- What does michielkempen/nova-order-field do?
- It is a Laravel Nova field that adds drag-and-drop ordering to resource index tables. Editors drag rows to reorder records, and the field persists their position in a dedicated order column. It is a presentation-layer helper for manual editorial ordering, not a full ordering engine.
- Which Laravel and Nova versions does nova-order-field support?
- The package is a Laravel Nova field, and the last release was January 2022. That timing suggests Nova 3-era compatibility, and Nova 4 or 5 support is not proven by the package metadata. Treat supported Nova, Laravel, PHP, and browser versions as an open question and run a time-boxed compatibility spike before committing.
- How do I install and configure nova-order-field in a Nova resource?
- Install it with Composer, add and backfill an integer order column on the Eloquent model, then attach the field to the Nova resource with onlyOnIndex(). The nominal footprint is small: one or two resources, a migration and backfill, and field registration. Pin the Composer version explicitly and publish required assets as part of the rollout.
- What use cases is nova-order-field suitable for?
- It fits flat editorial lists already managed in Nova, such as navigation items, hero slides, FAQ entries, categories, product collections, galleries, and prioritised queues. It is not suitable for nested hierarchies like multi-level menus or trees, per-locale or per-tenant ordering beyond what the model configuration expresses, or any surface outside Nova. Keep it for low-risk admin-side ordering.
- How does nova-order-field persist order changes?
- The field captures editor drag-and-drop intent and writes a value to your sort column. The package overview does not specify whether it updates one row at a time or bulk-rewrites the sequence, whether it uses a transaction, or whether it applies locking. Confirm the persistence behaviour in a spike, especially for large lists and concurrent edits.
- Does nova-order-field work with filtered or paginated Nova index tables?
- This is a key risk area. A drag on page 2 of a filtered list can produce an order that is not globally correct if the field calculates sequence from the visible subset. Test reordering under filters, search, pagination, soft deletes, and sparse or duplicate order values, and verify that silent save failures do not leave the UI showing an order the database never received.
- Is nova-order-field secure and multi-tenant aware?
- The reorder endpoint should sit behind Nova middleware and respect the resource's update policy, but the package documentation does not confirm authorization or tenant scoping. Verify that the endpoint enforces the same access controls as normal Nova updates and applies tenant constraints. Do not assume the field handles multi-tenant scoping for you.
- Is nova-order-field accessible and mobile friendly?
- Drag-and-drop is a known accessibility trap, and the package does not advertise keyboard or screen-reader alternatives. Test keyboard-only operation, mobile touch dragging, and assistive technology before rollout. If accessibility is a requirement, plan for a fallback such as numeric order inputs or custom controls.
- Is nova-order-field actively maintained, and what are the alternatives?
- Upstream is low-activity and effectively unowned: last release January 2022, around 59 stars, and zero listed dependents. Treat it as an internal fork candidate rather than a strategic dependency. Alternatives include hand-rolling a small Nova field or wrapping application-owned ordering services; MIT licensing and a narrow surface make vendoring plausible if compatibility breaks.
- What is the fallback if nova-order-field blocks a Nova upgrade?
- Agree the fallback before rollout, not after. Because the package is MIT licensed with a narrow surface, forking or vendoring it to patch Nova compatibility is plausible. The safer long-term option is to move ordering semantics into application-owned code and keep the Nova field as a thin presentation layer. Allocate a one-day spike to answer compatibility, persistence, authorization, and accessibility questions.