Create Invokable Controllers in Laravel 11

Laravel 11's invokable controllers offer a powerful and focused approach to handling specific actions within your application. This guide delves into the creation and usage of these controllers, highlighting their benefits and providing a practical example.

Benefits of Invokable Controllers:

• Enhanced Readability: With a single __invoke method, the controller's purpose becomes crystal clear, promoting code maintainability and understanding.
• Reduced Complexity: Less code translates to easier maintenance and a streamlined development process.
• Concise Routing: You can directly reference the controller class in your Laravel 11 routes without specifying a method, simplifying route definitions.

Crafting an Invokable Controller in Laravel 11

Utilize the Artisan Command

• Open your terminal and navigate to your Laravel 11 project's root directory.
• Execute the following command, replacing YourControllerName with your desired name:

  php artisan make:controller YourControllerName --invokable

   This command creates a new controller class with the __invoke method at its core, ready for your custom logic.

Structure the __invoke Method

• Open the generated controller file (usually located in app/Http/Controllers).
• You'll find the __invoke method already defined. This is where your controller's logic resides.
• Access the request object using the Request type hint:

  public function __invoke(Request $request)
  {
      // Your controller logic here
  }

   

• Implement the desired functionality within this method, leveraging Laravel's features like repositories, models, and validation as needed.

Define Routes

• In your routes file (typically routes/web.php), create a route to match the desired URL:

  Route::get('/your-route', YourControllerName::class);

   

• Replace /your-route with your preferred URI and YourControllerName with the actual controller class name.

Example: Processing a Simple Form Submission with an Invokable Controller

// app/Http/Controllers/ProcessFormController.php

class ProcessFormController
{
    public function __invoke(Request $request)
    {
        $request->validate([
            'name' => 'required|string',
            'email' => 'required|email',
        ]);

        // Process the form data (e.g., save to database)

        return redirect('/success');
    }
}

// routes/web.php

Route::post('/submit-form', ProcessFormController::class);

By following these steps, you can create efficient and maintainable invokable controllers in Laravel 11, promoting cleaner code and a streamlined development experience.