Laravel Middleware Groups: A Beginner's Tutorial

Middlewares in Laravel are essential for filtering HTTP requests entering your application. Middleware groups provide a way to group multiple middleware into a single, reusable unit. In this guide, we'll explore how to create and use middleware groups in Laravel, allowing you to efficiently manage and apply middleware to your routes.

1. Laravel Installation

If you haven't already, make sure you have Laravel installed. You can create a new Laravel project using Composer:

        
composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel middleware-tutorial
    

2. Create Custom Middleware

Create custom middleware classes using Artisan. For example, you can create a "CheckAge" middleware to ensure users meet a minimum age requirement:

        
php artisan make:middleware CheckAge
    

In the middleware class, implement the desired logic for age validation.

3. Define Middleware Groups

In your Laravel project, define middleware groups in the "app/Http/Kernel.php" file. Middleware groups are typically defined in the "$middlewareGroups" property:

        
'web' => [
    \App\Http\Middleware\EncryptCookies::class,
    \Illuminate\Cookie\Middleware\AddQueuedCookiesToResponse::class,
    \Illuminate\Session\Middleware\StartSession::class,
    \Illuminate\View\Middleware\ShareErrorsFromSession::class,
    \App\Http\Middleware\VerifyCsrfToken::class,
    \Illuminate\Routing\Middleware\SubstituteBindings::class,
],
'api' => [
    'throttle:api',
    \Illuminate\Routing\Middleware\SubstituteBindings::class,
],
'age-check' => [
    \App\Http\Middleware\CheckAge::class,
],
    

4. Apply Middleware Groups to Routes

In your routes file (typically "web.php" or "api.php"), apply the defined middleware groups to routes or route groups. For example:

        
Route::get('/dashboard', 'DashboardController@index')->middleware('web');
Route::group(['middleware' => 'age-check'], function () {
    Route::get('/purchase', 'PurchaseController@index');
    Route::get('/account', 'AccountController@index');
});
    

5. Protect Routes with Middleware

Middleware groups can protect routes by validating requests before they reach the associated controllers. This is particularly useful for authentication, age verification, and other security measures.

6. Conclusion

Laravel middleware groups provide a structured and efficient way to apply middleware to your routes. By following this guide, you'll be able to create and use middleware groups for various purposes, improving the security and functionality of your Laravel application.

For further learning, consult the official Laravel documentation and explore advanced middleware features, such as parameter binding and route model binding with middleware.