laravel/bootstrap project! -- new experience

Hi.

Doing research/learning/getting an understand of laravel/php, how it kind
of flows.

It appears that building something like an "invoiceninja" webApp is sort of
like putting together the building blocks for a site, based on the
look/feel, and the functions/features. I'm using invoiceninja as an
example, as I'm looking to build a site, and a number of the "components"
are similar to some in "invoiceninja".

Am I right in thinking that one can use existing sites as "guides" with
regards to getting a feel for laravel?

My basic process for now:
 check out diff sites, get a top level feel for the ui/logic/tbls
 -check out the "code" -- html/views/routes/controllers/etc..
-build the rough structure/layout of the new site..
  -based on the initial sites/code..
   create the rough new laravel structure/frame
  get the basic "new" up/crawling..
  -start to add the additional pages/funcs/ui
   route/tbl/model/controllers/view..
   blade files.. yield/content sections/html
   get the logic down..

  for those familiar with laravel,
    am i missing something???

thanks