Author: Matt Yeend
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Consuming External APIs in Laravel – A Practical Guide
IntroductionLaravel isn’t just great at serving APIs – it’s also excellent at consuming external APIs. Whether you’re integrating a payment gateway, weather service, or AI API, Laravel provides tools like the HTTP client (powered by Guzzle) to make API calls seamless. 1. The HTTP Client in Laravel Laravel’s wrapper around Guzzle simplifies external API requests:…
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Story Point–Based Sprint Planning – Estimation Beyond Hours
IntroductionInstead of measuring effort in hours or days, many Agile teams rely on story points for sprint planning. Story points measure complexity, uncertainty, and effort relative to other tasks, helping teams plan with flexibility and precision. ✅ Pros ❌ Cons ConclusionStory point–based sprint planning is excellent for Agile teams focusing on long-term velocity and relative…
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Building APIs with Laravel – From Controllers to JSON Resources
IntroductionAPIs are the backbone of modern applications, powering SPAs, mobile apps, and integrations with external services. Laravel is not just a great web framework – it’s also one of the most developer-friendly ways to build APIs. In this post, we’ll walk through how Laravel handles API development, from setting up routes and controllers to using…
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Timeboxed Sprint Planning – How Strict Limits Improve Focus
IntroductionTimeboxing is a cornerstone of Agile methodology, and sprint planning is no exception. With this technique, teams allocate a strict amount of time (e.g., 2 hours for a 2-week sprint) to finalize their planning. The idea is to encourage efficiency, alignment, and faster decision-making. But does it always work? ✅ Pros ❌ Cons ConclusionTimeboxed sprint…
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Mastering Sprint Planning: Techniques, Pros & Cons
IntroductionAgile teams know the importance of well-structured sprint planning. It sets the tone for the next iteration, ensures alignment, and helps balance workload. But sprint planning can look very different depending on the technique your team adopts. In this post, we’ll explore popular sprint planning methods and weigh their pros and cons. 1. Capacity-Driven Planning…
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Why Laravel Stands Out Among PHP Frameworks
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IntroductionWhen it comes to PHP frameworks, developers have plenty of choices: Symfony, CodeIgniter, Zend, Yii, and more. However, Laravel consistently ranks as the most popular framework in the PHP ecosystem. But what makes it stand out? In this post, we’ll break down the key benefits of Laravel and why it’s often the preferred choice for…
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New Laravel Packages for Versions 10, 11, and 12
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With the release and adoption of Laravel 10, 11, and 12, developers are seeing fresh tools emerge that streamline workflow and improve application reliability. There are three new packages I’ve created that are worth highlighting for anyone building modern Laravel apps: GuestToUserHelper, and HealthStatus. Let’s explore how each one can supercharge your next project. 1.…
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New Poll: What Laravel Package Would Be Most Beneficial?
Hi Everyone, I’ve just launched a brand-new poll on BuyMeACoffee, and I’d love to get your input:Vote here This poll is aimed at figuring out which Laravel package would bring the most value – whether you’re a developer, product manager, or business owner. Your votes (and comments!) will help guide what gets built next. The…
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From Code to Craft: The Art of Modern Web Development
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In the ever-evolving landscape of web development, the line between engineer and artist continues to blur. We’re no longer just building pages, we’re crafting immersive experiences, defining how people interact with the digital world. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a curious newcomer, here’s a reflection on the current state of web development, and why…
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Building Scalable and Elegant Web Applications with Laravel: A Developer’s Deep Dive
Laravel has transformed the way developers build modern web applications with PHP. What once was a landscape dominated by bloated legacy codebases and spaghetti logic is now populated with clean, expressive, and powerful applications—thanks in no small part to Laravel’s elegance, tooling, and vibrant ecosystem. In this post, I’ll break down why Laravel continues to…