laravel-expert

Structure a Laravel API endpoint with route model binding, a FormRequest class for validation, a thin controller delegating to a service, and an API Resource for the JSON response. Apply policies for authorization and return proper HTTP status codes with pagination for collections.

Avoid N+1 queries in Eloquent by using eager loading with the with() method when fetching related models. Use query scopes for reusable filters and load relationships upfront rather than accessing them lazily inside loops.

Use Sanctum for SPA and API token authentication in most Laravel applications, as it is lightweight and Laravel-native. Passport is only needed when you require full OAuth2 server capabilities for third-party client integrations.

Do not use this skill for non-Laravel PHP projects, framework-agnostic PHP tasks, or non-PHP solutions. It is scoped specifically to Laravel 10/11+ backend engineering and assumes a Laravel application context.

Common Laravel anti-patterns include fat controllers, business logic in routes, blind mass assignment with request()->all(), raw queries without necessity, and hardcoded configuration values. Move logic into services, use FormRequests, and leverage Eloquent conventions instead.