5 minutes
The Bluestorm team headed to Amsterdam this week for Laracon EU 2026 – the official conference for the Laravel community.
As a web design and development agency in Hull, Laravel is the framework we use to build many of our custom web applications and it’s evolving quickly, bringing improvements in performance, reliability, developer tooling and even AI.
Crucially, Laravel is also the foundation that Craft CMS will be moving to in late 2026 – so as a specialist Craft CMS agency, we sent our developers Ben and Denis to Amsterdam eager to find out what this means for our clients.
Building more reliable applications
A major theme at Laracon this year was how to build software that stays dependable over time.
Dan Harrin, co‑creator of Filament (the toolkit we often use for admin dashboards), spoke about building better foundations in software. When developers do this well, it reduces errors and makes it much easier for future teams to update or improve the system.
Another big idea was preparing software for real‑world scenarios where users don’t always do the expected thing. Forms get submitted multiple times, fields get missed, or unusual situations occur. Designing applications to handle these “unhappy paths” improves reliability and builds user trust.
What this means for clients: more stable systems that are resilient when real users interact with them.
Performance and efficiency matter more than ever
Speed and efficiency were also at the centre of the conversation.
Developers showcased how modern browsers can now do more using simple CSS instead of heavier JavaScript. This means fewer moving parts, faster load times and better overall performance for users.
There were also deep dives into managing very large databases – even ones with billions of entries. While most of our clients won’t require that scale, the principles behind structuring and optimising data help ensure websites remain quick and responsive at any size.
What this means for clients: your website stays fast, smooth and scalable as your business grows.
A growing ecosystem around Laravel
Laravel’s ecosystem continues to expand rapidly, creating new opportunities for businesses and developers alike.
One of the more exciting announcements came from the team behind NativePHP, which will now allow developers to build mobile apps using the same technology they use for web applications.
With mobile usage continuing to dominate global web traffic, this opens the door for companies to extend their platforms seamlessly into mobile app experiences.
What this means for clients: more possibilities for growth – especially into mobile – without reinventing the wheel.
Denis and Ben at the conference venue in Amsterdam on the first morning of Laracon EU 2026.
The role of AI in modern development
Artificial intelligence was also a major topic at the conference.
Laravel’s creator, Taylor Otwell, spoke about how quickly AI tools have become part of everyday development. While these tools can help developers work faster, several speakers emphasised the importance of using them carefully.
One session explained that AI tools can fail quietly, producing code that appears correct but contains hidden issues. Because of this, strong development practices and clear guidelines remain essential.
What this means for clients: AI can accelerate development, but expertise and oversight still matter.
Building software that lasts
Another theme that stood out was building systems that can evolve over time.
Speakers discussed designing applications as a collection of small, well-defined components like puzzle pieces. This makes software easier to update, extend and maintain as requirements change.
Another key idea was delivering improvements early and often. Instead of waiting for a “perfect” release, teams can ship updates gradually, learn from real feedback and refine platforms continuously.
What this means for clients: Platforms that can adapt as their business grows or new requirements emerge.
Why this matters for Craft CMS
One of the biggest developments for our clients is Craft CMS’s upcoming move to Laravel in late 2026.
This shift means our Craft sites will be able to take advantage of everything the Laravel ecosystem has to offer.
As a specialist Craft CMS agency, the key benefits include:
A larger and more active developer community
Improved tooling and development workflows
Stronger long-term maintainability
Access to innovations happening across the Laravel ecosystem
In short, it ensures that Craft CMS will continue to evolve as part of one of the most widely supported modern web frameworks.
Looking ahead
Attending Laracon is always a great opportunity to see where the Laravel ecosystem is heading. The overall message from this year’s conference was clear: modern web development is becoming more modular, more automated and increasingly focused on reliability and performance.
If you’d like to find out more about the services we offer as a Craft CMS development agency, get in touch today.
