Cookielaw Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Setup

1. Installation:

   composer require didublab/cookielaw
   

   Ensure your project is Symfony 4/5 (compatible with Laravel via Symfony Bridge if needed).

2. Enable the Bundle: Add to config/bundles.php (Symfony) or register via Laravel's service provider equivalent:

   Didublab\CookielawBundle\DidublabCookielawBundle::class => ['all' => true],
   

3. First Use Case: Insert the Twig function in your base template (e.g., base.html.twig):

   {{ cookie_law() }}
   

   This renders the default cookie consent banner.

4. Verify Cookie Behavior:

   • Accept the banner and check browser cookies for cookie-notice-accepted.
   • Refresh the page to confirm persistence (default: 10 days).

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflows

1. Dynamic Placement:

   • Use cookie_law() in Twig templates where legal compliance is required (e.g., footer, modal overlay).
   • Example: Override default styling via CSS:

     .didublab-cookielaw { position: fixed; bottom: 0; width: 100%; }
     

2. Configuration Management:

   • Centralize settings in config/packages/cookie_law.yaml (Symfony) or Laravel’s config/cookielaw.php:

     didublab_cookielaw:
         cookie_days: 30       # Extend cookie expiry
         cookie_readmore_route: 'privacy_policy'  # Link to policy page
     

   • Laravel Adaptation: Publish config via:

     php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Didublab\CookielawBundle\DidublabCookielawBundle" --tag="config"
     

3. Translation Integration:

   • Extend translations for multilingual sites:
     • Create translations/cookielaw.en.xliff (Symfony) or resources/lang/en/cookielaw.php (Laravel).
     • Example Laravel translation:

       return [
           'cookie_text' => 'We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience.',
       ];
       

4. Event-Driven Extensions:

   • Hook into cookie acceptance via Symfony events (e.g., kernel.request):

     // Symfony EventSubscriber
     public function onKernelRequest(GetResponseEvent $event) {
         $request = $event->getRequest();
         if ($request->cookies->has('cookie-notice-accepted')) {
             // Trigger analytics or tracking logic
         }
     }
     

   • Laravel Alternative: Use middleware:

     public function handle($request, Closure $next) {
         if ($request->cookie('cookie-notice-accepted')) {
             // Custom logic
         }
         return $next($request);
     }
     

5. Conditional Rendering:

   • Skip the banner for exempt users (e.g., admins):

     {% if not app.user.isAdmin %}
         {{ cookie_law() }}
     {% endif %}
     

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Cookie Domain Scope:

   • Default cookie settings may not persist across subdomains. Explicitly set cookie_domain in config:

     didublab_cookielaw:
         cookie_domain: '.yourdomain.com'  # Include leading dot for subdomains
     

2. Twig Function Scope:

   • Ensure cookie_law() is only called in Twig templates (not PHP). Symfony’s Twig environment must be properly initialized in Laravel via symfony/twig-bridge.

3. Translation Overrides:

   • If translations don’t update, clear Symfony’s cache:

     php bin/console cache:clear
     

   • Laravel: Use php artisan view:clear or php artisan config:clear.

4. Route Configuration:

   • cookie_readmore_route must match an existing Symfony route. For Laravel, use a route alias or map to a controller:

     cookie_readmore_route: 'app.privacy_policy'  # Symfony
     # Laravel: Ensure route exists in `routes/web.php`
     

5. HTTPS Enforcement:

   • Cookies may not set correctly on http:// sites. Force HTTPS in config:

     didublab_cookielaw:
         cookie_secure: true  # Requires HTTPS
     

Debugging

1. Cookie Inspection:

   • Use browser dev tools (Application > Cookies) to verify cookie creation/values.
   • Check Symfony’s profiler (/_profiler) for bundle logs.

2. Template Debugging:

   • Enable Twig debug mode in config/packages/twig.yaml:

     twig:
         debug: true
     

3. Configuration Validation:

   • Validate YAML syntax with a linter (e.g., YAML Lint).

Extension Points

1. Custom Templates:

   • Override the default Twig template by creating templates/DidublabCookielawBundle/default/cookie_law.html.twig.

2. JavaScript Integration:

   • Extend functionality with JS (e.g., auto-accept on scroll):

     document.querySelector('.didublab-cookielaw-accept').addEventListener('click', () => {
         // Custom analytics call
     });
     

3. Database Backing:

   • Replace cookie storage with a database by extending the bundle’s CookieManager service (Symfony) or creating a Laravel service provider wrapper.

4. Compliance Logging:

   • Log cookie acceptance events to a database for audits:

     // Symfony Event Listener
     public function onCookieAccepted(CookieEvent $event) {
         $logger->info('Cookie accepted by IP: ' . $event->getRequest()->getClientIp());
     }