Nova Panels Laravel Package

Getting Started

Treat skorelabs/nova-panels as a Nova UI composition helper: it is for grouping large resource field/relationship sets into panels, not for changing queries, authorization, or relationship behavior.

Start by checking:

• README.md for the exact panel class/API and any Nova version constraint.
• composer.json for the supported laravel/nova version. A 2021 release likely targets Nova 3; do not assume Nova 4/5 compatibility.
• src/ and resources/views for the panel implementation and Blade overrides.
• Whether Nova’s native Laravel\Nova\Panel already solves the problem; this package is niche and low-adoption.

Minimal first use case: pick one resource with many fields and several relationships, e.g. a User resource. Import the package panel class, alias it to avoid collision with Nova’s native Panel, and group fields by user task:

use SkoreLabs\NovaPanels\Panel as NovaPanel;

public function fields(Request $request)
{
    return [
        NovaPanel::make('Profile', [
            Text::make('Name'),
            Text::make('Email'),
        ]),

        NovaPanel::make('Relationships', [
            HasMany::make('Posts'),
            BelongsToMany::make('Roles'),
        ]),
    ];
}

Confirm the exact class/API in the README before assuming Panel::make(...). Then verify create, update, detail, and validation flows on that one resource before rolling it out.

Implementation Patterns

• Keep panel construction out of a giant fields() method. Use private methods like profilePanel(), billingPanel(), and relationshipsPanel() returning arrays of fields.
• Group by user workflow, not by field type: “Identity”, “Contact”, “Preferences”, “Relationships”. This is the main day-to-day benefit for overloaded resources.
• Put relationship fields in their own panel. It keeps long forms readable and makes it easier to hide/collapse heavy relationship sections later.
• Use Nova field modifiers inside panels normally: ->rules(), ->canSee(), ->dependsOn(), ->hideFromIndex(), etc. Panels should be layout only; fields still own validation and visibility.
• Build conditional panels in PHP when permissions differ, and also apply canSee() on sensitive child fields. Do not assume the panel wrapper enforces authorization.
• Reuse panel builders through a base resource or trait if several resources share the same groups, but keep resource-specific fields explicit.
• Keep index/search behavior separate. Panels are primarily useful on detail/form views; do not expect relationship panels to drive index columns or search.
• Test relationship attach/detach and validation after moving relationship fields into panels. A layout change can expose assumptions about field ordering or visibility.

Gotchas and Tips

• The biggest risk is maintenance: last release 2021, 3 stars, 0 dependents. Pin the package, inspect its Nova constraint, and prefer a fork or Nova-native panels/tabs if you are on a newer Nova version.
• Watch for class-name collisions. SkoreLabs\NovaPanels\Panel and Laravel\Nova\Panel are easy to confuse; alias imports deliberately.
• Panels do not improve performance. A detail page with many relationship panels can still be slow; eager-load carefully with $with, hide expensive relationships, or collapse sections if supported.
• Do not duplicate the same field across multiple panels. Nova can render duplicate inputs and validation behavior can become confusing.
• Empty panels may still render. If a panel’s fields are all hidden by canSee(), hide the panel itself or filter it out before returning fields().
• Relationship fields inside panels may behave differently from top-level relationship fields, especially outside detail views. Verify each target view.
• If layout changes do not appear, clear caches/compiled views and check whether the package exposes publishable views/config. If there is no extension point, fork under MIT and use a Composer path/VCS repository.
• Debug by reducing to one panel, comparing against native Laravel\Nova\Panel, inspecting vendor/skorelabs/nova-panels, and checking rendered HTML/Blade.