- How do I install digitaldream/data-converter in a Laravel app?
- Install it with Composer using composer require digitaldream/data-converter. If the package ships a Laravel service provider, Laravel auto-discovery should register it; otherwise add the provider and any facade alias to config/app.php. Check the repository README and composer.json for the exact namespace and Laravel discovery support before wiring it into application code.
- What formats can DigitalDream Data Converter convert between?
- The package is described as converting data between Excel files, arrays, objects, JSON, and similar payloads. That covers common import/export and API-response preparation use cases. The context provided does not document every supported direction or edge format such as CSV, so verify the public API and tests before relying on a specific conversion path.
- Does digitaldream/data-converter support Laravel 10 and Laravel 11?
- The only release noted is from 2024-04-14, but the context does not include an explicit Laravel or PHP compatibility matrix. Check the package composer.json for illuminate/support and PHP version constraints, then run it in your CI matrix for PHP 8.x with Laravel 10 and 11. Do not assume compatibility until you have tested the conversion paths you need.
- Is digitaldream/data-converter safe for user-uploaded Excel files?
- There is no evidence in the provided assessment that the package sanitizes formulas, handles macros, or guards against zip bombs and oversized workbooks. Treat uploaded Excel files as untrusted: validate MIME type and extension, enforce row and file-size limits, disable macros, and read workbooks with read-only options where possible. For production imports, add a security review and keep the parser dependency patched.
- How does digitaldream/data-converter handle large Excel files and memory usage?
- The context does not confirm whether the package streams or chunks workbook reads, and Excel libraries commonly load entire files into memory. Before using it for large imports or exports, profile memory with representative file sizes and set a hard memory ceiling. If you need chunked reads and writes, maatwebsite/Laravel Excel is the safer default because it documents those capabilities.
- Why choose digitaldream/data-converter over maatwebsite/Laravel Excel?
- Choose it only if it materially simplifies a narrow array, JSON, or Excel conversion path and avoids a heavier dependency. Laravel Excel is the de facto standard with broad adoption, active maintenance, and chunked reads and writes. DigitalDream Data Converter has very little ecosystem validation, so treating it as a convenience wrapper rather than a strategic dependency is prudent.
- Is digitaldream/data-converter actively maintained?
- The assessment cites a single 2024-04-14 release, 6 stars, 0 dependents, and a composite score of 0.09, which is not a maintenance signal. A single maintainer and one release create abandonment and API-stability risk. Define an exit trigger, such as no upstream release for 12 months or a PHP major-version incompatibility, and be ready to swap the implementation.
- How should I test digitaldream/data-converter in a Laravel project?
- Put the package behind an internal DataConverterContract interface and inject that interface where import or export flows live. In tests, bind a fake or in-memory implementation so domain and controller tests do not call the package facade statically. Add integration tests with fixture Excel and JSON files, including malformed and oversized inputs, before trusting production behavior.
- What are the license and dependency requirements for digitaldream/data-converter?
- The context does not state the package license, so confirm it in the repository LICENSE file and composer.json before distribution. The package likely depends on PhpSpreadsheet or a similar spreadsheet library, which is where version conflicts and memory behavior will come from. Run composer audit, check transitive constraints against existing packages, and pin both the package and its spreadsheet dependency.
- Can digitaldream/data-converter preserve dates, leading zeros, and encoding on round-trip?
- The provided context does not document date, leading-zero, or encoding behavior, and Excel commonly auto-formats dates and strips leading zeros. Test round-trips with explicit cell formats, text-prefixed values, and UTF-8 strings before using it for business data. If fidelity matters, prefer a library with documented type handling and conversion tests.