By Harris Raftopoulos in laravel — Jun 18, 2024

Safely accessing properties with Laravel's optional() helper

Laravel devs, here's a gem for you: 💎 Use the optional() helper to safely access properties or call methods on potentially null objects. This method is perfect for avoiding null errors and makes your code more robust and readable. In this blog post, we'll explore how to use the optional() helper and provide real-life examples to demonstrate its benefits.

Why Use `optional()`?

Avoid Null Errors: Safely access properties or call methods on objects that might be null.
Cleaner Code: Reduce the need for null checks and make your code more readable.
Flexibility: Provides default values or executes closures when objects are not null.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Let's walk through the process of setting up and using the optional() helper in a Laravel application.

Step 1: Setting Up the Model

Ensure you have a model to work with. In this example, we'll use a User model that has a relationship with an Address model.

// app/Models/User.php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class User extends Model
{
    public function address()
    {
        return $this->hasOne(Address::class);
    }
}

// app/Models/Address.php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Address extends Model
{
    protected $fillable = ['street', 'city', 'state'];
}

Step 2: Creating the Controller Method

Create a controller method that retrieves a user and safely accesses their address using the optional() helper.

// app/Http/Controllers/UserController.php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;

class UserController extends Controller
{
    public function show($id)
    {
        $user = User::find($id);

        // Safely access the address street
        $street = optional($user->address)->street;

        // Provide a default value for the user name
        $name = optional($user)->name ?? 'Guest';

        return view('users.show', compact('user', 'street', 'name'));
    }
}

Step 3: Setting Up the Route

Define a route that points to the controller method.

// routes/web.php

use App\Http\Controllers\UserController;

Route::get('/users/{id}', [UserController::class, 'show']);

Step 4: Creating the View

Create a view to display the user details and their address.

<!-- resources/views/users/show.blade.php -->

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>User Details</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>User Details</h1>
    <p>Name: {{ $name }}</p>
    <p>Street: {{ $street ?? 'No address available' }}</p>
</body>
</html>

Real-Life Example: Safely Accessing User Address

In a real-life scenario, you might need to display user details along with their address. However, some users might not have an address associated with them. The optional() helper allows you to safely access the address properties without causing null reference errors.

Creating Dummy Data

Let's generate some dummy data to work with.

php artisan tinker

// Inside Tinker
User::factory()->create(['id' => 1, 'name' => 'Alice']);
User::factory()->create(['id' => 2, 'name' => 'Bob']);
Address::factory()->create(['user_id' => 1, 'street' => '123 Main St', 'city' => 'Springfield', 'state' => 'IL']);

This command will generate dummy users and an address for one of the users.

Viewing the User

Access the /users/1 and /users/2 routes in your browser to see the user details.

http://your-app.test/users/1
http://your-app.test/users/2

You should see the details for both users. For the user without an address, the street field will safely display a default message.

Conclusion

Using the optional() helper in Laravel is a powerful way to safely access properties and call methods on objects that might be null. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can ensure your application handles null objects gracefully, leading to more robust and maintainable code.

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Why Use optional()?