Laravel Database Routes Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Setup

1. Installation

   composer require pebblecms/laravel-database-routes
   

   Publish the migration and config:

   php artisan vendor:publish --provider="PebbleCMS\DatabaseRoutes\ServiceProvider" --tag="migrations"
   php artisan vendor:publish --provider="PebbleCMS\DatabaseRoutes\ServiceProvider" --tag="config"
   

   Run the migration:

   php artisan migrate
   

2. First Use Case Define a route in the database via database_routes table:

   INSERT INTO database_routes (name, uri, action, middleware, priority)
   VALUES ('admin.dashboard', '/admin', 'AdminController@index', 'auth', 10);
   

   Clear route cache to apply changes:

   php artisan route:clear
   

3. Where to Look First

   • Config: config/database-routes.php (adjust table name, caching behavior).
   • Service Provider: app/Providers/DatabaseRoutesServiceProvider.php (register custom route models).
   • Migration: database/migrations/[timestamp]_create_database_routes_table.php (extend with custom fields).

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflow

1. Define Routes in Database Use the database_routes table to store routes dynamically:

   // Example: Programmatically add a route
   \PebbleCMS\DatabaseRoutes\Facades\DatabaseRoutes::add([
       'name' => 'api.user.profile',
       'uri' => 'api/user/profile',
       'action' => 'App\Http\Controllers\UserController@show',
       'middleware' => 'api,auth:sanctum',
       'priority' => 20,
   ]);
   

2. Integrate with Existing Routes Combine database routes with static routes in routes/web.php or routes/api.php:

   // routes/web.php
   Route::get('/static', function () { return 'Static Route'; });
   
   // Database routes (auto-loaded after `route:clear`)
   Route::get('/dynamic', 'DynamicController@index');
   

3. Middleware and Groups Use middleware columns to attach groups:

   -- Example: Route group with middleware
   INSERT INTO database_routes (name, uri, action, middleware, priority)
   VALUES ('admin.*', 'admin/{controller}', 'AdminController@__invoke', 'web,auth', 5);
   

   Note: Supports Laravel’s middleware syntax (e.g., auth:sanctum|api).

4. Caching and Performance Disable caching during development (set cache_enabled to false in config). Clear cache after changes:

   php artisan route:clear
   

5. Custom Route Models Extend the default Route model by binding a custom Eloquent model:

   // app/Providers/DatabaseRoutesServiceProvider.php
   public function boot()
   {
       DatabaseRoutes::extend(function ($app) {
           return new \App\Models\CustomRoute();
       });
   }
   

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Route Cache Invalidation

   • Issue: Changes to database_routes won’t reflect until route:clear is run.
   • Fix: Automate cache clearing post-deployment or use php artisan route:clear --force in CI/CD.

2. Name Collisions

   • Issue: Duplicate route names (e.g., admin.dashboard) will cause conflicts.
   • Fix: Use unique names or validate in a model observer:

     // app/Observers/RouteObserver.php
     public function saving(Route $route)
     {
         if (Route::named($route->name)->count()) {
             throw new \Exception("Route name {$route->name} already exists.");
         }
     }
     

3. Middleware Parsing Quirks

   • Issue: Complex middleware (e.g., throttle:60,1) may not parse correctly.
   • Fix: Use pipe (|) syntax or simplify middleware in the database.

4. Priority Conflicts

   • Issue: Routes with the same priority may load unpredictably.
   • Fix: Use distinct priorities (e.g., 10, 20, 30) or sort alphabetically in the model.

5. Dynamic URI Validation

   • Issue: URIs with placeholders (e.g., /user/{id}) may not validate properly.
   • Fix: Use Laravel’s Route::hasRoute() or custom validation in a model observer.

Debugging Tips

• Inspect Loaded Routes:

  php artisan route:list --path=/admin
  

• Check Database Routes:

  SELECT * FROM database_routes WHERE uri LIKE '%admin%';
  

• Enable Query Logging: Add to config/database.php:

  'log_queries' => true,
  

Extension Points

1. Custom Route Actions Override the default action resolver to support closures or controller methods dynamically:

   // app/Providers/DatabaseRoutesServiceProvider.php
   DatabaseRoutes::extend(function ($app) {
       $app->bind('route.action.resolver', function () {
           return new \App\Services\CustomRouteActionResolver();
       });
   });
   

2. Route Events Listen for route changes via events:

   // app/Providers/EventServiceProvider.php
   protected $listen = [
       \PebbleCMS\DatabaseRoutes\Events\RouteAdded::class => [
           \App\Listeners\LogRouteChange::class,
       ],
   ];
   

3. API for Route Management Expose CRUD endpoints for routes:

   // routes/api.php
   Route::apiResource('routes', \App\Http\Controllers\RouteController::class);
   

4. Soft Deletes Enable soft deletes in the model to "disable" routes without removing them:

   // app/Models/Route.php
   use SoftDeletes;
   protected $dates = ['deleted_at'];