- How do I install digitalrevolution/utils in a Laravel project?
- Install it with composer require digitalrevolution/utils. It requires PHP 8.3 or newer and has no Laravel service provider or configuration step. Composer autoloading is all you need.
- What use cases does digitalrevolution/utils solve in Laravel applications?
- It is useful for plain-array transformations, fluent assertion guards in DTOs and service logic, stringification for logging and debugging, and closure unfolding for deferred execution. It can replace small custom array helpers and reduce validation boilerplate. It is not a full replacement for Laravel Collections or Laravel Validator.
- Is digitalrevolution/utils compatible with Laravel 10, 11, or 12?
- The package is framework-agnostic and only requires PHP 8.3 or newer, so it can be installed in any Laravel version whose runtime meets that PHP constraint. There are no Laravel-specific version constraints or service providers to check. Verify your Laravel branch supports PHP 8.3+ before adding it.
- Do I need to register a service provider or publish config for digitalrevolution/utils?
- No service provider, facade, or config file is required because the library is pure PHP with no framework coupling. You can use the classes directly in controllers, services, jobs, or DTOs. If you want a Laravel-native API, wrap the helpers in your own facade or container binding.
- How does digitalrevolution/utils compare to Laravel Collections for array manipulation?
- Both can map, filter, group, and flatten, but digitalrevolution/utils operates on plain arrays and iterables rather than Laravel Collection objects. Laravel Collections offer richer Eloquent, lazy, and higher-order collection features. Use the utility package for framework-agnostic or low-level array work, and be careful about method-name overlap.
- Are the assertion methods a replacement for Laravel Validator or FormRequest validation?
- No, the fluent assertions are developer-invariant guards inspired by webmozart/assert, not a user-input validation system. Laravel Validator and FormRequest remain the right choice for rules, messages, and request validation. The assertion helpers can complement them inside DTOs, domain services, or internal APIs.
- What are the production risks of using digitalrevolution/utils in a Laravel app?
- Production risks are low to medium: the package has niche adoption and low dependents, recursive methods such as flatten can be costly on large datasets, and methods such as assignByPath mutate arrays in place. Some array methods throw exceptions rather than returning null, which can conflict with Laravel null-coalescing patterns. Pin the version, test edge cases, and wrap critical helpers if you need stricter control.
- How should I test code that uses digitalrevolution/utils?
- Unit test your own wrappers and integration test the edge cases that matter to your app, especially Eloquent results, API payloads, and request data. The package uses PHPCS and PHPStan and has recent releases, but it does not ship Laravel-specific tests. For assertion methods, test that expected exceptions are thrown; for mutating array methods, verify your immutability boundaries.
- Is digitalrevolution/utils actively maintained and safe for long-term Laravel projects?
- The repository shows recent releases and static-analysis tooling, but it has low stars and no notable dependents, so long-term abandonment risk is higher than for mature Laravel packages. Pin a known-good version and monitor releases before upgrading. For critical helpers, keep a thin wrapper or a fork/rewrite fallback.
- What alternatives exist to digitalrevolution/utils for Laravel projects?
- Common alternatives include Laravel Collections, Laravel Validator, the Arr and Str helpers, webmozart/assert, Symfony StringUtil, Nette Utils, or your own in-house helpers. Choose Laravel-native tools when you need deep framework integration, and choose a framework-agnostic utility package when you want plain PHP behavior. Compare maintenance activity, naming collisions, and exception semantics before adopting.