Recaptcha Bundle Laravel Package

Getting Started

• Confirm the package actually targets Laravel. RecaptchaBundle naming suggests a Symfony-style bundle; check composer.json for laravel/illuminate support and whether Laravel package auto-discovery is present. If it is Symfony-only, use it through a small Laravel adapter/service rather than assuming it auto-wires.
• Look first at: README, composer.json, package config files (config/recaptcha.php, DependencyInjection/*, or bundle config), the verifier/client class, and any validation rule or middleware shipped by the package.
• Configure the minimum environment values before wiring forms: site key, secret key, reCAPTCHA version/mode (v2 checkbox, v2 invisible, v3 score), and expected score/action if using v3.
• First use case: protect a low-risk form such as contact or login. Render the widget with the public site key in Blade, then validate the submitted g-recaptcha-response server-side before the controller action runs.
• For a first Laravel integration, bind the package verifier behind a small application-level interface and call it from a Form Request rule or middleware. This keeps controllers clean and makes testing replaceable.
• Treat 0.9.0 as the first stable baseline, not a mature 1.0: verify public APIs against source before standardizing usage across the app.

Implementation Patterns

• Form Request validation rule: Wrap the package verifier in a custom rule, e.g. RecaptchaValid, and attach it to forms that need protection. Validate token presence, Google success flag, expected action, score threshold, and optionally hostname.
• Middleware for route groups: Use middleware for broad protection on routes like login, register, password reset, and public POST endpoints. Keep the middleware configurable so sensitive or API routes can opt out.
• Service wrapper: Do not call the bundle/client directly from many controllers. Define an application service such as RecaptchaVerifier with a verify(string $token, ?string $action, ?string $ip): Result method, then bind the package implementation in a service provider.
• Blade component/partial: Create one reusable widget partial or component that reads the configured site key and reCAPTCHA mode. For v3, render/execute the script near the form submit handler; for v2, render the checkbox/invisible widget explicitly.
• Config-driven policies: Put score thresholds, expected actions, allowed hostnames, and bypass behavior in config. Use different actions per form, e.g. contact, login, register, so v3 assessments are interpretable.
• Testing workflow: Bind a fake verifier in tests so no network call is made. Assert that invalid/missing tokens fail validation and that valid fakes pass. Keep one optional integration test against Google test keys for smoke coverage.
• Local/CI behavior: Provide an explicit bypass switch for local and testing, but make it impossible to enable silently in production. Prefer a fake verifier over disabling validation logic entirely.
• Error handling: Normalize Google failure reasons into application-level validation messages. Log the raw error codes and score/action data for debugging, but do not expose secret-key internals to users.
• Integration tip: If the package is Symfony-oriented, keep the adapter thin: one Laravel service provider, one config file, one validation rule/middleware. Avoid spreading bundle-specific classes through domain code.

Gotchas and Tips

• Package type mismatch: “Bundle” strongly implies Symfony. Verify Laravel compatibility before adopting; if absent, this is not a drop-in Laravel package.
• Secret key exposure: Only the site key belongs in Blade/JS. The secret key must stay server-side and must never appear in compiled assets or logs.
• Token lifetime and reuse: reCAPTCHA tokens are short-lived and single-use. Validate immediately on submit, do not cache tokens, and do not retry verification with the same token.
• v2 vs v3 behavior: v3 returns a score, not a simple pass/fail. You must choose action names and thresholds deliberately; a global low threshold weakens protection.
• Expected action/hostname checks: For v3, validate action and consider hostname; otherwise tokens from other forms or environments may be accepted.
• Config caching: After changing keys, thresholds, or package config, run php artisan config:clear / config:cache as appropriate. Environment changes will not take effect if config is cached incorrectly.
• CSP and script loading: reCAPTCHA loads external Google scripts. Check Content Security Policy rules for www.google.com, www.gstatic.com, and related reCAPTCHA domains.
• Local development: Use Google’s documented test keys where appropriate, but do not let test-key configuration leak into staging/production. Confirm behavior on localhost and behind proxies.
• Error-code debugging: Log Google’s error-codes such as invalid input response, timeout-or-duplicate, and bad request. Distinguish user error from misconfiguration.
• Proxy/IP handling: If sending remote IP, ensure trusted proxy configuration is correct in Laravel; otherwise verification metadata may be misleading.
• Semver caution: 0.9.0 is the first stable release. Pin the version, review source diffs before upgrades, and keep the adapter layer small so future package changes do not ripple through the app.
• Extension points to preserve: Custom HTTP client/timeouts, verifier interface binding, config repository, validation messages, and test fake. These are the seams that make the package replaceable if it proves Symfony-first or too limited for Laravel day-to-day use.