> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/spatie/laravel-data/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Install Laravel Data via Composer and configure the package

## Installation via Composer

You can install Laravel Data using Composer:

```bash theme={null}
composer require spatie/laravel-data
```

<Info>
  Laravel's package auto-discovery will automatically register the service provider, so no manual registration is needed.
</Info>

## Publishing the configuration

The package works out of the box with sensible defaults. However, you can optionally publish the configuration file to customize behavior:

```bash theme={null}
php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Spatie\LaravelData\LaravelDataServiceProvider" --tag="data-config"
```

This creates a `config/data.php` file in your application.

## Configuration overview

The published configuration file allows you to customize:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Date handling">
    Configure date formats and timezones for date transformations:

    ```php theme={null}
    'date_format' => DATE_ATOM,
    'date_timezone' => null,
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Global transformers">
    Define transformers that convert complex types to simple types:

    ```php theme={null}
    'transformers' => [
        DateTimeInterface::class => \Spatie\LaravelData\Transformers\DateTimeInterfaceTransformer::class,
        \Illuminate\Contracts\Support\Arrayable::class => \Spatie\LaravelData\Transformers\ArrayableTransformer::class,
        BackedEnum::class => Spatie\LaravelData\Transformers\EnumTransformer::class,
    ],
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Global casts">
    Define casts that convert simple types to complex types:

    ```php theme={null}
    'casts' => [
        DateTimeInterface::class => Spatie\LaravelData\Casts\DateTimeInterfaceCast::class,
        BackedEnum::class => Spatie\LaravelData\Casts\EnumCast::class,
    ],
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Rule inferrers">
    Configure how validation rules are automatically inferred from property types:

    ```php theme={null}
    'rule_inferrers' => [
        Spatie\LaravelData\RuleInferrers\SometimesRuleInferrer::class,
        Spatie\LaravelData\RuleInferrers\NullableRuleInferrer::class,
        Spatie\LaravelData\RuleInferrers\RequiredRuleInferrer::class,
        Spatie\LaravelData\RuleInferrers\BuiltInTypesRuleInferrer::class,
        Spatie\LaravelData\RuleInferrers\AttributesRuleInferrer::class,
    ],
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Structure caching">
    Enable caching for improved performance in production:

    ```php theme={null}
    'structure_caching' => [
        'enabled' => true,
        'directories' => [app_path('Data')],
        'cache' => [
            'store' => env('CACHE_STORE', env('CACHE_DRIVER', 'file')),
            'prefix' => 'laravel-data',
            'duration' => null,
        ],
    ],
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Validation strategy">
    Control when data objects are validated:

    ```php theme={null}
    'validation_strategy' => \Spatie\LaravelData\Support\Creation\ValidationStrategy::OnlyRequests->value,
    ```

    Options:

    * `OnlyRequests`: Validate only when creating from requests (default)
    * `Always`: Validate on every creation
    * `Disabled`: Never validate automatically
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Make command defaults">
    Configure the `make:data` Artisan command:

    ```php theme={null}
    'commands' => [
        'make' => [
            'namespace' => 'Data',
            'suffix' => 'Data',
        ],
    ],
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Debugging with var dumper">
    Controls how data objects appear when using `dump()` or `dd()`:

    * **`'enabled'`** - Always use the custom caster (shows data properties clearly)
    * **`'disabled'`** - Never use the custom caster (standard object dump)
    * **`'development'`** (default) - Use custom caster only in non-production environments

    ```php theme={null}
    'var_dumper_caster_mode' => 'development',
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Creating data classes

You can quickly generate a data class using the Artisan command:

```bash theme={null}
php artisan make:data Post
```

This creates `app/Data/PostData.php`:

```php theme={null}
<?php

namespace App\Data;

use Spatie\LaravelData\Data;

class PostData extends Data
{
    //
}
```

<Tip>
  By default, data classes are created in the `app/Data` directory with a `Data` suffix. You can customize this in the configuration file or via command options.
</Tip>

## Performance optimization

For production environments, ensure structure caching is enabled in `config/data.php`:

```php theme={null}
'structure_caching' => [
    'enabled' => true,
    'directories' => [app_path('Data')],
],
```

This caches reflection analysis of data objects, significantly improving performance.

<Warning>
  If you add data classes outside of `app/Data`, add those directories to the `structure_caching.directories` array.
</Warning>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quickstart" icon="bolt" href="/quickstart">
    Build your first data object
  </Card>

  <Card title="Requirements" icon="list-check" href="/requirements">
    Check system requirements
  </Card>
</CardGroup>