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What is Saucebase?

Saucebase is a modular Laravel SaaS starter kit built on the VILT stack (Vue 3, Inertia.js, Laravel 12, Tailwind CSS 4). Unlike traditional starter kits that trap you in vendor packages, Saucebase gives you complete ownership of the code.

When you install Saucebase modules, they copy directly into your repository - not as external dependencies. You own every line of code and can modify, refactor, or rebuild features to match your exact needs. It's a foundation you control, not a framework you're locked into.

Saucebase provides everything you need to build production-ready SaaS applications: authentication, team management, subscriptions, admin panels, and more - all with modern tooling and best practices built in.

Why Saucebase?​

Most Laravel starter kits trap you in a vendor package. You fight their architecture, maintain patches, and pray updates don't break your customizations.

Saucebase solves this with a copy-and-own philosophy.

Copy-and-Own Philosophy​

Like shadcn/ui, modules install directly into your repository, not as external packages.

Traditional vs Saucebase approach:

composer require vendor/auth-package   # → Stuck in vendor/, can't modify
composer require saucebase/auth        # → Copied to modules/Auth/, you own it

What this means for you:

  • No vendor controlling your roadmap: The code is in YOUR repository. You decide what changes, when, and how.
  • Change anything without asking permission: Need a custom field? Edit the file. Want different validation? Modify the rules. It's your code.
  • No 3am emergencies from upstream changes: Package updates can't break your code because you control the code.
  • Complete freedom to refactor: Rebuild features to match your exact architecture. You're not fighting against package assumptions.
You Are The Vendor

When you install a Saucebase module, you're not adding a dependency. You're acquiring source code. From day one, you control the roadmap, the updates, and the architecture.

Key Features​

Saucebase combines modular architecture with modern tooling to help you build faster while maintaining complete control.

Modular Architecture​

Modules are self-contained features that install into your codebase. Each module includes everything it needs - models, migrations, controllers, views, tests - and lives in your modules/ directory where you can modify it freely.

Modern Development Experience​

We've optimized the development experience so you can build faster:

  • One-command setup: Run task install and Saucebase starts Docker containers, configures your database, generates SSL certificates, and builds assets automatically
  • Instant hot reload: See your changes immediately in the browser with HMR (no page refresh needed)
  • Type-safe routes: Ziggy generates TypeScript helpers from your Laravel routes, so you get autocomplete and type checking
  • SSR when you need it: Enable server-side rendering for specific pages to improve SEO and performance

Production Ready​

Saucebase includes everything you need for production deployments:

  • Code quality tools: PHPStan level 5, Laravel Pint, ESLint, and commitlint ensure clean, consistent code
  • Comprehensive testing: Playwright for E2E testing, PHPUnit for backend tests, all pre-configured
  • Admin panel: Filament 5 admin panel included with beautiful UI and powerful tools

Technology Stack​

Saucebase uses cutting-edge tools that make development enjoyable:

CategoryTechnologies
Backend

Laravel 12 with PHP 8.4+ • Filament 5 admin panel

Frontend

Vue 3 Composition API • TypeScript 5.8 • Inertia.js 2.0 • Tailwind CSS 4 • shadcn-vue components

Dev Tools

PHPStan level 5 • Laravel Pint & ESLint • Playwright E2E testing • Commitlint for conventional commits

Quick Start​

You can get Saucebase running in just a few minutes. Only Docker and Node.js are required:

git clone https://github.com/sauce-base/saucebase.git my-app
cd my-app
bash bin/setup-env

Open https://localhost in your browser and you're ready to build!

What does this do?

The bootstrap script starts Docker containers (MySQL, Redis, Mailpit), generates SSL certificates, installs dependencies, runs migrations, enables modules, and builds frontend assets. No local PHP required.

Available Modules​

Modules are self-contained features that install into your codebase. You can use the pre-built ones or create your own.

Installing a module is simple:

# Install the Auth module
composer require saucebase/auth
php artisan module:enable Auth
php artisan module:migrate Auth --seed

The code now lives in your modules/Auth directory. You can open the files and modify them however you want.

Want to create your own?

Check out our module creation guide to learn how to build custom modules for your specific needs.

What's Next?​

Ready to dive deeper? Here are the key resources to explore:

  • Get Started - Complete installation and configuration guide
  • Architecture - Understand how Saucebase works under the hood
  • Modules - Learn to work with and create modules
  • Development - Daily development workflow and commands
  • Reference - Glossary and troubleshooting guides

Need Help?​

We're here to help you succeed with Saucebase:

Check the Troubleshooting Guide

Many common issues are already solved in our troubleshooting guide. Check there first!

License​

Saucebase is open-source software licensed under the MIT license. You can use it freely in your projects, modify it, and even use it commercially.

Ready to own your SaaS foundation? Head to Getting Started →