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Package Tools Laravel Package
laranail/package-tools
laranail/package-tools is a toolkit for Laravel package developers, offering helpers and scaffolding for service providers, configuration, migrations, and common package concerns so you can build cleaner, more consistent add-ons with less boilerplate.
Runtime base library for building Laravel packages: fluent Package builder, attribute discovery, and tooling.
Frequently asked questions about Package Tools
- What is laranail/package-tools used for?
- It is a developer-focused toolkit for building, wiring, and maintaining Laravel packages. It provides scaffolding for providers, config, routes, and migrations plus service provider helpers and Artisan commands.
- How do I install laranail/package-tools?
- Install it through Composer with composer require laranail/package-tools. If Laravel package discovery is enabled, the service provider should be registered automatically; otherwise register it manually. Then publish any config or package assets using the provided Artisan commands.
- Which Laravel and PHP versions does laranail/package-tools support?
- The evaluation indicates Laravel 10+ and PHP 8.1+ as the assumed baseline, with attribute workflows requiring PHP 8 attributes to be enabled. If your application is on an older Laravel or PHP version, plan an upgrade or choose a different tool.
- How does laranail/package-tools reduce Laravel package boilerplate?
- It offers a fluent builder pattern that standardizes package scaffolding, service provider registration, and attribute discovery. That reduces manual composer.json, ServiceProvider, and Facade setup, although teams need to adopt its builder API.
- Can laranail/package-tools publish config, views, and migrations?
- Yes, the package overview lists publishable assets for config, views, and migrations. You can use its Artisan commands to generate and manage those files for the host Laravel application.
- How do I configure attribute discovery in laranail/package-tools?
- Attribute discovery uses PHP 8+ attributes and depends on an attributes configuration being enabled. Check that setting if your package relies on metadata-driven service registration or configuration. If attributes are disabled, those workflows may not function as expected.
- How do I test a Laravel package built with laranail/package-tools?
- Use the package's testing utilities for package-level integration checks and combine them with your normal PHPUnit or Pest test suite. The evaluation notes no visible public test suite or benchmarks, so add your own fixtures for attribute discovery and builder behavior.
- Is laranail/package-tools suitable for production Laravel packages?
- It can be suitable for production when used in Laravel 10+ projects with PHP 8.1+ and a tested package workflow. However, the evaluation flags limited community validation, potential vendor lock-in, and possible reflection overhead, so pilot it on a non-critical package and keep a manual fallback.
- What are alternatives to laranail/package-tools?
- Alternatives include Laravel's built-in PackageManifest, manual Composer scripts, and custom service provider scaffolding. You can also keep a hand-written package structure if you want to avoid adopting a third-party builder API.
- How do I maintain and upgrade packages built with laranail/package-tools?
- Keep the toolkit updated, document escape hatches, and test upgrades in a pilot package before rolling them across critical packages. Because vendor lock-in and maintenance risk are noted concerns, retain a parallel manual setup for packages that cannot tolerate builder changes.
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