Snapshots Laravel Package

Getting Started

This package provides a set of interfaces for defining exception handling behavior within the Spiral Framework—specifically, it defines the SnapshotsInterface used to mark exception handlers that should capture and store snapshot data (e.g., for debugging, logging, or replay). Since it's a subtree split and last released in 2019, it’s primarily relevant if you’re working with older Spiral Framework versions (v2.x). To begin, install it via Composer if your project depends on legacy Spiral components (composer require spiral/snapshots). Its interfaces (Spiral\Snapshots\SnapshotsInterface) are typically implemented by custom exception handlers, and registered via Spiral’s container bindings or auto-wiring. First, locate how Spiral\Snapshots\SnapshotsInterface is used in your app—usually in a custom ExceptionHandler that implements this interface to indicate snapshot capture is enabled.

Implementation Patterns

• Snapshot-Enabled Exception Handlers: Implement SnapshotsInterface in your custom exception handler to signal that the handler should produce a "snapshot" (a serializable representation of the exception state) for later inspection or replay.
• Integration with Spiral Framework: Used in conjunction with Spiral\Exceptions\HandlerInterface—often, handlers implement both HandlerInterface and SnapshotsInterface.
• Snapshot Storage & Replay: Handlers returning snapshots typically store them (e.g., in files, DB, or Redis) or send them to external services (e.g., Sentry-style integrations). You may implement SnapshotInterface (in a sibling package like spiral/snapshots-store) for serialization.
• Conditional Snapshots: Implement logic inside your handler’s handle() method to return a snapshot only for certain exceptions (e.g., 5xx errors, not 4xx), enabling fine-grained control over debugging fidelity.

Gotchas and Tips

• Deprecation Warning: This package is effectively frozen (2019) and part of an older Spiral architecture. Modern Spiral (v3+) uses spiral/framework directly and deprecates snapshots in favor of spiral/exceptions with built-in snapshot support. Avoid new reliance unless maintaining legacy apps.
• Interface-only Package: It contains only interfaces—no concrete implementations. You need other components (e.g., spiral/exceptions, spiral/framework) to make it functional.
• Namespace Clash Risk: If upgrading Spiral, ensure Spiral\Snapshots is removed or aliased to avoid conflicts with newer Spiral\Exceptions types.
• Container Binding: When registering custom handlers, ensure they’re bound to ExceptionHanlderInterface and tagged as snapshots-enabled (via interface matching or explicit binding in Bootloader).
• Testing Tip: Mock SnapshotsInterface in unit tests to verify your handler’s snapshot logic without relying on external storage.