Laravel is one of the most popular PHP frameworks due to its elegant syntax, powerful features, and vibrant ecosystem. However, even with the best tools, writing clean, efficient, and maintainable code is essential for scaling applications and ensuring long-term success. In this post, we’ll explore 10 best practices for Laravel development to help you craft high-quality code that is both efficient and easy to maintain.
1. Use Route Resource Controllers
Instead of defining individual routes for each controller action, use Laravel’s resource controllers. This keeps your route definitions clean and consistent while automatically handling all CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations.
// Instead of:
Route::get('/users', [UserController::class, 'index']);
Route::get('/users/create', [UserController::class, 'create']);
// Use:
Route::resource('users', UserController::class);
2. Utilize Eloquent Relationships
Laravel’s Eloquent ORM provides a simple yet powerful way to manage database relationships. Avoid writing raw SQL queries for relationship operations. Instead, define relationships in your Eloquent models and use Laravel’s built-in methods like hasOne, hasMany, belongsTo, and belongsToMany.
class User extends Model {
public function posts() {
return $this->hasMany(Post::class);
}
}
3. Follow RESTful Resource Naming Conventions
Consistent naming conventions make your API more predictable and easier to understand. Use Laravel’s built-in RESTful conventions when defining routes and methods in your controllers.
- GET
/posts→index(Show all posts) - GET
/posts/{id}→show(Show a specific post) - POST
/posts→store(Create a new post) - PUT/PATCH
/posts/{id}→update(Update a specific post) - DELETE
/posts/{id}→destroy(Delete a specific post)
4. Use Mass Assignment and Fillable Attributes
To prevent mass assignment vulnerabilities, specify which fields can be mass-assigned by defining $fillable in your Eloquent models.
class User extends Model {
protected $fillable = ['name', 'email', 'password'];
}
5. Leverage Eager Loading to Optimize Queries
When working with related models, avoid the N+1 problem by using eager loading. This reduces the number of queries executed by loading all necessary related models in one go.
// Instead of:
$users = User::all();
foreach ($users as $user) {
echo $user->profile->bio;
}
// Use eager loading:
$users = User::with('profile')->get();
6. Use Dependency Injection for Better Testability
Laravel’s service container allows for powerful dependency injection. Always inject dependencies into your controller or service class constructors instead of manually instantiating objects within methods.
class UserController extends Controller {
protected $userRepository;
public function __construct(UserRepository $userRepository) {
$this->userRepository = $userRepository;
}
}
7. Keep Business Logic in Service Classes
To keep your controllers lean and maintainable, avoid putting complex business logic inside controller methods. Instead, create service classes that handle the business logic, leaving the controller to manage HTTP requests and responses.
class UserService {
public function createUser(array $data) {
// Handle user creation logic
}
}
// Controller
class UserController extends Controller {
protected $userService;
public function __construct(UserService $userService) {
$this->userService = $userService;
}
public function store(Request $request) {
$this->userService->createUser($request->all());
}
}
8. Use Middleware for Reusable Logic
Middleware is a great way to keep your code clean by handling repetitive tasks like authentication, logging, or request validation in a central location.
Route::group(['middleware' => 'auth'], function () {
Route::get('/dashboard', [DashboardController::class, 'index']);
});
9. Take Advantage of Queues for Long-Running Tasks
For tasks that take a long time to execute (like sending emails, processing images, or performing API calls), use Laravel’s queue system to defer these tasks and execute them asynchronously.
// Dispatch a job to the queue
SendWelcomeEmail::dispatch($user);
10. Follow SOLID Principles
Adhere to the SOLID principles (Single Responsibility, Open/Closed, Liskov Substitution, Interface Segregation, and Dependency Inversion) when structuring your Laravel application.
- Single Responsibility: Each class should have a clear reason for change.
- Open/Closed Principle: Classes should be open for extension but closed for modification.
- Dependency Inversion: Depend on abstractions, not concrete classes.
Writing clean, efficient Laravel code is all about leveraging the framework’s powerful features while adhering to good coding practices. By using resource controllers, eager loading, middleware, and SOLID principles, among others, you ensure your application remains maintainable and efficient as it grows.
By following these best practices, you’ll create Laravel applications that are not only easy to maintain and scale but also highly performant and secure.