Laravel Specialist

Laravel Specialist

Overview

Design, build, and maintain production-grade Laravel applications following the framework's conventions and best practices. This skill covers the full Laravel ecosystem: Eloquent ORM with advanced relationship patterns, Blade templating and Livewire interactivity, queue and event systems, middleware pipelines, service providers, Pest testing at every layer, and Artisan tooling for migrations, seeders, and factories.

Apply this skill whenever Laravel is the application framework, whether greenfield or brownfield.

Multi-Phase Process

Phase 1: Context Discovery

1. Identify Laravel version (composer.json -> laravel/framework)
2. Scan config/ for enabled packages and custom configuration
3. Map existing models, relationships, and migration history
4. Review routes/ for API, web, console, and channel definitions
5. Catalog installed first-party packages (Sanctum, Horizon, Telescope, Pulse, Pennant, Scout, Cashier)
6. Check for Livewire, Inertia, or Blade-only frontend stack

STOP — Do NOT begin architecture review without knowing the Laravel version and installed packages.

Documentation Verification Protocol

[HARD-GATE] When uncertain about any Laravel API — verify, don't guess. Use mcp__context7__resolve-library-id then mcp__context7__query-docs (preferred). Fallback: fetch from https://github.com/laravel/docs. For Livewire, Pest, Inertia — resolve each via context7 separately. Returned docs override memorized knowledge.

Phase 2: Architecture Review

1. Verify directory structure follows Laravel conventions (see section below)
2. Assess service provider registrations and deferred loading
3. Review middleware stack ordering and grouping
4. Evaluate queue connection configuration and worker topology
5. Check caching strategy (config, route, view, application-level)

STOP — Do NOT begin implementation until architecture gaps are documented.

Phase 3: Implementation

1. Write migrations first — schema is the source of truth
2. Build Eloquent models with relationships, scopes, casts, and accessors
3. Implement business logic in dedicated Action or Service classes
4. Create controllers (single-action or resourceful) bound to routes
5. Add Form Requests for validation, Policies for authorization
6. Wire events, listeners, and jobs for asynchronous workflows

STOP — Do NOT skip Form Requests and Policies. Inline validation and authorization are anti-patterns.

Phase 4: Testing

1. Unit tests for isolated logic (Actions, Value Objects, Casts)
2. Feature tests for HTTP endpoints and middleware behavior
3. Browser tests with Laravel Dusk for critical user flows
4. Database assertions with assertDatabaseHas, assertSoftDeleted
5. Queue and event fakes for side-effect verification

STOP — Do NOT proceed to optimization without passing tests at all layers.

Phase 5: Optimization

1. Apply eager loading to eliminate N+1 queries
2. Cache expensive computations and config/route/view
3. Index frequently-queried columns; use EXPLAIN to verify
4. Profile with Telescope or Debugbar in development
5. Configure Horizon for production queue monitoring

Eloquent Patterns

Relationships

Scopes

// Local scope — reusable query constraint
public function scopeActive(Builder $query): Builder
{
    return $query->where('status', 'active');
}

// Usage: User::active()->where('role', 'admin')->get();

// Global scope — applied to all queries on the model
protected static function booted(): void
{
    static::addGlobalScope('published', function (Builder $builder) {
        $builder->whereNotNull('published_at');
    });
}

Accessors, Mutators, and Casts

// Attribute accessor/mutator (Laravel 11+ syntax)
protected function fullName(): Attribute
{
    return Attribute::make(
        get: fn () => "{$this->first_name} {$this->last_name}",
    );
}

// Custom cast
protected function casts(): array
{
    return [
        'options'    => AsCollection::class,
        'address'    => AddressCast::class,
        'status'     => OrderStatus::class,  // Backed enum
        'metadata'   => 'array',
        'is_active'  => 'boolean',
        'amount'     => MoneyCast::class,
    ];
}

Query Optimization with Eager Loading

// BAD — N+1 problem: 1 query for posts + N queries for authors
$posts = Post::all();
foreach ($posts as $post) {
    echo $post->author->name;  // Triggers lazy load each iteration
}

// GOOD — Eager load: 2 queries total
$posts = Post::with('author')->get();

// Nested eager loading
$posts = Post::with(['author', 'comments.user'])->get();

// Constrained eager loading
$posts = Post::with(['comments' => function ($query) {
    $query->where('approved', true)->latest()->limit(5);
}])->get();

// Prevent lazy loading in development
Model::preventLazyLoading(! app()->isProduction());

Blade Templates and Livewire Components

Blade Conventions

• Layouts: resources/views/layouts/app.blade.php using @yield / @section or component-based <x-app-layout>
• Components: resources/views/components/ — anonymous or class-based
• Partials: @include('partials.sidebar') for reusable fragments
• Use {{ }} for escaped output, {!! !!} only when HTML is explicitly trusted
• Prefer Blade directives (@auth, @can, @env) over raw PHP conditionals

Livewire Patterns

// Full-page Livewire component (Livewire 3+)
#[Layout('layouts.app')]
#[Title('Dashboard')]
class Dashboard extends Component
{
    public string $search = '';

    #[Computed]
    public function users(): LengthAwarePaginator
    {
        return User::where('name', 'like', "%{$this->search}%")->paginate(15);
    }

    public function render(): View
    {
        return view('livewire.dashboard');
    }
}

Frontend Stack Decision Table

Queue, Job, and Event Patterns

Job Design

class ProcessInvoice implements ShouldQueue
{
    use Dispatchable, InteractsWithQueue, Queueable, SerializesModels;

    public int $tries = 3;
    public int $backoff = 60;
    public int $timeout = 120;
    public string $queue = 'invoices';

    public function __construct(public readonly Invoice $invoice) {}

    public function handle(PdfGenerator $generator): void
    {
        $generator->generate($this->invoice);
    }

    public function failed(Throwable $exception): void
    {
        // Notify admin, log to error tracker
    }
}

Event / Listener Pattern

// Dispatch event
OrderPlaced::dispatch($order);

// Listener (queued)
class SendOrderConfirmation implements ShouldQueue
{
    public function handle(OrderPlaced $event): void
    {
        Mail::to($event->order->user)->send(new OrderConfirmationMail($event->order));
    }
}

Sync vs Async Decision Table

Middleware and Service Providers

Middleware Stack Ordering

Middleware order matters. The default stack in bootstrap/app.php (Laravel 11+):

->withMiddleware(function (Middleware $middleware) {
    $middleware->web(append: [
        HandleInertiaRequests::class,  // After session, before response
    ]);

    $middleware->api(prepend: [
        EnsureFrontendRequestsAreStateful::class,  // Sanctum SPA auth
    ]);

    $middleware->alias([
        'role'     => EnsureUserHasRole::class,
        'verified' => EnsureEmailIsVerified::class,
    ]);
})

Service Provider Best Practices

• Register bindings in register(), never resolve from the container there
• Boot logic (event listeners, route model binding, macros) goes in boot()
• Use deferred providers for bindings that are not needed on every request
• Avoid heavy logic in providers — delegate to dedicated classes

Testing with Pest

Unit Test

test('order total calculates tax correctly', function () {
    $order = Order::factory()->make(['subtotal' => 10000, 'tax_rate' => 0.08]);

    expect($order->total)->toBe(10800);
});

Feature Test

test('authenticated user can create a post', function () {
    $user = User::factory()->create();

    $response = $this->actingAs($user)
        ->postJson('/api/posts', [
            'title' => 'My Post',
            'body'  => 'Content here.',
        ]);

    $response->assertCreated()
        ->assertJsonPath('data.title', 'My Post');

    $this->assertDatabaseHas('posts', [
        'user_id' => $user->id,
        'title'   => 'My Post',
    ]);
});

Queue and Event Fakes

test('placing an order dispatches confirmation job', function () {
    Queue::fake();

    $order = Order::factory()->create();
    PlaceOrder::dispatch($order);

    Queue::assertPushed(SendOrderConfirmation::class, function ($job) use ($order) {
        return $job->order->id === $order->id;
    });
});

Browser Test (Dusk)

test('user can complete checkout flow', function () {
    $this->browse(function (Browser $browser) {
        $browser->loginAs(User::factory()->create())
            ->visit('/cart')
            ->press('Checkout')
            ->waitForText('Order Confirmed')
            ->assertSee('Thank you');
    });
});

Artisan Commands, Migrations, Seeders, Factories

Migration Conventions

// Always include down() for rollback capability
public function up(): void
{
    Schema::create('invoices', function (Blueprint $table) {
        $table->id();
        $table->foreignId('user_id')->constrained()->cascadeOnDelete();
        $table->string('number')->unique();
        $table->integer('amount');          // Store money as cents
        $table->string('currency', 3);
        $table->string('status')->default('draft');
        $table->timestamp('due_at')->nullable();
        $table->timestamps();
        $table->softDeletes();

        $table->index(['user_id', 'status']);
    });
}

Factory Patterns

class InvoiceFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'user_id'  => User::factory(),
            'number'   => $this->faker->unique()->numerify('INV-####'),
            'amount'   => $this->faker->numberBetween(1000, 100000),
            'currency' => 'USD',
            'status'   => 'draft',
            'due_at'   => now()->addDays(30),
        ];
    }

    public function paid(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn () => ['status' => 'paid']);
    }

    public function overdue(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn () => [
            'status' => 'sent',
            'due_at' => now()->subDays(7),
        ]);
    }
}

Laravel Directory Structure Conventions

app/
├── Actions/              # Single-purpose action classes
├── Casts/                # Custom Eloquent casts
├── Console/Commands/     # Artisan commands
├── Enums/                # PHP backed enums
├── Events/               # Event classes
├── Exceptions/           # Custom exception classes
├── Http/
│   ├── Controllers/      # Resourceful or single-action controllers
│   ├── Middleware/        # Request/response middleware
│   └── Requests/         # Form Request validation
├── Jobs/                 # Queued job classes
├── Listeners/            # Event listener classes
├── Mail/                 # Mailable classes
├── Models/               # Eloquent models
├── Notifications/        # Notification classes
├── Observers/            # Model observers
├── Policies/             # Authorization policies
├── Providers/            # Service providers
├── Rules/                # Custom validation rules
├── Services/             # Domain service classes
└── View/Components/      # Blade view components
database/
├── factories/            # Model factories
├── migrations/           # Schema migrations (timestamped)
└── seeders/              # Database seeders
resources/views/
├── components/           # Blade components
├── layouts/              # Layout templates
├── livewire/             # Livewire component views
└── mail/                 # Email templates
routes/
├── api.php               # API routes
├── channels.php          # Broadcast channels
├── console.php           # Artisan closures
└── web.php               # Web routes
tests/
├── Feature/              # Feature (integration) tests
├── Unit/                 # Unit tests
└── Browser/              # Dusk browser tests

Decision Tables

Authentication Strategy

Caching Layer

File Storage

Anti-Patterns / Common Mistakes

Anti-Rationalization Guards

• Do NOT skip migrations and edit the database directly -- migrations are the source of truth.
• Do NOT put business logic in controllers because "it's faster" -- use Action classes.
• Do NOT skip Form Requests because "the validation is simple" -- it always grows.
• Do NOT disable preventLazyLoading() because "it's annoying" -- fix the N+1 queries.
• Do NOT store money as floats because "the amounts are small" -- precision errors compound.

Integration Points

Skill Type

FLEXIBLE — Adapt the multi-phase process to the scope of work. A single model change may skip Phase 2 entirely, while a new module should follow all five phases. Core conventions (eager loading, Form Requests, Pest tests, migration-first schema changes) are non-negotiable regardless of scope.