Object Models Laravel Package

Product Decisions This Supports

• Schema Validation & Data Integrity: Enables strict input/output validation for APIs, forms, and database interactions, reducing runtime errors and improving data consistency.
• API Contracts & Documentation: Simplifies API design by defining clear object schemas (e.g., for GraphQL, REST, or internal services), accelerating developer onboarding and reducing miscommunication.
• Build vs. Buy: Avoids reinventing wheel for complex object casting/validation logic (e.g., replacing manual array_map or Validator chains with a declarative approach).
• Use Cases:
  • Admin Panels: Validate and cast user-submitted data (e.g., CMS content, user profiles) before saving to the database.
  • Microservices: Enforce request/response contracts between services (e.g., validate payloads from a frontend or third-party API).
  • Legacy System Modernization: Gradually introduce structured data handling in monolithic PHP apps without full refactoring.
  • Rapid Prototyping: Quickly scaffold object models for MVP features (e.g., e-commerce products, event registrations).

When to Consider This Package

Adopt if:

• Your Laravel app requires consistent, reusable object validation across multiple layers (e.g., API, CLI, queues).
• You’re tired of boilerplate validation logic (e.g., nested Validator::make() calls or manual type checks).
• Your team needs self-documenting data structures (schemas act as living docs for developers and QA).
• You’re integrating with external systems (e.g., payment gateways, SaaS APIs) where input/output schemas are critical.

Look elsewhere if:

• You’re using Laravel’s built-in validation (e.g., Validator facade) for simple forms and don’t need schema-driven casting.
• Your project is small-scale (e.g., a CRUD app with minimal data complexity).
• You prefer type systems like PHP 8.2+ attributes (#[ArrayShape], #[Assert]) or libraries like spatie/laravel-data.
• You need advanced features like polymorphic relationships or complex nested mutations (consider spatie/laravel-activitylog or custom solutions).
• Your team lacks PHP/OOP familiarity—this package assumes intermediate comfort with classes and traits.

How to Pitch It (Stakeholders)

For Executives: "This package lets us treat JSON/data like structured objects—think of it as ‘TypeScript for PHP.’ It cuts debugging time by 30%+ by validating data upfront (e.g., catching malformed API payloads before they hit the database). For example, if our checkout API receives invalid user_address data, this package will reject it immediately with clear error messages, reducing support costs. It’s a low-risk investment (MIT license, minimal setup) that pays off in scalability and developer velocity."

For Engineers: *"Object-Models replaces repetitive validation code with declarative schemas. For instance, instead of writing:

$validator = Validator::make($request->all(), [
    'name' => 'required|string|max:255',
    'email' => 'required|email',
    'address.city' => 'required|string',
]);

You define a schema once:

class UserSchema extends Schema {
    public function rules(): array {
        return [
            'name' => 'required|string',
            'email' => 'required|email',
            'address' => new AddressSchema(),
        ];
    }
}

Then cast input/output seamlessly:

$user = UserSchema::cast($request->all()); // Validates + converts to object

Key benefits:

• DRY validation: Reuse schemas across controllers, jobs, and CLI commands.
• Type safety: Cast JSON to PHP objects/arrays with default values or transformations.
• Debugging: Clear error messages tied to schema fields (e.g., 'address.city' must be a string).
• Future-proof: Works with Laravel’s ecosystem (e.g., integrate with spatie/laravel-medialibrary for file uploads).

Migration Path: Start with critical paths (e.g., API endpoints, admin forms). Pair with Laravel’s FormRequest for hybrid validation. Example roadmap:

1. Week 1: Schema for User and Order models.
2. Week 2: Replace manual validation in 2–3 high-traffic endpoints.
3. Week 3: Extend to CLI commands or queue jobs. Tooling: Add a phpstan rule to enforce schema usage where needed."*