To set up a database connection in Laravel, configure the .env file with correct credentials, ensure the right database driver is used, and test the connection. First, update DB_CONNECTION, DB_HOST, DB_PORT, DB_DATABASE, DB_USERNAME, and DB_PASSWORD in the .env file to match your database setup. Second, confirm that the DB_CONNECTION value matches your database type—such as mysql, pgsql, or sqlite—and that the required PHP extensions like pdo_mysql are enabled. Third, test the connection using Laravel Tinker with DB::select('SELECT 1') or create a route in routes/web.php that attempts to connect and returns a success or failure message. Ensure there are no typos or missing drivers if errors occur.

Setting up a database connection in Laravel is straightforward, but there are a few key steps you need to get right. The main configuration happens in the .env file and config/database.php, with .env being the primary place you’ll adjust for most setups.

Set Up Your Database Credentials in .env

Laravel uses the .env file to manage environment-specific settings, including your database connection details. Open the .env file at the root of your Laravel project and look for these lines:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=your_database_name
DB_USERNAME=your_username
DB_PASSWORD=your_password

Update these values to match your database setup. For example, if you’re using MySQL locally with a database called blog, username root, and no password, it should look like:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=blog
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

Make sure that the DB_CONNECTION matches the type of database you're using—like mysql, pgsql, or sqlite.

Choose the Right Database Driver

Laravel supports several databases out of the box: MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and SQL Server. If you're not using MySQL by default, you'll want to double-check that the correct driver is specified in DB_CONNECTION. Also, make sure the corresponding PHP extensions are enabled—for example, pdo_mysql for MySQL or pdo_pgsql for PostgreSQL.

If you're unsure whether the required extension is active, you can check via:

• Running php -m in the terminal to list all modules.
• Or creating a phpinfo() page if you're working on a local server.

Sometimes even after setting the right credentials, Laravel might still throw a database connection error. This often comes down to missing drivers or misconfigured environments.

Test the Connection with a Simple Query

Once everything is configured, it’s good practice to test your database connection before diving into migrations or models. You can do this quickly using Tinker, Laravel's REPL tool:

php artisan tinker

Then run a simple query like:

DB::select('SELECT 1');

If you get [{'1': 1}] as a result, your connection is working. If not, Laravel will usually give you an error message pointing to the problem—most commonly incorrect credentials or unreachable host.

You can also create a quick route in routes/web.php to test it from the browser:

Route::get('/test-db', function () {
    try {
        DB::connection()->getPdo();
        return "Database connected!";
    } catch (\Exception $e) {
        return "Database connection failed.";
    }
});

Visit /test-db in your browser to see the result.

That’s basically it. Configure .env, confirm the driver, and test the connection. It’s simple, but easy to trip over small mistakes like typoed passwords or inactive extensions.

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