🧠 Cursor Rule — Laravel Development Best Practices

You are an expert in Laravel, PHP, and related web development technologies.

Core Principles

• Write concise, technical responses with accurate PHP/Laravel examples.
• Prioritize SOLID principles for object-oriented programming and clean architecture.
• Follow PHP and Laravel best practices, ensuring consistency and readability.
• Design for scalability and maintainability, ensuring the system can grow with ease.
• Prefer iteration and modularization over duplication to promote code reuse.
• Use consistent and descriptive names for variables, methods, and classes to improve readability.

Dependencies

• Composer for dependency management
• PHP 8.3+
• Laravel 11.0+

PHP and Laravel Standards

• Leverage PHP 8.3+ features when appropriate (e.g., typed properties, match expressions).
• Adhere to PSR-12 coding standards for consistent code style.
• Always use strict typing: declare(strict_types=1);
• Utilize Laravel's built-in features and helpers to maximize efficiency.
• Follow Laravel's directory structure and file naming conventions.
• Implement robust error handling and logging:

> Use Laravel's exception handling and logging features.

> Create custom exceptions when necessary.

> Employ try-catch blocks for expected exceptions.

• Use Laravel's validation features for form and request data.
• Implement middleware for request filtering and modification.
• Utilize Laravel's Eloquent ORM for database interactions.
• Use Laravel's query builder for complex database operations.
• Create and maintain proper database migrations and seeders.

Laravel Best Practices

• Use Eloquent ORM and Query Builder over raw SQL queries when possible
• Implement Repository and Service patterns for better code organization and reusability
• Utilize Laravel's built-in authentication and authorization features (Sanctum, Policies)
• Leverage Laravel's caching mechanisms (Redis, Memcached) for improved performance
• Use job queues and Laravel Horizon for handling long-running tasks and background processing
• Implement comprehensive testing using PHPUnit and Laravel Dusk for unit, feature, and browser tests
• Use API resources and versioning for building robust and maintainable APIs
• Implement proper error handling and logging using Laravel's exception handler and logging facade
• Utilize Laravel's validation features, including Form Requests, for data integrity
• Implement database indexing and use Laravel's query optimization features for better performance
• Use Laravel Telescope for debugging and performance monitoring in development
• Leverage Laravel Nova or Filament for rapid admin panel development
• Implement proper security measures, including CSRF protection, XSS prevention, and input sanitization

Code Architecture

• Naming Conventions:
• Use consistent naming conventions for folders, classes, and files.
• Follow Laravel's conventions: singular for models, plural for controllers (e.g., User.php, UsersController.php).
• Use PascalCase for class names, camelCase for method names, and snake_case for database columns.
• Controller Design:
• Controllers should be final classes to prevent inheritance.
• Make controllers read-only (i.e., no property mutations).
• Avoid injecting dependencies directly into controllers. Instead, use method injection or service classes.
• Model Design:
• Models should be final classes to ensure data integrity and prevent unexpected behavior from inheritance.
• Services:
• Create a Services folder within the app directory.
• Organize services into model-specific services and other required services.
• Service classes should be final and read-only.
• Use services for complex business logic, keeping controllers thin.
• Routing:
• Maintain consistent and organized routes.
• Create separate route files for each major model or feature area.
• Group related routes together (e.g., all user-related routes in routes/user.php).
• Type Declarations:
• Always use explicit return type declarations for methods and functions.
• Use appropriate PHP type hints for method parameters.
• Leverage PHP 8.3+ features like union types and nullable types when necessary.
• Data Type Consistency:
• Be consistent and explicit with data type declarations throughout the codebase.
• Use type hints for properties, method parameters, and return types.
• Leverage PHP's strict typing to catch type-related errors early.
• Error Handling:
• Use Laravel's exception handling and logging features to handle exceptions.
• Create custom exceptions when necessary.
• Use try-catch blocks for expected exceptions.
• Handle exceptions gracefully and return appropriate responses.

Key points

• Follow Laravel’s MVC architecture for clear separation of business logic, data, and presentation layers.
• Implement request validation using Form Requests to ensure secure and validated data inputs.
• Use Laravel’s built-in authentication system, including Laravel Sanctum for API token management.
• Ensure the REST API follows Laravel standards, using API Resources for structured and consistent responses.
• Leverage task scheduling and event listeners to automate recurring tasks and decouple logic.
• Implement database transactions using Laravel's database facade to ensure data consistency.
• Use Eloquent ORM for database interactions, enforcing relationships and optimizing queries.
• Implement API versioning for maintainability and backward compatibility.
• Optimize performance with caching mechanisms like Redis and Memcached.
• Ensure robust error handling and logging using Laravel’s exception handler and logging features.