can grow large over time
3. Laravel Horizon
Why use it?
Monitors and manages your queues visually.
Install:
composer require laravel/horizon
php artisan horizon:install
php artisan migrate
Running Horizon:
php artisan horizon
Visit /horizon in your browser for live stats.
Pros:
- Beautiful, interactive dashboard
- Tracks job history and failures
- Easy scaling and monitoring
Cons:
- Only supports Redis as queue backend
- Web dashboard is not production-hardened without restrictions
4. Spatie Laravel Permission
Why use it?
Quickly add role/permission management to your user model.
Install:
composer require spatie/laravel-permission
php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Spatie\Permission\PermissionServiceProvider"
php artisan migrate
Example usage:
$user->assignRole('admin');
if ($user->hasRole('editor')) { /* ... */ }
$user->givePermissionTo('publish articles');
Pros:
- Easy API for assigning roles/permissions
- Integrates with policies/guards
- Well-maintained documentation
Cons:
- Can make authorization logic complex if not planned
- Adds extra tables, relations
5. Laravel Excel
Why use it?
Import, export, and process Excel/CSV files with minimal fuss.
Install:
composer require maatwebsite/excel
Example export:
return Excel::download(new UsersExport, 'users.xlsx');
(Create UsersExport implementing Laravel’s export model)
Example import:
Excel::import(new UsersImport, 'users.xlsx');
Pros:
- Handles large datasets
- Easily maps models & formatting
- Supports both imports and exports
Cons:
- Big files may strain hosting
- Needs configuration for complex data
Honorable Mentions for 2026:
- Laravel Telescope: Introspect your app deeply, but disable on production.
- Laravel Socialite: Seamless OAuth integrations.
- Laravel IDE Helper: Better autocompletion for smarter coding.
- Laravel Pint: Auto-format code to standards.
- Laravel WebSockets: Real-time communication, built for Laravel.
Wrap Up
Try these tools before the end of 2025—they’ve made development faster, safer, and much less stressful for me and many other Laravel devs. If you have a favorite tool that’s made a real difference, drop it in the comments!