Lara Dashboard Laravel Development Guidelines

Complete development guidelines for Lara Dashboard CMS - a comprehensive Laravel-based content management system with Tailwind, Livewire, REST API, and full enterprise features including user management, roles, permissions, modules, settings, translations, and monitoring.

Laravel Boost MCP Integration

Core Tools

Laravel Boost is an MCP server with powerful tools designed specifically for this application

Use the `list-artisan-commands` tool before calling Artisan commands to verify available parameters

Use the `get-absolute-url` tool when sharing project URLs to ensure correct scheme, domain/IP, and port

Use the `tinker` tool for executing PHP to debug code or query Eloquent models directly

Use the `database-query` tool for read-only database operations

Browser Debugging

Use the `browser-logs` tool to read browser logs, errors, and exceptions

Focus only on recent browser logs - ignore old logs

Documentation Search (Critical)

Always use the `search-docs` tool before other approaches

Tool automatically passes installed packages and versions to remote Boost API

Returns only version-specific documentation for your exact circumstance

Perfect for Laravel ecosystem: Laravel, Inertia, Livewire, Filament, Tailwind, Pest, Nova, Nightwatch

Use multiple, broad, topic-based queries: `['rate limiting', 'routing rate limiting', 'routing']`

#### Search Syntax

Simple word searches with auto-stemming: `authentication` finds 'authenticate' and 'auth'

Multiple words (AND logic): `rate limit` finds both "rate" AND "limit"

Quoted phrases (exact position): `"infinite scroll"` - words must be adjacent in order

Mixed queries: `middleware "rate limit"` - "middleware" AND exact phrase "rate limit"

Multiple queries: `["authentication", "middleware"]` - ANY of these terms

Laravel Core Best Practices

File Creation

Use `php artisan make:` commands for new files (migrations, controllers, models, etc.)

For generic PHP classes, use `artisan make:class`

Pass `--no-interaction` to all Artisan commands

Include correct `--options` for proper behavior

Database Operations

Always use proper Eloquent relationship methods with return type hints

Prefer relationship methods over raw queries or manual joins

Use Eloquent models and relationships before raw database queries

Avoid `DB::`; prefer `Model::query()`

Prevent N+1 query problems using eager loading

Use Laravel's query builder for very complex database operations

Model Development

When creating models, also create factories and seeders

Check `list-artisan-commands` for available `php artisan make:model` options

APIs & Resources

Default to Eloquent API Resources and API versioning

Follow existing application conventions if different

Controllers & Validation

Always create Form Request classes for validation rather than inline validation

Include both validation rules and custom error messages

Check sibling Form Requests to see if application uses array or string-based validation rules

Additional Best Practices

Use queued jobs with `ShouldQueue` interface for time-consuming operations

Use Laravel's built-in authentication and authorization (gates, policies, Sanctum)

Prefer named routes and `route()` function for URL generation

Use environment variables only in config files - never `env()` directly

Always use `config('app.name')`, not `env('APP_NAME')`

Laravel 12 Specific Guidelines

Project Structure

This project upgraded from Laravel 10 without migrating to new streamlined structure

Follow existing Laravel 10 structure (recommended by Laravel)

Middleware in `app/Http/Middleware/`, service providers in `app/Providers/`

No `bootstrap/app.php` application configuration:

- Middleware registration: `app/Http/Kernel.php`

- Exception handling: `app/Exceptions/Handler.php`

- Console commands/schedule: `app/Console/Kernel.php`

- Rate limits: `RouteServiceProvider` or `app/Http/Kernel.php`

Database Features

When modifying columns, include ALL previously defined attributes or they'll be lost

Laravel 11+ allows native eager loading limits: `$query->latest()->limit(10)`

Models

Use `casts()` method rather than `$casts` property (follow existing conventions)

Livewire Development

Core Principles

Use `php artisan make:livewire [Posts\\CreatePost]` for new components

State lives on server, UI reflects it

All Livewire requests hit Laravel backend - always validate and authorize

Best Practices

Components require single root element

Use `wire:loading` and `wire:dirty` for loading states

Add `wire:key` in loops:

```blade

@foreach ($items as $item)

</div>

@endforeach

```

Use lifecycle hooks for initialization and reactive side effects:

```php

public function mount(User $user) { $this->user = $user; }

public function updatedSearch() { $this->resetPage(); }

```

Livewire 3 Features

Use `wire:model.live` for real-time updates (`wire:model` is deferred by default)

Components use `App\Livewire` namespace (not `App\Http\Livewire`)

Use `$this->dispatch()` for events (not `emit` or `dispatchBrowserEvent`)

Use `components.layouts.app` view as typical layout path

Available directives: `wire:show`, `wire:transition`, `wire:cloak`, `wire:offline`, `wire:target`

Alpine.js included automatically with plugins: persist, intersect, collapse, focus

Testing Livewire

```php

Livewire::test(Counter::class)

->assertSet('count', 0)

->call('increment')

->assertSet('count', 1)

->assertSee(1)

->assertStatus(200);

// Testing component exists within page

$this->get('/posts/create')

->assertSeeLivewire(CreatePost::class);

```

Tailwind CSS Guidelines

Core Principles

Use Tailwind CSS classes to style HTML

Check existing conventions before writing custom styles

Extract repeated patterns into components matching project conventions

Think through class placement, order, priority, and defaults

Remove redundant classes, group elements logically

Spacing

Use gap utilities for spacing, not margins:

```html

<div>Superior</div>

<div>Michigan</div>

</div>

```

Dark Mode

Support dark mode using `dark:` prefix if existing components do

Tailwind 4 Specifics

Import using CSS `@import` statement:

```css

@import "tailwindcss";

```

#### Replaced Utilities

| Deprecated | Replacement |

|------------|-------------|

| bg-opacity-* | bg-black/* |

| text-opacity-* | text-black/* |

| border-opacity-* | border-black/* |

| flex-shrink-* | shrink-* |

| flex-grow-* | grow-* |

| overflow-ellipsis | text-ellipsis |

Testing Requirements

Test Enforcement

Every change must be programmatically tested

Write new tests or update existing tests

Run affected tests to ensure they pass

Use `php artisan test` with specific filename or filter for speed

Testing Best Practices

Use model factories for test model creation

Check for custom factory states before manual setup

Use `$this->faker->word()` or `fake()->randomDigit()` following existing conventions

Create feature tests with `php artisan make:test [options] <name>`

Use `--unit` flag for unit tests

Most tests should be feature tests

Code Quality

Laravel Pint

Run `vendor/bin/pint --dirty` before finalizing changes

Ensures code matches project's expected style

Don't run `--test`, simply run `vendor/bin/pint` to fix formatting issues

Error Handling

If you get "Illuminate\Foundation\ViteException: Unable to locate file in Vite manifest"

Run `npm run build` or ask user to run `npm run dev` or `composer run dev`

This comprehensive guide ensures consistent development practices across the Lara Dashboard CMS project while leveraging modern Laravel features and tooling.

Lara Dashboard Laravel Development Guidelines

Lara Dashboard Laravel Development Guidelines

Laravel Boost MCP Integration

Core Tools

Browser Debugging

Documentation Search (Critical)

Laravel Core Best Practices

File Creation

Database Operations

Model Development

APIs & Resources

Controllers & Validation

Additional Best Practices

Laravel 12 Specific Guidelines

Project Structure

Database Features

Models

Livewire Development

Core Principles

Best Practices

Livewire 3 Features

Testing Livewire

Tailwind CSS Guidelines

Core Principles

Spacing

Dark Mode

Tailwind 4 Specifics

Testing Requirements

Test Enforcement

Testing Best Practices

Code Quality

Laravel Pint

Error Handling

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