Build High-Performance SPAs (Single-Page Applications) Without an API Using Laravel & Inertia.js (2025 Guide)

Building Modern SPAs with Laravel & Inertia.js: A No-API Approach

Understanding the Problem

Challenges Encountered When Working with Laravel and Inertia.js

This is How We’ve Fixed an Issue

Step 1: Installing Laravel & Inertia.js

First, install Laravel and Inertia.js with Vue.js (or React if preferred):

composer create-project laravel/laravel my-spa
cd my-spa
composer require inertiajs/inertia-laravel
npm install @inertiajs/vue3
Next, publish Inertia’s middleware:
php artisan inertia:middleware

Step 2: Setting Up Inertia Middleware

Modify HandleInertiaRequests.php inside app/Http/Middleware to customize shared props:

public function share(Request $request)
{
return array_merge(parent::share($request), [
     ‘auth’ => [
         ‘user’ => $request->user(),
     ],
]);
}

Step 3: Creating an Inertia-Powered Page

Define a new route and return an Inertia response:

use Inertia\Inertia;
Route::get(‘/’, function () {
return Inertia::render(‘Home’, [
     ‘message’ => ‘Welcome to Laravel + Inertia.js!’,
]);
});

Step 4: Creating the Vue Component

Inside resources/js/Pages/Home.vue, create a simple Vue page:

<template>
<div>
     <h1>{{ message }}</h1>
</div>
</template>
<script>
export default {
props: [‘message’]
}
</script>

Step 5: Configuring Laravel Mix

Ensure your webpack.mix.js is properly set up:

const mix = require(‘laravel-mix’);
mix.js(‘resources/js/app.js’, ‘public/js’)
.vue()
.postCss(‘resources/css/app.css’, ‘public/css’, [
     require(‘tailwindcss’),
]);

Then, compile assets:

npm run dev

Best Practices for Optimizing Laravel and Inertia.js Applications

To ensure secure, high-performance SPAs using Laravel and Inertia.js, implementing best practices is essential. Using Laravel Policies and Middleware helps manage authentication efficiently by controlling user access at different levels. This ensures that sensitive data remains protected while keeping authentication seamless across the application.

Utilizing Shared Data with Inertia reduces the need for excessive API calls by passing commonly used data, such as user details or settings, directly to frontend components. This minimizes redundant requests and enhances overall performance. Additionally, leveraging Lazy Loading prevents unnecessary data from being loaded, improving response times and reducing strain on the server.

Caching responses further optimizes performance by reducing repetitive database queries. Implementing caching mechanisms in Laravel ensures that frequently accessed data is stored and served quickly, enhancing the user experience. By following these best practices, developers can build scalable and efficient SPAs without compromising speed or security.