Laravel Architecture

Core Concepts

• Declarative code above all else
• Strict separation of concerns
• Type safety first
• All core architectural principles

• Actions for domain logic
• DTOs for data transfer
• State machines for complex state
• Services for external integration
• Workflows for multi-step processes
• Value objects for domain values

• When to use each pattern
• Decision flowcharts
• Architectural trade-offs
• Common scenarios

• Complete project organization
• File placement rules
• Namespace conventions
• Web vs API distinction

• Complete working examples
• End-to-end workflows
• Real-world patterns

• Setup tasks
• Feature development workflow
• Production deployment steps

Core Principles

1. Actions contain domain logic - Business logic lives in invokable action classes
2. Never pass primitives - Always use DTOs for data transfer
3. Thin HTTP layer - Controllers only handle HTTP concerns
4. Custom query builders - Type-safe queries over scopes
5. Strict typing -

   declare(strict_types=1)

   in every file

Quick Decision Tree

• Handle domain logic? → Action
• Transfer data? → DTO
• Validate user input? → Form Request
• Simple state field? → Enum
• Complex state transitions? → State Machine
• External API? → Service with Saloon
• Background processing? → Job (delegates to Action)