Eloquent Inspector Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Steps

1. Installation:

   composer require cerbero/eloquent-inspector
   

   Add the service provider to config/app.php (automatically registered if using Laravel ≥5.5).

2. First Inspection:

   use App\Models\User;
   use Cerbero\EloquentInspector\Inspector;
   
   $inspector = Inspector::inspect(User::class);
   

   This returns an Inspector instance with metadata about the model.

3. Key Outputs:

   • $inspector->getProperties() → Array of model attributes (fillable, guarded, etc.).
   • $inspector->getRelationships() → Array of defined relationships (belongsTo, hasMany, etc.).
   • $inspector->getEvents() → Array of model events (creating, saved, etc.).

First Use Case

Dynamic Form Generation: Use getProperties() to auto-generate form fields for a model without hardcoding:

$properties = Inspector::inspect(User::class)->getProperties();
foreach ($properties as $property) {
    echo "<input name='{$property['name']}' type='text' />";
}

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflows

1. Model Metadata Extraction:

   $inspector = Inspector::inspect(MyModel::class);
   $fillable = $inspector->getProperties()['fillable'];
   $relations = $inspector->getRelationships();
   

   • Useful for admin panels, API documentation, or dynamic CRUD.

2. Relationship Mapping:

   $relations = Inspector::inspect(Order::class)->getRelationships();
   foreach ($relations as $relation) {
       if ($relation['type'] === 'hasMany') {
           echo "Order #{$relation['name']}: {$relation['related']}";
       }
   }
   

   • Build graph-based data structures (e.g., nested resource APIs).

3. Event Hooks Discovery:

   $events = Inspector::inspect(User::class)->getEvents();
   if (in_array('deleting', $events)) {
       // Add custom logic before deletion
   }
   

Integration Tips

• Caching: Cache inspection results for performance:

  $cacheKey = 'model_inspection_' . md5(User::class);
  $inspector = Cache::remember($cacheKey, now()->addHours(1), fn() =>
      Inspector::inspect(User::class)
  );
  

• Laravel Scout: Use getProperties() to dynamically index searchable fields.
• API Resources: Generate toArray() dynamically based on inspected properties.

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Circular Dependencies:

   • Inspecting models with recursive relationships (e.g., User->posts->comments->user) may cause infinite loops.
   • Fix: Use Inspector::inspect()->setMaxDepth(2) to limit recursion.

2. Cached Inspections:

   • Flush inspections when models change:

     Inspector::flush(App\Models\User::class); // After migrations
     

   • Tip: Override boot() in models to auto-flush:

     protected static function boot() {
         parent::boot();
         Inspector::flush(static::class);
     }
     

3. Performance:

   • Inspecting large models (e.g., with 50+ relationships) can be slow.
   • Optimization: Pre-inspect models during command scheduling (e.g., php artisan model:inspect).

Debugging

• Verify Inspection:

  dd(Inspector::inspect(User::class)->toArray());
  

• Check for Missing Data:
  • Ensure app/Models/ is in composer.autoload.psr-4.
  • Use Inspector::inspect()->getErrors() to catch parsing issues.

Extension Points

1. Custom Inspectors: Override the default inspector for specific models:

   Inspector::extend(MyModel::class, function ($inspector) {
       $inspector->addProperty('custom_field', 'value');
   });
   

2. Add Metadata: Extend the inspector to include soft deletes, timestamps, or casts:

   $inspector->getProperties()['usesSoftDeletes'] = in_array('deleted_at', $model->getDates());
   

3. Laravel Octane: Inspections are not compatible with Octane’s serverless mode. Use in traditional HTTP requests only.