From Code to Community: My First LaraconIN 2025 Experience in Ahmedabad

I still can’t believe I finally made it to LaraconIN 2025! I’m Nidheesh, a Senior Laravel Developer at Cubet, an official Laravel Development Partner since 2018. While this was Cubet’s third appearance at LaraconIN and having also attended Laracon US and Laracon EU, it was my very first. Held in the vibrant city of Ahmedabad, the event brought together hundreds of passionate developers, all eager to dive deeper into Laravel. 

Day 1 was full of excitement, but Day 2? That’s when things really leveled up. Here’s a glimpse into my experience, especially the unforgettable moment I got to connect with the Laravel core team and the incredible insights from Day 2 sessions. 
 

New to Laracon, Not to Laravel 

Despite being deeply familiar with Laravel, I’ll admit I had first-time jitters. The Cubet team had attended Laracon IN before, and I wondered if it would live up to the hype. But it absolutely did! 

From the start, the talks were insightful and energetic. Freek Van der Herten broke down multi-tenancy like it was second nature, in such a clear and natural way. Ashish Tiwari demonstrated how PHP can handle AI with ease. And someone even built a live app in under 20 minutes, which was incredible to watch. 

But the real magic happened during the breaks. That’s where the community shines, and I had my most memorable experience. 

Conversations with the Laravel Core Team 

During a tea break on Day 1, fresh from Nuno Maduro’s lightning-fast tooling session, I spotted members of the Laravel core team. Thanks to Cubet’s Laravel partnership, I had the opportunity to join a casual Q&A session, and that moment alone made my entire trip. 

We talked about Laravel’s future, performance improvements, and the principle of simplicity. When I asked how they manage to keep Laravel both beginner-friendly and powerful, one of them said, "It’s about hiding the hard stuff, not cutting it out." That line stuck with me. 

I even pitched an API feature idea I’ve been exploring. The feedback was thoughtful, sharp, and incredibly validating. It was more than a discussion, it felt like being welcomed into a community that builds with care and listens with intent. 

Day 1: Quick Recap 

Here’s a rapid rundown of Day 1 highlights: 

• Freek Van der Herten: Made multi-tenancy approachable and ideal for SaaS products 

• Justin Reasoner: Demystified Kubernetes for Laravel scaling 

• Ashish Tiwari: Showed how AI can be implemented using PHP 

• Dave Hicking: Talked about developer happiness and how it leads to better code 

• Bert De Swaef: Built a real-time app in minutes using Livewire 

• Mathias Grimm, Dan Johnson, Khushboo Verma: Covered everything from image processing to managing high-traffic systems 

• Nuno Maduro: Showcased tools like Pest and Pint to streamline coding 

The energy was contagious. Everywhere you looked, people were solving bugs, exchanging ideas, or laughing over shared developer challenges. Someone said, "Laracon is where you argue about code and still stay friends." Couldn’t agree more. 

Day 2: Masterclasses and Mindshifts 

Day 2 continued with deep dives into mastering Laravel and exploring it's evolving ecosystem. Here are some of my favorite takeaways: 

• Josh Cirre (A Fresh Start(er) for Laravel): Explored innovative ways to kickstart Laravel projects efficiently with modern starter kits.
   
• Nina Karisik (Unlikely Coder): Shared insights on unconventional paths in coding and how diverse perspectives enhance software development.
   
• Ryuta Hamasaki (Modularizing Inertia): Demonstrated techniques for structuring Inertia.js applications to improve maintainability and scalability.
   
• Freek Van der Herten (Taking a look at Flare): Provided an in-depth analysis of Flare, showcasing how it enhances error tracking in Laravel applications.
   
• Lucas Giovanny (Filament PHP Deep Dive: Speed, Power, and Performance Hacks): Unveiled powerful techniques to optimize Filament PHP for better efficiency and performance.
   
• Pushpak Chhajed (Supercharge Your Laravel App with LLM): Illustrated the integration of large language models (LLMs) into Laravel to enhance AI-driven functionalities.
   
• Vatsal Shah (Beyond the Framework: Focusing on Value Creation and Customer-Centric Development): Highlighted strategies to align Laravel development with business goals and user needs.
   
• Michi Hoffmann (Go for PHP Developers): Introduced Go as a complementary tool for PHP developers, emphasizing performance and concurrency benefits.

And of course, between talks, the networking continued. I even got a bonus performance tip from a speaker over coffee, which was a great reminder of just how open and helpful this community is. 

Wrapping It Up 

LaraconIN 2025 was more than a tech event. It was two days of growth, connection, and shared purpose. The talks were packed with ideas I’m excited to bring back to Cubet, but it was those human moments, the Q&A with the core team, the late-night code chats, the impromptu bug fixes and that made it unforgettable. 

Being part of a company like Cubet, closely connected to the Laravel ecosystem, gave me a front-row seat to something bigger than code, a global community built on collaboration and passion. 

If you're planning a Laravel project or want to explore what’s possible with a trusted Laravel Partner, Cubet is here to help. We build scalable, elegant solutions for startups and enterprises alike.