laravel-controllers

name	laravel-controllers
description	Laravel invokable controller patterns with Inertia. Use when creating endpoints, adding pages, building CRUD, or when user asks to "create an endpoint", "add a controller", "build a page", "add a store action", "create show page".
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Grep, Edit, Write, Bash

Laravel Invokable Controllers

The Naming Pattern

Use {Action}{Resource} consistently across the entire stack:

Layer	Pattern	Example
Controller	{Action}{Resource}Controller	StorePostController
Form Request	{Action}{Resource}Request	StorePostRequest
Route name	{resource}.{action}	post.store
Page view	Pages/{Resource}/{ActionResource}.tsx	Pages/Posts/ShowPost.tsx

Action verbs are suggestions. Common CRUD actions use Index, Show, Create, Store, Edit, Update, Destroy - but use whatever verb fits your situation: PublishPostController, ArchiveCommentController, SyncPostTagsController, ImportUsersController.

The Action Verb is Required

Every invokable controller does ONE thing — the name MUST say what that thing is. NEVER name a controller with just the resource:

Wrong	Right
UserController	ShowUserController, StoreUserController
ProjectController	IndexProjectsController, UpdateProjectController
InvoiceController	CreateInvoiceController, ExportInvoiceController
SettingsController	ShowSettingsController, UpdateSettingsController

UserController is ambiguous — show? create? delete? Without the action verb, the controller name communicates nothing about its purpose. If you can't name the action, you haven't clearly defined what the controller does.

Creating Files with Artisan

Use artisan commands to generate files in the correct locations:

# Create invokable controller
php artisan make:controller ShowPostController --invokable

# Create form request
php artisan make:request ShowPostRequest

Creating an Endpoint

When creating a new endpoint, create the full stack of files together.

Example: Show Post (GET → Render Page)

GET /posts/{post} → ShowPostController
                  → ShowPostRequest
                  → route('post.show')
                  → Pages/Posts/ShowPost.tsx

1. Generate files:

php artisan make:controller ShowPostController --invokable
php artisan make:request ShowPostRequest

2. Route (routes/web.php):

Route::get('posts/{post}', ShowPostController::class)->name('post.show');

3. Controller:

class ShowPostController extends Controller
{
    public function __invoke(ShowPostRequest $request, Post $post): Response
    {
        return Inertia::render('Posts/ShowPost', [
            'meta' => ['title' => $post->title],
            'post' => new PostResource($post),
        ]);
    }
}

4. Request:

class ShowPostRequest extends FormRequest
{
    public function authorize(): bool
    {
        return $this->user()->can('view', $this->post);
    }

    public function rules(): array
    {
        return [];
    }
}

5. View (resources/js/Pages/Posts/ShowPost.tsx):

interface Props extends Page {
  post: Post;
}

const ShowPost = ({ post }: Props) => {
  return <div>{post.title}</div>;
};

ShowPost.layout = (page: any) => (
  <Authenticated children={page} meta={page.props.meta} />
);

export default ShowPost;

Example: Store Post (POST → Redirect)

POST /posts → StorePostController
            → StorePostRequest
            → route('post.store')
            → (redirects back)

1. Generate files:

php artisan make:controller StorePostController --invokable
php artisan make:request StorePostRequest

2. Route:

Route::post('posts', StorePostController::class)->name('post.store');

3. Controller:

class StorePostController extends Controller
{
    public function __invoke(StorePostRequest $request)
    {
        $post = Post::create($request->validated());

        return redirect()->route('post.show', $post);
    }
}

4. Request:

class StorePostRequest extends FormRequest
{
    public function authorize(): bool
    {
        return $this->user()->can('create', Post::class);
    }

    public function rules(): array
    {
        return [
            'title' => ['required', 'string', 'max:255'],
            'body' => ['required', 'string'],
        ];
    }
}

Controller Patterns

Read Actions (GET → Render Inertia Page)

public function __invoke(ShowPostRequest $request, Post $post): Response
{
    return Inertia::render('Posts/ShowPost', [
        'meta' => ['title' => $post->title],
        'post' => new PostResource($post),
    ]);
}

Write Actions (POST/PATCH/DELETE → Redirect)

public function __invoke(UpdatePostRequest $request, Post $post)
{
    $post->update($request->validated());

    return redirect()->back();
}

Route Definition

Route::middleware('auth')->group(function () {
    Route::get('posts', IndexPostsTableController::class)->name('post.index');
    Route::post('posts', StorePostController::class)->name('post.store');
    Route::get('posts/{post}', ShowPostController::class)->name('post.show');
    Route::patch('posts/{post}', UpdatePostController::class)->name('post.update');
    Route::delete('posts/{post}', DestroyPostController::class)->name('post.destroy');
});

Dependency Injection

Inject services in __invoke() parameters:

public function __invoke(
    StorePostRequest $request,         // Form Request (auto-validated)
    Post $post                         // Route model binding
)

See Also

• naming.md - Common action verbs (suggestions, use what fits your situation)
• examples/ - Full controller examples