Laravel Notification Log Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Setup

1. Installation:

   composer require spatie/laravel-notification-log
   

   Publish the migration:

   php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Spatie\NotificationLog\NotificationLogServiceProvider" --tag="migrations"
   php artisan migrate
   

2. Enable Logging: Add the LogsNotifications trait to your User model (or any notifiable model):

   use Spatie\NotificationLog\LogsNotifications;
   
   class User extends Authenticatable
   {
       use LogsNotifications;
   }
   

3. First Use Case: Send a notification and verify it’s logged:

   $user->notify(new InvoicePaid($invoice));
   

   Check the notification_logs table for the entry.

Where to Look First

• Configuration: config/notification-log.php (default settings are minimal).
• Migrations: database/migrations/[timestamp]_create_notification_logs_table.php (customize columns as needed).
• Model Trait: LogsNotifications (understand how it hooks into Laravel’s notification system).

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflow

1. Logging Notifications: The LogsNotifications trait automatically logs all notifications sent to the model. No manual intervention required for basic usage.

2. Customizing Logged Data: Override the getNotificationLogData() method to include additional context:

   public function getNotificationLogData($notification)
   {
       return array_merge(parent::getNotificationLogData($notification), [
           'custom_field' => $this->customField,
       ]);
   }
   

3. Querying Logs: Use the NotificationLog model to fetch logs:

   $logs = NotificationLog::forUser($user)->where('notifiable_type', 'App\Models\User')->get();
   

4. Filtering by Notification Class: Logs include the notifiable_type and notification_type columns. Filter logs by notification class:

   $logs = NotificationLog::where('notification_type', 'App\Notifications\InvoicePaid')->get();
   

Integration Tips

• Event-Based Logging: Listen to NotificationSent events for advanced logging logic:

  Notification::sending(function ($notifiable, $notification) {
      // Custom logic before logging
  });
  

• Batch Processing: Use NotificationLog::query() with eager loading for performance:

  $logs = NotificationLog::with('notifiable')->get();
  

• Soft Deletes: Enable soft deletes in the migration if needed:

  $table->softDeletes();
  

• API Endpoints: Expose logs via an API route:

  Route::get('/logs', function () {
      return NotificationLog::latest()->take(100)->get();
  });
  

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Missing Trait: Forgetting to add LogsNotifications to your model will result in no logs being recorded.

2. Database Schema Changes: If you modify the notification_logs table after initial migration, run:

   php artisan migrate:fresh
   

   to avoid schema conflicts.

3. Large Log Volumes: Unbounded logs can bloat your database. Implement retention policies (e.g., NotificationLog::where('created_at', '<', now()->subDays(30))->delete()).

4. Notification Type Serialization: The notification_type column stores the fully qualified class name. Ensure your notification classes are autoloaded.

Debugging

• Check Logs Table: Verify entries exist in notification_logs after sending notifications. Use:

  php artisan tinker
  NotificationLog::all();
  

• Event Listeners: If logs aren’t appearing, check if NotificationSent events are firing:

  Notification::sending(function ($notifiable, $notification) {
      Log::debug('Notification sent:', ['notifiable' => $notifiable, 'notification' => $notification]);
  });
  

• Model Binding: Ensure the notifiable_type and notifiable_id columns in notification_logs correctly reference your models.

Extension Points

1. Custom Columns: Add columns to the notification_logs table and hydrate them in getNotificationLogData():

   public function getNotificationLogData($notification)
   {
       return [
           'ip_address' => request()->ip(),
           // ...
       ];
   }
   

2. Observers: Use model observers to react to log creation:

   NotificationLog::observe(NotificationLogObserver::class);
   

3. Policy Integration: Restrict access to logs via Gates/Policies:

   Gate::define('view-notification-logs', function ($user) {
       return $user->isAdmin();
   });
   

4. Exporting Logs: Extend the package to support CSV/Excel exports:

   use Spatie\NotificationLog\NotificationLog;
   use Maatwebsite\Excel\Facades\Excel;
   
   Excel::download(new NotificationLogExport, 'notification-logs.xlsx');
   

Configuration Quirks

• Default Guard: The package uses Laravel’s default auth guard. Override in config/notification-log.php if needed:

  'guard' => 'admin',
  

• Log Retention: No built-in retention, but you can add a scheduled task:

  // app/Console/Kernel.php
  $schedule->command('notification-log:prune')->daily();
  

  Create a custom Artisan command to prune old logs.