Top 10 Laravel 12 Tips to Write Clean Code

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Writing clean, maintainable, and scalable code is essential for any Laravel developer—especially with the release of Laravel 12, which brings enhanced features and more power under the hood. Whether you're building an API, a SaaS platform, or a large-scale web application, following clean coding practices ensures long-term success.

1. Use Route Groups and Resource Controllers

Don’t clutter your web.php or api.php files with repetitive routes. Laravel 12 supports clean route grouping with middleware, namespaces, and prefixes.

Route::middleware(['auth'])->prefix('admin')->group(function () {

    Route::resource('users', AdminUserController::class);

});

Why it’s clean: It improves readability and centralizes related routes.

2. Leverage Form Request Validation

Avoid putting validation logic inside controllers. Instead, use Form Request classes:

php artisan make:request StorePostRequest

Inside the request file:

public function rules(): array {

    return [

        'title' => 'required|string|max:255',

        'body' => 'required',

    ];

}

Why it’s clean: It separates validation from business logic.

3. Use Eloquent Accessors and Mutators

Laravel 12 continues support for attribute casting and accessors:

protected function title(): Attribute {

    return Attribute::make(

        get: fn ($value) => ucfirst($value),

        set: fn ($value) => strtolower($value),

    );

}

Why it’s clean: It keeps transformation logic out of controllers and views.

4. Avoid Logic in Blade Templates

Blade is powerful, but mixing PHP logic inside templates gets messy fast. Use View Models or View Composers when needed.

Why it’s clean: Blade stays focused on presentation, not logic.

5. Stick to Single Responsibility Principle (SRP)

Each controller, model, and service should only do one job. If your controller does more than one task, it’s time to refactor.

Why it’s clean: Easier debugging, testing, and code reuse.

6. Use Custom Service Classes

Instead of putting logic in controllers or models, create service classes for actions like payments, notifications, or file uploads.

$userService->sendWelcomeEmail($user);

Why it’s clean: Keeps controllers thin and your app modular.

7. Follow Naming Conventions

Use clear and predictable names:

• Controllers end with Controller
• Models use singular nouns (Post, not Posts)
• Routes follow RESTful patterns

Why it’s clean: Easier for teams to collaborate and scale.

8. Use Laravel Collections for Clean Data Manipulation

Laravel’s Collection methods like map, filter, and reduce make your code more expressive.

$activeUsers = $users->filter(fn ($user) => $user->isActive());

Why it’s clean: Avoids nested foreach loops and conditional spaghetti.

9. Apply Dependency Injection Over Facades (When Practical)

Although facades are convenient, injecting dependencies in controllers or services increases testability.

public function __construct(protected UserRepository $userRepo) {}

Why it’s clean: Promotes loose coupling and easier unit testing.

10. Use Laravel’s Built-In Helpers

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Use helpers like:

now(), route(), asset(), optional(), filled(), blank()

Why it’s clean: Reduces boilerplate code and improves readability.

Final Thoughts

Clean code isn't just about beauty—it's about building software that’s easy to maintain, test, and scale. Laravel 12 provides developers with all the tools needed to write elegant and structured code.

By applying these 10 tips, you’ll not only improve your workflow but also become a better Laravel developer in the long run.