Traits and Interfaces

Understand the modular architecture of Laravel Data through traits and interfaces

Laravel Data is built to be flexible through a modular system of traits and interfaces. This allows you to create custom base data classes with exactly the functionality you need.

The Base Data Class

The Data class you’ve been using is actually a composition of multiple traits and interfaces:

use Illuminate\Contracts\Support\Responsable;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\AppendableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\BaseData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ContextableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\EmptyData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\IncludeableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ResponsableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\TransformableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ValidateableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\WrappableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\AppendableData as AppendableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\BaseData as BaseDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\EmptyData as EmptyDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\IncludeableData as IncludeableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\ResponsableData as ResponsableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\TransformableData as TransformableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\ValidateableData as ValidateableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\WrappableData as WrappableDataContract;

abstract class Data implements 
    Responsable, 
    AppendableDataContract, 
    BaseDataContract, 
    TransformableDataContract, 
    IncludeableDataContract, 
    ResponsableDataContract, 
    ValidateableDataContract, 
    WrappableDataContract, 
    EmptyDataContract
{
    use ResponsableData;
    use IncludeableData;
    use AppendableData;
    use ValidateableData;
    use WrappableData;
    use TransformableData;
    use BaseData;
    use EmptyData;
    use ContextableData;
}

Available Traits and Interfaces

Each interface and corresponding trait provides specific functionality:

BaseData

Provides the base functionality to create data objects.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\BaseData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\BaseData

This is the core functionality that enables:

• Creating data objects from various sources
• The from() method
• Magic creation methods

BaseDataCollectable

Provides base functionality to create data collections.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\BaseDataCollectable
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\BaseDataCollectable

Enables collection operations for data objects.

ContextableData

Provides context functionality for includes and wraps.

Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ContextableData

Manages transformation context like includes, excludes, wraps, etc.

IncludeableData

Provides functionality to add includes, excludes, only, and except.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\IncludeableData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\IncludeableData

Enables:

• ->include('property')
• ->exclude('property')
• ->only('property')
• ->except('property')

TransformableData

Provides functionality to transform data objects.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\TransformableData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\TransformableData

Enables:

• ->toArray()
• ->toJson()
• Transformation to various formats

ResponsableData

Provides functionality to return data objects as HTTP responses.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\ResponsableData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ResponsableData

Allows returning data objects directly from controllers.

WrappableData

Provides functionality to wrap transformed data.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\WrappableData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\WrappableData

Enables:

• ->wrap('data')
• Custom wrapping keys

AppendableData

Provides functionality to append data to transformed payloads.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\AppendableData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\AppendableData

Enables:

• ->additional(['key' => 'value'])
• Appending extra data to responses

EmptyData

Provides functionality to get an empty version of the data object.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\EmptyData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\EmptyData

Enables:

• ::empty()
• Creating empty data objects

ValidateableData

Provides functionality to validate data objects.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\ValidateableData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ValidateableData

Enables:

• ::validate($data)
• ::getValidationRules($data)
• Automatic validation

DeprecatableData

Provides functionality for deprecated features.

Interface: Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\DeprecatableData
Trait: Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\DeprecatableData

Supports backward compatibility features.

Creating Custom Base Classes

You can create your own base data classes with specific functionality:

Example: Minimal Data Class

Create a data class with only creation and transformation:

use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\BaseData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\TransformableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\BaseData as BaseDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\TransformableData as TransformableDataContract;

abstract class MinimalData implements BaseDataContract, TransformableDataContract
{
    use BaseData;
    use TransformableData;
}

Example: API Resource Class

Create a data class optimized for API resources:

use Illuminate\Contracts\Support\Responsable;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\BaseData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\IncludeableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ResponsableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\TransformableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\WrappableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\BaseData as BaseDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\IncludeableData as IncludeableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\ResponsableData as ResponsableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\TransformableData as TransformableDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\WrappableData as WrappableDataContract;

abstract class Resource implements 
    Responsable,
    BaseDataContract, 
    TransformableDataContract,
    IncludeableDataContract,
    ResponsableDataContract,
    WrappableDataContract
{
    use BaseData;
    use TransformableData;
    use IncludeableData;
    use ResponsableData;
    use WrappableData;
}

Example: DTO Class

Create a data class for DTOs without HTTP concerns:

use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\BaseData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Concerns\ValidateableData;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\BaseData as BaseDataContract;
use Spatie\LaravelData\Contracts\ValidateableData as ValidateableDataContract;

abstract class Dto implements BaseDataContract, ValidateableDataContract
{
    use BaseData;
    use ValidateableData;
}

Built-in Custom Classes

The package includes two custom base classes:

• Resource - Optimized for API resources with transformation and response features
• Dto - Optimized for data transfer objects with validation

Use these as starting points or create your own custom base classes.