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Laravel Sidebar Laravel Package
maatwebsite/laravel-sidebar
A Laravel package for building configurable sidebars and navigation menus. Define items, links, icons, and active states in PHP, then render clean Blade sidebars with minimal setup.
A Laravel Sidebar builder
Frequently asked questions about Laravel Sidebar
- How do I install maatwebsite/laravel-sidebar in a Laravel application?
- Install it with Composer using composer require maatwebsite/laravel-sidebar. The package supports Laravel package auto-discovery, so its service provider should be registered automatically. Publish the configuration and views if you need to customize defaults, then define your sidebar items in application code and render the sidebar in a Blade layout.
- Does maatwebsite/laravel-sidebar support Laravel 11?
- Release 3.1.0 adds Laravel 11 support, which is the main compatibility change noted for that version. Laravel 11 requires PHP 8.2 or newer, so your application and dependencies must meet that baseline. Before adopting it, check the package's composer.json constraints and CI coverage for the exact Laravel and PHP versions you plan to use.
- How do I define sidebar items and links in laravel-sidebar?
- Sidebar items, links, icons, and active states are defined in PHP rather than hard-coded in Blade templates. You typically configure these definitions in application code and then render them through the package's Blade integration. This keeps navigation definitions centralized and easier to adjust as routes or permissions change.
- How do I render a sidebar in a Laravel Blade layout?
- After defining your sidebar items in PHP, render the sidebar from your Blade layout using the package's provided Blade integration. The package is designed for minimal setup, so you can place the sidebar output in a shared layout or partial. If you publish the views, you can customize the markup while keeping the item definitions in PHP.
- Can laravel-sidebar handle route-aware active states and permission checks?
- The package is intended for configurable sidebar navigation with route- and permission-aware items. You define active states and link behavior in PHP, and you can integrate authorization checks alongside your existing policies and route definitions. It is presentation-oriented, so it should complement your app's authorization layer rather than replace it.
- Is laravel-sidebar compatible with Laravel 8, 9, and 10?
- The available release notes only explicitly call out Laravel 11 support in 3.1.0 and do not publish a full supported Laravel/PHP matrix. Because 3.1.0 is described as a compatibility release with no feature or breaking-change notes, existing 3.0.0 users should treat it as a low-risk minor upgrade. Verify the composer.json constraints before assuming support for Laravel 8, 9, or 10 in your project.
- How do I publish and customize the laravel-sidebar config and views?
- The package supports publishing configuration and views as needed during integration. Use Laravel's vendor publish command for the package's config and view assets, then adjust the published files to match your layout and styling. Keep item definitions in PHP so customization of markup does not duplicate navigation logic.
- What PHP version is required for laravel-sidebar 3.1.0 with Laravel 11?
- Laravel 11 requires PHP 8.2 or newer, so a Laravel 11 application using laravel-sidebar 3.1.0 must run on PHP 8.2 or newer. The package release notes are sparse and do not state the complete PHP support matrix. Check the package's composer.json and CI configuration to confirm the exact PHP versions covered.
- Is maatwebsite/laravel-sidebar a full admin panel framework?
- No. It is a presentation-layer package for building configurable sidebars and navigation menus in Laravel Blade views. It fits applications that need route- and permission-aware sidebar navigation, but it is not a full admin-panel framework. Teams needing a complete admin panel should evaluate dedicated admin-panel packages separately.
- How should I upgrade from laravel-sidebar 3.0.0 to 3.1.0 safely?
- Treat 3.1.0 as a low-risk minor upgrade for existing 3.0.0 users, but update the Composer constraint and run your existing test suite first. Smoke-test sidebar rendering, route generation, active states, permission checks, and view caching. If you are also moving to Laravel 11, sequence the framework and package upgrades together in a branch rather than upgrading the package in isolation.
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