- How do I install chrishenrique/laravel-requests-monitor in a Laravel app?
- Install the package with Composer using composer require chrishenrique/laravel-requests-monitor. Then publish the config and migrations with the package's vendor:publish tags, run php artisan migrate, and register the middleware if you want automatic HTTP request tracking. The README shows separate middleware registration examples for Laravel 9+ and older Laravel versions.
- Does laravel-requests-monitor support Laravel 7 and PHP 7.4?
- Yes. The package is documented as compatible with Laravel 7.x or higher and PHP 7.4 or PHP 8+. Middleware registration differs depending on your Laravel version, so check the README examples for PHP 8/Laravel 9+ versus older applications.
- How does automatic HTTP request monitoring work in this Laravel package?
- The package provides a RequestMonitorMiddleware that can be appended to a middleware group such as web. Once registered, it automatically monitors and logs incoming HTTP requests without requiring custom code for each route. You can still use manual action registration for business events that are not ordinary HTTP requests.
- How do I publish and configure laravel-requests-monitor?
- Publish the config file with php artisan vendor:publish --tag=requests-monitor-config, which creates config/requests-monitor.php. Publish migrations with php artisan vendor:publish --tag=requests-monitor-migrations and then run php artisan migrate. Adjust the published config values for your logging, URL handling, and retention needs.
- Can I store request logs in a dedicated database connection?
- Yes. The package supports a dedicated database connection and recommends using a separate database or schema for monitoring data. Define a connection named requests-monitor in config/database.php, typically using DB_MONITOR_HOST, DB_MONITOR_DATABASE, DB_MONITOR_USERNAME, and related environment variables. This helps isolate monitoring writes from your main application database.
- How do I log custom application actions or business events?
- Besides middleware-based HTTP request tracking, the package supports manual action registration for custom application events. This lets you record business actions that are not captured as normal incoming requests. Use the package's registration API as shown in the documentation rather than relying only on automatic middleware tracking.
- How do I configure retention and pruning for monitored requests?
- Retention and pruning are configurable through the published config/requests-monitor.php file. After publishing the config, adjust the retention settings to match your auditing, analytics, or security requirements. Confirm the exact pruning command or scheduling details in the package documentation for your installed version.
- What is execution_ms in laravel-requests-monitor used for?
- The execution_ms column is used to track request execution time for performance monitoring and observability. It can help identify slow endpoints and support analytics around API response times. Review your installed package version and changelog to confirm the exact column behavior and whether you need additional indexing.
- Is laravel-requests-monitor safe to use in production?
- The package is described as lightweight and designed for auditing, analytics, and security tracking, but production use still means database writes for monitored requests. Use a dedicated monitoring connection where possible, configure retention and pruning, and test the middleware against realistic traffic in staging. Also review any execution_ms or URL column changes before deploying to production.
- Are there breaking changes or migration concerns with the URL column?
- Recent package changes include configurable URL handling and a URL column change that may require a schema migration or model updates. New configs and execution_ms appear additive, but a URL column rename or deletion could affect existing queries or business logic. Run migrations in staging, audit code that references the old URL column, and deploy during low-traffic windows if schema changes are required.