Prompts Laravel Package

Product Decisions This Supports

• CLI/DevTool UX Enhancement: Accelerate adoption of internal CLI tools (e.g., migrations, deployments, data migrations) by replacing verbose readline() calls with interactive, browser-like forms (e.g., multi-step wizards, conditional workflows).
• Self-Service Developer Tools: Enable non-engineering teams (e.g., QA, support) to run guided CLI workflows (e.g., "Debug a user’s issue") without manual flag parsing.
• Build vs. Buy: Buy over custom solutions for:
  • Projects with <3 months of CLI dev effort.
  • Teams lacking CLI/UX expertise (reduces technical debt).
  • Use cases needing validation, autocomplete, or multi-step forms (e.g., database schema updates).
• Roadmap Priorities:
  • Phase 1: Replace legacy readline() prompts in Artisan commands (e.g., php artisan migrate:fresh).
  • Phase 2: Build internal tooling (e.g., "Data Export Wizard") using Prompts + Laravel backend.
  • Phase 3: Expose as a shared library for microservices needing CLI input (e.g., Kubernetes operators).

When to Consider This Package

Adopt If:

• Your CLI tools require user input beyond simple readline() (e.g., dropdowns, validation, multi-step forms).
• You’re using Laravel Artisan or PHP CLI apps and want consistent, polished UX (e.g., dark/light mode, keyboard navigation).
• You need conditional logic (e.g., "If user selects ‘Yes,’ show Step 2").
• Your team lacks terminal UI expertise but needs production-grade prompts (e.g., for internal tools).
• You’re building interactive migrations, deploy scripts, or admin tools where errors must be clear and recoverable.

Look Elsewhere If:

• You need minimalist CLI tools (e.g., getopt-style flags) with no UI overhead.
• Your project is non-PHP (e.g., Python, Node.js) or uses alternative frameworks (e.g., Symfony Console).
• You require advanced terminal features (e.g., TUI frameworks like Symfony Panels or Box).
• Your team has dedicated CLI/UX resources and needs custom animations/rendering (e.g., ASCII art, real-time updates).
• You’re constrained by legacy systems that can’t support PHP 8.1+ (current LTS requirement).

How to Pitch It (Stakeholders)

For Executives:

"Laravel Prompts lets us replace clunky CLI flags with interactive, guided workflows—like a browser form in the terminal. For example:

• Devs will spend 30% less time debugging migrations with step-by-step validation.
• Support teams can run self-service diagnostics (e.g., ‘Select the error type → Get a fix’) without engineering help.
• We avoid reinventing the wheel: This is maintained by Laravel, used by thousands of projects, and MIT-licensed—no vendor lock-in. Investment: <1 sprint to integrate; ROI: Faster onboarding, fewer CLI errors, and happier users."

For Engineering:

"This is a drop-in replacement for readline()/Symfony Console in Artisan commands, with:

• Modern UI: Dark/light mode, keyboard navigation, and browser-like validation (e.g., required fields, custom errors).
• Productivity boosts:
  • Multi-step forms (e.g., select() → confirm() → text()).
  • Dynamic options (e.g., autocomplete for database tables).
  • Progress bars/spinners for long-running tasks.
• Low risk: MIT license, actively maintained (releases every 2–3 months), and PHP 8.4-compatible. Use case: Replace our custom migrate:fresh prompt with a validated, interactive wizard—saves 2 hours/week in support tickets."

For Developers:

"Key perks:

• No terminal UI expertise needed: Just chain methods like select() → text() → confirm().
• Works with Laravel’s ecosystem: Integrates with Artisan, Queues, and Testing.
• Examples:

  $name = Prompt::text('Name', default: 'John');
  $role = Prompt::select('Role', ['admin', 'user'], required: true);
  $confirm = Prompt::confirm('Proceed?', default: false);
  

• Advanced features:
  • Conditional steps: Show Step 2 only if Step 1 = ‘Yes’.
  • Tables/grids: Display data before selection.
  • Non-interactive mode: For CI/CD pipelines. Try it: composer require laravel/prompts → Replace one readline() call today."