Laravel Helper Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Setup

1. Installation

   composer require kominfogusit/laravel-helper
   

   Publish the config (if needed):

   php artisan vendor:publish --provider="KominfoGusit\Helper\HelperServiceProvider"
   

2. First Use Case Quickly generate a UUID:

   use KominfoGusit\Helper\Facades\Helper;
   
   $uuid = Helper::uuid(); // Returns a v4 UUID string
   

3. Where to Look First

   • Facade: KominfoGusit\Helper\Facades\Helper (primary entry point).
   • Config: config/helper.php (if published).
   • Documentation: Check the package’s README.md for core utilities (e.g., slugify(), randomString(), array_diff_recursive()).

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflows

1. String Manipulation

   // Slugify a string
   $slug = Helper::slugify('Hello World!'); // "hello-world"
   
   // Random string generation
   $token = Helper::randomString(16); // e.g., "aB3x9KpL2qR7tY1"
   

2. Array Utilities

   // Deep array diff (returns associative array of differences)
   $diff = Helper::arrayDiffRecursive(
       ['a' => 1, 'b' => ['x' => 10]],
       ['a' => 1, 'b' => ['x' => 20]]
   );
   
   // Merge arrays with custom logic
   $merged = Helper::arrayMergeRecursiveDistinct($array1, $array2);
   

3. Data Validation & Sanitization

   // Sanitize input (e.g., remove HTML tags)
   $cleanInput = Helper::sanitize($userInput);
   
   // Check if a string is a valid email
   $isValid = Helper::isEmail('[email protected]');
   

4. File & Path Handling

   // Generate a unique filename
   $filename = Helper::uniqueFilename('image', 'jpg');
   
   // Get the public path
   $path = Helper::publicPath('assets/images');
   

5. Date/Time Helpers

   // Format a date (e.g., for Indonesian locale)
   $formatted = Helper::formatDate('2023-10-01', 'd-m-Y');
   
   // Check if a date is within a range
   $isInRange = Helper::isDateInRange('2023-10-01', '2023-01-01', '2023-12-31');
   

6. Integration with Laravel Features

   • Blade Directives:

     // Register in a service provider
     Blade::directive('uuid', fn() => "<?php echo \\KominfoGusit\\Helper\Facades\\Helper::uuid(); ?>");
     
     // Usage in Blade:
     <div>{{-- @uuid --}}</div>
     

   • Form Requests:

     use KominfoGusit\Helper\Facades\Helper;
     
     public function rules()
     {
         return [
             'email' => ['required', 'email', fn($attr, $value) =>
                 Helper::isValidEmail($value) ? 'valid' : 'invalid'
             ],
         ];
     }
     

7. Testing

   // Mock the Helper facade in tests
   Helper::shouldReceive('slugify')->andReturn('test-slug');
   

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Locale-Specific Functions

   • Some helpers (e.g., formatDate()) may rely on the app’s locale. Ensure App::setLocale() is set correctly if using non-default locales.
   • Fix: Explicitly pass a locale:

     Helper::formatDate('2023-10-01', 'd-m-Y', 'id');
     

2. UUID Version Confusion

   • The package defaults to UUIDv4. If you need UUIDv1 (timestamp-based), check if the package supports it or implement a custom solution.
   • Tip: Extend the facade:

     Helper::extend('uuidv1', fn() => Str::uuid('v1'));
     

3. Array Merge Overwrites

   • arrayMergeRecursiveDistinct may not handle all edge cases (e.g., nested arrays with mixed types). Test with complex data structures.
   • Workaround: Use array_merge_recursive with custom logic if needed.

4. Sanitization Edge Cases

   • sanitize() may strip critical characters (e.g., in code snippets). Use sparingly for user-generated content.
   • Tip: Combine with strip_tags() or allowlists:

     $safeHtml = Helper::sanitize($input, ['<b>', '<i>']);
     

5. Public Path Caching

   • publicPath() caches the base path. Clear the cache if paths change dynamically (e.g., in multi-tenant apps).
   • Fix: Use Helper::refreshPublicPathCache().

6. Performance with Large Arrays

   • arrayDiffRecursive() can be slow for very large arrays. For production, consider batch processing or alternative approaches.

Debugging Tips

1. Enable Debug Mode Add this to config/helper.php to log helper calls:

   'debug' => env('APP_DEBUG', false),
   

2. Check for Deprecated Methods The package may evolve. Use php artisan vendor:list --installed to track updates and check the changelog.

3. Override Default Behavior Bind custom implementations in the service provider:

   $this->app->bind('helper', fn($app) => new CustomHelper());
   

Extension Points

1. Add Custom Helpers Extend the Helper facade dynamically:

   Helper::extend('customHelper', fn($arg) => $arg * 2);
   // Usage: Helper::customHelper(5); // Returns 10
   

2. Create a Helper Trait For reusable logic across services:

   use KominfoGusit\Helper\Traits\HelperTrait;
   
   class MyService {
       use HelperTrait;
   
       public function doSomething() {
           $slug = $this->slugify('Test');
       }
   }
   

3. Localization Hooks Override locale-specific helpers in a service provider:

   Helper::macro('formatDate', function($date, $format, $locale = null) {
       // Custom logic here
   });
   

4. Event Listeners for Helper Calls Log or monitor helper usage via events (if the package supports it). Example:

   // Hypothetical event (check package docs)
   event(new \KominfoGusit\Helper\Events\HelperCalled($helperName, $args));