What is the best practice for adding constants in laravel? (Long List)

I am rather new to laravel. I have a basic question, What is the best way to add constants in laravel. I know the .env method that we use to add the constants. Also I have made one constants file to use them for my project. For example:

define('OPTION_ATTACHMENT', 13);
define('OPTION_EMAIL', 14);
define('OPTION_MONETERY', 15);
define('OPTION_RATINGS', 16);
define('OPTION_TEXTAREA', 17);

And so on. It can reach upto 100 or more records. So What should be the best approach to write the constants. The .env method. Or adding the constant.php file?

Thanks

For most constants used globally across the application, storing them in config files is sufficient. It is also pretty simple

Create a new file in the config directory. Let's call it constants.php

In there you have to return an array of config values.

return [
	'options' => [
		'option_attachment' => '13',
		'option_email' => '14',
		'option_monetery' => '15',
		'option_ratings' => '16',
		'option_textarea' => '17',
	]
];

And you can access them as follows

config('constants.options');
// or if you want a specific one
config('constants.options.option_attachment');

I use aliased class constants :

First, create your class that contain your constants : App/MyApp.php for exemple

namespace App;

class MyApp {
   const MYCONST = 'val';
}

Then add it to the aliased classes in the config/app.php

'aliases' => [
  //...
  'MyApp' => App\MyApp::class,

Finally use them wherever you like (controllers or even blades) :

MyApp::MYCONST

Your question was about the 'best practices' and you asked about the '.env method'.

.env is only for variables that change because the environment changes. Examples of different environments: test, acceptance, production.

So the .env contains database credentials, API keys, etc.

The .env should (imho) never contain constants which are the same over all environments. Just use the suggested config files for that.

You can create a file named paths.php in root directory/config/paths.php

Insert this data into paths.php

define('OPTION_ATTACHMENT', 13);
define('OPTION_EMAIL', 14);
define('OPTION_MONETERY', 15);
define('OPTION_RATINGS', 16);
define('OPTION_TEXTAREA', 17);

Note : make sure to run command : php artisan config:clear

First you make Constants folder inside your app directory.

And then you make Constants.php. Define your constants in this file

For Example :

define('ONE', '1');
define('TWO', '2');

And you modify the composer.json

Alternatively, you can use composer.json to load the bootstrap/constants.php file by adding the following code to the “autoload” section, like so:

"autoload": {
    "files": [
        "bootstrap/constants.php"
    ]
}

And update your composer !

I think you should not have a single place for all your constants. Especially no file called constance.php.

I use PHP constance in classes and refer to them in code, so its more readable, typically to avoid magic numbers and typos in strings

Car::where('car_type','=', 'fast_car')->get();

and rather have

Car::where('car_type','=', CarType::FAST)->get();

If its a value that depends on your environment (like email setting, should be different local vs production), then you should add it to a matching files in the config folder (e.g. '/config/mail.php'). You may also just add a new file in the config folder. A config file returns an array, so it could look like this:

<?php

return [
  'your_option' => env('YOUR_OPTION')
];

and you can read it using the config helper:

config('your_config_file.your_option');

Its important to never call the env function outside a configuration file, as the env function returns null outside a configuration file when cache is enabled.

If the option does not rely on your environment, you can just add it directly to the matching config file.

<?php

return [
  'your_option' => 10
];

I would personally create a class for that.

<?php

namespace App\Transaction\Constants;

/**
 * Class TransactionTypeConstant.
 */
final class TransactionTypeConstant
{
    public const TYPE_CREDIT = 'CREDIT';
    public const TYPE_DEBIT = 'DEBIT';
}

and use it like this:

<?php

namespace App\Transaction;

use App\Transaction\Constants\TransactionTypeConstant;

class Transaction
{
    /**
     * Execute the task.
     *
     * @return object
     */
    public function run()
    {
        if ($transaction->type === TransactionTypeConstant::TYPE_DEBIT) {
            //do something
        }
    }
}

Another way as following:

1. create the constant.php file in app/config directory

2. in composer.json file, add the directives like this:

    "autoload": {
       "classmap": [
           "database/seeds",
           "database/factories"
       ],
       "psr-4": {
           "App\\": "app/"
       },
       "files": [
           "app/helpers.php",
           "app/config/constants.php"
       ]
    }
   

You can simply do this:

1. Put your constants to 'config/app.php' on main array, like:

   'CONSTANT_NAME' => 'CONSTANT_VALUE',
   

2. Use them where ever you want with:

   {{ Config::get('CONSTANT_NAME') }} 
   

You can define constants at the top of the web.php file located in routes and can be access the constants anywhere in project with just constant name

define('OPTION_ATTACHMENT', 13);
define('OPTION_EMAIL', 14);
define('OPTION_MONETERY', 15);
define('OPTION_RATINGS', 16);
define('OPTION_TEXTAREA', 17);

require app_path().'/constants.php';

define('ADMIN',  'administrator');

or -

> You can also move more sensitive info

return [
   'hash_salt' => env('HASH_SALT'),
 ];

And use it like before:

 echo Config::get('constants.hash_salt');

i think best way to define constant using a helper file. check my solution.

>Define file path in composer.json

   "extra": {
        "laravel": {
            "dont-discover": []
        }
    },
    "autoload": {
        "files": [
            "app/helpers.php",
            "app/Helper/function.php"  // constant defined here
        ],

> app/Helper/function.php

define("assetPath","UI/");
define("viewPath","UI/");

> use this constant anywhere in project. i am using in blade file.

  <script src="{{asset(assetPath.'js/jquery.min.js')}}"></script>
  <script src="{{asset(assetPath.'js/popper.min.js')}}"></script>
  <script src="{{asset(assetPath.'js/bootstrap.min.js')}}"></script>

>my approach is better than this

Config::get('constants.options');
Config::get('constants.options.option_attachment');

here another problem is this , you have to run cache:clear or cache command for this. but my approach not required this.