882: Aaron Francis is putting PHP in Your JS Files
Mar 5, 2025
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Aaron Francis, a Laravel developer and co-founder of Try Hard Studios, dives into the innovative Fusion for Laravel—an exciting way to merge PHP with JavaScript. He discusses how Fusion enhances front-end interactions and simplifies full-stack development while addressing challenges like state management and data fetching. The conversation also explores optimistic UI for smoother user experiences and hints at future collaborations between PHP and JavaScript, particularly with React support. Plus, he shares amusing stories about domain name acquisitions!
Laravel Fusion allows seamless integration of PHP within JavaScript, enhancing backend and frontend interactions for developers.
Fusion simplifies state management by ensuring data synchronization between frontend actions and backend responses for real-time updates.
There are ambitions to expand Fusion's compatibility with popular frameworks like React, promoting accessibility within the Laravel community.
Deep dives
Introduction to Laravel Fusion
Laravel Fusion is a new library that allows PHP code to be integrated seamlessly within JavaScript, aiming to bridge the gap between backend and frontend development. It builds upon existing tools like Inertia and Livewire, offering a unique combination that leverages the strengths of both PHP and JavaScript frameworks. The library aims to simplify the development process by allowing developers to interact with backend functionalities directly from the JavaScript UI, which is particularly appealing for those familiar with PHP but eager to explore the JavaScript ecosystem. The initial discussions centered around how this integration can either enhance or complicate both languages involved, highlighting a mix of excitement and skepticism within the developer community.
The Evolution of Development Tools
The conversation highlights the evolution of tools in web development, particularly the journey from raw PHP to using advanced frameworks such as Laravel. The speaker shares his personal journey, starting with early frameworks like ASP.net and Yi before dedicating himself to Laravel, showcasing how these tools have improved developer experience over the years. The growing popularity of JavaScript frameworks like React and Vue has influenced the landscape significantly, prompting the need to create bridges like Laravel Fusion that accommodate both environments. Through this evolution, the necessity for tools that allow both front and backend code to function harmoniously has become apparent, ultimately improving productivity and user experience.
Fusion's Unique Approach
Fusion positions itself as a solution that prioritizes understanding and familiarity while allowing server and client-side interactions to be intuitive. The integration allows developers to define state and behavior on the backend while exposing functionalities directly to the front-end JavaScript framework, creating a fluid request-response lifecycle. This enables seamless data fetching and manipulation without the need for separate API calls for every state change, which simplifies the development process. By minimizing the complexity of data synchronization and improving frontend interactions with backend logic, Fusion aims to reduce developer friction and enhance productivity.
Managing State and Synchronization
State management within Fusion is managed through a process where data is kept in sync between the frontend and backend, allowing for real-time adjustments. For example, when a user performs an action on the front end, such as typing a search term, the state is maintained locally until a synchronization event is triggered. Following this, the updated state is sent back to the backend, which processes the request and returns the new state to the client for rendering. This system allows for efficient updates and reduces the frequency of full-page reloads, making it easier for developers to create responsive and dynamic applications.
Future Directions and Expanding the Ecosystem
Looking ahead, there is a clear ambition to expand Fusion's capabilities to incorporate other popular frameworks such as React, which speaks to the ongoing integration of backend capabilities with various frontend environments. This expansion is essential for welcoming a wider range of developers into the Laravel community, giving them access to the rich features of Laravel while using their preferred frontend technology. As part of this journey, it is crucial to refine the user experience, ensuring that developers find the tools intuitive and conducive to their workflow. Overall, the goal is to create an ecosystem where the server and client can work together seamlessly, enhancing the possibilities for modern web applications.
Wes and Scott talk with Aaron Francis about Fusion for Laravel, a new way to seamlessly integrate PHP into JavaScript. They discuss how Fusion expands on Inertia, its potential for React support, and how it simplifies full-stack development.
