Getting Started

Install via Composer: composer require duncanmcclean/cookie-notice
Publish the config file: php artisan vendor:publish --tag=cookie-notice-config
Register the middleware DuncanMcClean\CookieNotice\Http\Middleware\InjectCookieNotice in your web middleware group (in app/Http/Kernel.php for Laravel ≤10, or bootstrap/app.php for Laravel 11+). This automatically injects the notice before </body>.
Configure basic options in config/cookie-notice.php: enable the notice, set the text, buttons, cookie name, and expiry.

First use case: conditionally load analytics scripts. In a Blade view:

@if(CookieNotice::hasAccepted('analytics'))
    <script src="https://analytics.example.com/script.js"></script>
@endif

Implementation Patterns

Gate scripts by category: Define categories (e.g., analytics, marketing) in the config, then use CookieNotice::hasAccepted('analytics') in Blade or CookieNotice::hasBeenAccepted() for general consent.
Customize appearance: Publish views (php artisan vendor:publish --tag=cookie-notice-views) and edit the notice Blade file. Publish assets if you need to modify CSS/JS.
Multi-language: Publish translations (php artisan vendor:publish --tag=cookie-notice-translations) and add locale files.
Server-side consent checks: Use the CookieNotice facade in controllers or middleware to conditionally enable server-side tracking or features.
Testing: Set the consent cookie in tests, e.g. $this->withCookie('cookie_notice', json_encode(['accepted' => ['analytics']])), or use the package’s testing helpers if available.

Middleware order: Ensure the middleware runs within the web group. If using full-page caching, the notice may be cached—exclude pages or render the notice dynamically.
Cookie name and expiry: Changing cookie_name after users have consented resets their preferences. Keep it stable.
v10.2.2 fix: Upgrading to this release eliminates the brief flash of the widget when preferences are already set. If you noticed a flicker on page load, this is the fix.
Custom views: The package’s JavaScript relies on specific classes/IDs. Test thoroughly after customizing the Blade template.
Config cache: Always run php artisan config:clear after editing config/cookie-notice.php.
SPAs / dynamic consent: If the package provides a JS API, use it to update consent without a full page reload; otherwise, listen for the built-in consent-change event if available.