Building RESTful APIs with Laravel

RESTful APIs are the backbone of modern web applications. In this tutorial, we'll explore how to build secure, scalable APIs using Laravel.

API Authentication

Laravel provides several authentication options for APIs:

• Sanctum: Lightweight authentication for SPAs and simple APIs
• Passport: Full OAuth2 implementation for complex scenarios

// Example: Protecting routes with Sanctum
Route::middleware('auth:sanctum')->group(function () {
    Route::get('/user', fn (Request $request) => $request->user());
});

Request Validation

Always validate incoming requests using Form Requests:

class StorePostRequest extends FormRequest
{
    public function rules(): array
    {
        return [
            'title' => 'required|string|max:255',
            'content' => 'required|string',
        ];
    }
}

API Resources

Transform your Eloquent models into JSON responses with API Resources:

• Create consistent response structures
• Hide sensitive attributes
• Include related resources conditionally

By the end of this guide, you'll be able to create production-ready APIs that follow REST principles and Laravel best practices.