How to Install Add-ons

5 min read Last updated Mar 24, 2026 2 views

Overview

Larapen uses a modular add-on system that lets you extend your website with extra features like a Blog, Shop, HelpCenter, Forum, Events, and more. Each add-on is a self-contained package that can be installed, activated, and configured independently.

Where to get add-ons

Bundled add-ons — Some add-ons are included with your Larapen purchase. Check the item description on CodeCanyon for the list of included add-ons.
Separately purchased add-ons — Additional add-ons can be purchased individually from CodeCanyon.

Available add-ons

Larapen offers a wide range of add-ons:

Blog — Full-featured blogging system with posts, categories, tags, and comments.
Shop — E-commerce with products, cart, checkout, orders, and coupons.
Forum — Community discussion forum.
HelpCenter — Knowledge base and help center.
Careers — Job listings and career pages.
Events — Event management and calendars.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions.
Partners — Partner and client logos showcase.
Portfolio — Portfolio and project showcase.
Pricing — Pricing tables and plans.
Team — Team member profiles.
Newsletter — Email newsletter subscriptions.
Billing — Billing and invoicing.
Classified — Classified ads.
Booking — Booking and appointments.
Glossary — Glossary and definitions.
GDPR — GDPR compliance tools.
Stats — Analytics and statistics.
Webmail — Webmail integration.
Stripe, PayPal, Paddle, MoMo — Payment gateway integrations.
Envato, Licenses — License management.
Ads Blocker Detector — Ad blocker detection.

Installation methods

Method 1: Via the admin panel (recommended)

Log into your admin panel at https://yoursite.com/admin.
Go to Add-ons in the sidebar.
Click "Upload Add-on".
Select the add-on ZIP file from your computer and click Upload.
The system will:
- Validate the add-on package
- Extract it to the correct directory
- Run any required database migrations
- Register the add-on in the system
Once uploaded, click "Activate" to enable the add-on.

Method 2: Via FTP/File Manager (manual)

Download the add-on package (ZIP file).
Extract the ZIP file on your local computer.
Upload the extracted add-on folder to extensions/addons/ on your server. For example:
- Blog add-on → extensions/addons/blog/
- Shop add-on → extensions/addons/shop/
- HelpCenter add-on → extensions/addons/helpcenter/
Log into the admin panel.
Go to Add-ons in the sidebar.
Click "Sync" to scan for newly uploaded add-ons.
The new add-on should appear in the list. Click "Activate" to enable it.

Method 3: Via SSH (command line)

# Extract the add-on to the extensions directory
unzip blog-addon.zip -d extensions/addons/blog/

# Run the add-on's migrations
php artisan migrate --path=extensions/addons/blog/database/migrations

# Activate the add-on (from admin panel or via artisan)
php artisan addon:activate blog

Add-on directory structure

Each add-on follows a standardized structure inside extensions/addons/{addon-name}/:

extensions/addons/blog/
├── addon.json              ← Manifest (name, version, dependencies)
├── config/                 ← Add-on configuration
├── database/
│   └── migrations/         ← Database tables
├── resources/
│   ├── lang/               ← Translations (en, fr)
│   └── views/              ← Default views (overridable by theme)
└── src/
    ├── BlogServiceProvider.php
    ├── Http/Controllers/
    ├── Models/
    └── Services/

After installation

Configure the add-on

Many add-ons have their own settings page. After activation:

Go to Settings in the admin panel.
Look for the add-on's settings group (e.g., "Blog Settings", "Shop Settings").
Configure the options as needed.

Admin sidebar

Active add-ons automatically add their menu items to the admin sidebar. For example, the Blog add-on adds "Blog → Posts, Categories, Tags, Comments".

Theme views

Add-ons include default front-end views. If your active theme provides overrides for the add-on (in extensions/themes/{theme}/views/), those will be used instead. Check your theme's documentation for add-on-specific styling.

Menu integration

After installing add-ons that provide front-end pages (Blog, Shop, etc.), you can add links to them in your navigation menus:

Go to Menus in the sidebar.
Click on a menu location, then "Add Item".
Select the add-on's page type (e.g., "Blog Category", "Shop Category").

Managing add-ons

Deactivating an add-on

To temporarily disable an add-on without removing it:

Go to Add-ons in the sidebar.
Click "Deactivate" next to the add-on.
The add-on's routes, views, and admin menu items will be hidden, but its database tables and data remain intact.

Uninstalling an add-on

Warning: Uninstalling (destroying) an add-on permanently removes its database tables and all associated data. Create a backup before proceeding.

Deactivate the add-on first.
Click "Destroy" to remove its database tables.
Optionally, delete the add-on folder from extensions/addons/ via FTP/File Manager.

Troubleshooting

Add-on not appearing after upload

Verify the folder structure is correct: extensions/addons/{name}/addon.json must exist.
Click "Sync" on the Add-ons page to re-scan.
Check that the addon.json file is valid JSON (no syntax errors).
Verify the ServiceProvider class exists at the expected namespace.

"Requires core version X.X.X" error

The add-on requires a newer Larapen core version. Update the core application first, then install the add-on.

Migration errors during installation

Check storage/logs/laravel.log for detailed error messages.
Ensure your database user has CREATE and ALTER privileges.
If using SSH, try running the migration manually: php artisan migrate --path=extensions/addons/{name}/database/migrations