Running Laravel Queues and Scheduled Jobs in NativePHP


One of Laravel's greatest strengths is its robust support for background processing via queues and scheduled tasks. When building desktop applications using NativePHP, this power doesn’t get left behind. You can harness queues and schedules just like in traditional web apps—bringing automation and background processing to your desktop.

In this article, we'll explore how to effectively run Laravel Queues and Scheduled Jobs in a NativePHP environment.

🧰 Prerequisites

Before diving in, make sure you’ve:

  • Installed Laravel with NativePHP.

  • Configured your desktop app structure properly.

  • Have a working knowledge of Laravel jobs, queues, and schedules.

⚙️ Understanding Queues in a Desktop App

Laravel queues allow you to defer time-consuming tasks (like sending emails or processing files) to be handled in the background. In a desktop app, queues are especially useful for:

  • Background syncing

  • File operations

  • Sending notifications

  • Data fetching without UI freezing

🛠 Setting Up Queues in NativePHP

Laravel supports several queue drivers like database, redis, sqs, and sync.

For desktop use, especially offline-first apps, the database or sync driver is preferred.

Step 1: Configure .env

QUEUE_CONNECTION=database

Step 2: Create a Queue Table (if using database)

php artisan queue:table
php artisan migrate

Step 3: Create a Job

php artisan make:job ProcessFile

Inside the job:

public function handle()
{
    // Your logic here
}

Step 4: Dispatch the Job

ProcessFile::dispatch($filePath);

Step 5: Run the Worker (Optional Automation)

php artisan queue:work

You can trigger this manually or on app launch using a custom artisan call.

⏱ Scheduling Jobs in NativePHP

Scheduled tasks can be run in the background using Laravel’s task scheduler. You can use this to:

  • Auto-sync files every hour

  • Clean up temporary data

  • Perform backups

Step 1: Define Scheduled Task

In app/Console/Kernel.php:

$schedule->call(function () {
    // your custom task
})->hourly();

Step 2: Start Scheduler

You can run:

php artisan schedule:work

Or programmatically start it in your NativePHP boot lifecycle:

Artisan::call('schedule:work');

💡 Pro Tip: Automate Queue and Schedule Start

To automate background jobs on desktop app start:

use Native\Laravel\Facades\NativePHP;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Artisan;

NativePHP::booted(function () {
    Artisan::call('queue:work');
    Artisan::call('schedule:work');
});

📦 Use Cases in Desktop Apps

Use Case Type
Auto-save documents Schedule
Sync with cloud Queue
Upload background files Queue
Reminder pop-ups Schedule
Logging and backups Schedule


Bringing queues and schedules to a NativePHP desktop application unlocks a world of background processing and automation. With just a few lines of code, your app can function more efficiently and feel more responsive to the user.

Whether you’re syncing files, running offline jobs, or automating reports—Laravel’s queue and schedule system fits right into your desktop environment.