- What is juststeveking/launchpad and what does it do?
- JustSteveKing's Launchpad is a Laravel package for bootstrapping new projects faster. It provides sensible defaults, scaffolding, and a clean starting point so you can skip repetitive setup. It is best treated as project-creation tooling rather than a runtime library for your application.
- How do I install Launchpad in a Laravel project?
- Install it with Composer as a dev dependency, typically composer require juststeveking/launchpad --dev. Laravel package auto-discovery should register its service provider without manual wiring. After installation, run the Artisan scaffold command or commands it exposes in a throwaway project first.
- Should Launchpad be a require-dev dependency or a runtime dependency?
- Use require-dev. Launchpad is a bootstrap and developer-experience package, not something your application should depend on during requests. Promoting it to a runtime or shared-platform dependency expands the blast radius for no benefit and should be avoided.
- Which Laravel and PHP versions does Launchpad support?
- Supported Laravel and PHP versions are not clearly documented in the package overview. Check the composer.json constraints, repository README, and any CI matrix before choosing it for a specific Laravel major. Because maturity signals are weak, verify compatibility in a throwaway project rather than assuming current support.
- What Artisan commands and files does Launchpad create?
- The exact commands and generated files are not listed in the overview, so inventory them before use. Inspect the service provider or run php artisan list after installing it in a disposable Laravel project. Then diff the output against your existing scaffold to see which conventions it writes.
- Does Launchpad modify existing files or run Composer install scripts?
- This is not documented in the overview and must be verified on day one. Test it in a clean project and check git diff for file mutations, and inspect composer.json for install or post-update scripts. Install-time scripts are arbitrary code execution even for a dev dependency, so treat them as a review gate.
- Can I use Launchpad in an existing Laravel application?
- It is intended for new-project bootstrap and scaffolding, not for retrofitting an established app. Running scaffold commands in an existing codebase could conflict with your conventions or overwrite files if the package is not create-only. Use a branch or throwaway clone and review the diff before applying anything.
- Is Launchpad safe to use in production or CI?
- It should not be part of your production runtime or request lifecycle. CI exposure depends on whether it registers Composer install or post-update scripts, which would execute on runners. Keep it dev-only, pin versions, and review install-time behavior before adding it to automated pipelines.
- How do I evaluate Launchpad before adopting it?
- Create a fresh Laravel project, install Launchpad as a dev dependency, and run its scaffold commands. Diff the generated files against your current baseline for strict types, Pint, PHPStan, Pest, CI workflows, Sail or Docker, and directory layout. Timebox the trial and decide whether its opinions match your team's conventions.
- Is Launchpad maintained, and can I fork it under MIT?
- Maturity signals are weak: low stars, zero dependents, a personal-convenience framing, and no demonstrated semver or changelog discipline. MIT licensing does permit a clean fork-and-own path, which is often the better route for a starter template. If you adopt it, expect to maintain your fork and watch for drift from new Laravel releases.