> ## 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.

# Introduction

> Powerful data objects for Laravel that unify form requests, API resources, and TypeScript definitions

## Powerful data objects for Laravel

Laravel Data enables you to create rich, type-safe data objects that work seamlessly throughout your entire application. Using this package, you only need to describe your data structure once.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Form Requests" icon="file-check">
    Replace form request classes with data objects that handle validation automatically
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Resources" icon="code">
    Transform data objects into JSON responses without writing separate transformer classes
  </Card>

  <Card title="TypeScript Definitions" icon="js">
    Generate TypeScript definitions from your data objects for end-to-end type safety
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What is a data object?

A Laravel Data object is a regular PHP class that extends from `Data`. This simple inheritance unlocks powerful functionality:

```php theme={null}
use Spatie\LaravelData\Data;

class SongData extends Data
{
    public function __construct(
        public string $title,
        public string $artist,
    ) {
    }
}
```

## Key features

By extending from `Data`, you enable powerful capabilities:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Automatic Transformation" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Convert data objects into arrays, JSON, or resources like Laravel API resources
  </Card>

  <Card title="Lazy Properties" icon="hourglass">
    Transform only requested parts of data objects with lazy loading support
  </Card>

  <Card title="Request Validation" icon="shield-check">
    Create data objects from request data with automatic validation
  </Card>

  <Card title="Flexible Creation" icon="wand-magic-sparkles">
    Construct data objects from arrays, models, requests, or any custom type
  </Card>

  <Card title="Eloquent Integration" icon="database">
    Save data objects as properties of Eloquent models
  </Card>

  <Card title="TypeScript Generation" icon="code">
    Export TypeScript definitions for frontend type safety
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Why use Laravel Data?

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Type safety across your stack">
    Ensure data is properly typed when it leaves your app and comes back from the frontend, reducing errors significantly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Write less, do more">
    Stop writing the same properties three times (in a resource, DTO, and request validation). Define them once.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Less validation boilerplate">
    Many validation rules are obvious through PHP's type system, so you write fewer explicit rules.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Free TypeScript definitions">
    Get TypeScript versions of your data objects automatically generated for your frontend.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Quick example

Here's how Laravel Data simplifies your controllers. Instead of this:

```php theme={null}
class PostController
{
    public function store(Request $request)
    {
        $request->validate([
            'title' => ['required', 'string'],
            'content' => ['required', 'string'],
            'status' => ['required', new Enum(PostStatus::class)],
        ]);

        $post = Post::create([
            'title' => $request->input('title'),
            'content' => $request->input('content'),
            'status' => $request->enum('status', PostStatus::class),
        ]);

        return new PostResource($post);
    }
}
```

You can write this:

```php theme={null}
class PostController
{
    public function store(PostData $data)
    {
        Post::create($data->toArray());

        return $data;
    }
}
```

<Tip>
  Check out this [Laracon talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrO_7Df1cBc) for a visual introduction to Laravel Data.
</Tip>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Requirements" icon="list-check" href="/requirements">
    Check if your environment meets the requirements
  </Card>

  <Card title="Installation" icon="download" href="/installation">
    Install Laravel Data via Composer
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quickstart" icon="bolt" href="/quickstart">
    Build your first data object in minutes
  </Card>

  <Card title="GitHub" icon="github" href="https://github.com/spatie/laravel-data">
    View source code and contribute
  </Card>
</CardGroup>