REST API Development

php artisan make:resource PostResource
php artisan make:resource PostCollection

<?php
class PostResource extends JsonResource
{
    public function toArray(Request $request): array
    {
        return [
            'id'          => $this->id,
            'title'       => $this->title,
            'slug'        => $this->slug,
            'excerpt'     => Str::limit($this->body, 200),
            'body'        => $this->when($request->routeIs('posts.show'), $this->body),
            'published'   => $this->published,
            'views'       => $this->views,
            'created_at'  => $this->created_at->toISOString(),
            'updated_at'  => $this->updated_at->toISOString(),
            'author'      => new UserResource($this->whenLoaded('user')),
            'tags'        => TagResource::collection($this->whenLoaded('tags')),
            'links'       => [
                'self' => route('api.posts.show', $this->id),
            ],
        ];
    }
}

php artisan make:request StorePostRequest

<?php
class StorePostRequest extends FormRequest
{
    public function authorize(): bool
    {
        return auth()->check();  // Must be logged in
    }

    public function rules(): array
    {
        return [
            'title'      => 'required|string|max:255',
            'body'       => 'required|string|min:10',
            'published'  => 'boolean',
            'tags'       => 'array',
            'tags.*'     => 'integer|exists:tags,id',
        ];
    }

    public function messages(): array
    {
        return [
            'title.required' => 'A post title is required.',
            'body.min'       => 'Post body must be at least 10 characters.',
        ];
    }
}

<?php
class PostController extends Controller
{
    public function index(Request $request)
    {
        $posts = Post::query()
            ->with(['user', 'tags'])
            ->when($request->search, fn($q) => $q->where('title', 'like', "%{$request->search}%"))
            ->when($request->published, fn($q) => $q->where('published', true))
            ->latest()
            ->paginate($request->per_page ?? 15);

        return PostResource::collection($posts);
    }

    public function store(StorePostRequest $request)
    {
        $post = Post::create([
            ...$request->validated(),
            'user_id' => auth()->id(),
            'slug'    => Str::slug($request->title),
        ]);

        if ($request->tags) {
            $post->tags()->sync($request->tags);
        }

        return new PostResource($post->load('user', 'tags'));
    }

    public function show(Post $post)
    {
        $post->increment('views');
        return new PostResource($post->load('user', 'tags'));
    }

    public function update(UpdatePostRequest $request, Post $post)
    {
        $this->authorize('update', $post);  // Policy check
        $post->update($request->validated());
        return new PostResource($post);
    }

    public function destroy(Post $post)
    {
        $this->authorize('delete', $post);
        $post->delete();
        return response()->json(['message' => 'Post deleted'], 200);
    }
}

<?php
// Version 1
Route::prefix('v1')->group(function () {
    Route::apiResource('posts', V1\PostController::class);
});

// Version 2 (new features, breaking changes)
Route::prefix('v2')->group(function () {
    Route::apiResource('posts', V2\PostController::class);
});

// URLs: /api/v1/posts, /api/v2/posts

<?php
public function register(): void
{
    $this->renderable(function (ModelNotFoundException $e) {
        return response()->json(['error' => 'Resource not found'], 404);
    });

    $this->renderable(function (AuthenticationException $e) {
        return response()->json(['error' => 'Unauthenticated'], 401);
    });

    $this->renderable(function (ValidationException $e) {
        return response()->json([
            'error'   => 'Validation failed',
            'details' => $e->errors(),
        ], 422);
    });
}