Simplify URL Generation with Laravel's New query() Method

Finding yourself writing repetitive code to build URLs with query parameters? Laravel's new query() method offers a cleaner, more intuitive approach to generating URLs with complex query strings.

Creating URLs with query parameters is a common task in web development, but it can quickly become tedious and error-prone. Laravel has always provided helper functions to build URLs, but the new query() method takes this a step further by offering a dedicated, expressive API specifically for handling query parameters.

Let's see how it works:

// Generate: http://localhost/products?sort=-name
url()->query('products', ['sort' => '-name']);

The query() method accepts a base path as its first argument and an array of query parameters as the second argument. It then combines them to create a complete URL with the parameters properly encoded.

Real-World Example

The query() method shines when working with complex parameter structures. Let's look at some common use cases:

// Simple key-value pairs
// http://localhost/products?sort=-name
url()->query('products', ['sort' => '-name']);

// Arrays as parameters (for filters, columns, etc.)
// http://localhost/products?columns[0]=name&columns[1]=price&columns[2]=quantity
url()->query('products', ['columns' => ['name', 'price', 'quantity']]);

// Overriding existing parameters
// http://localhost/products?sort=-price
url()->query('products?sort=-name', ['sort' => '-price']);

// Appending parameters to existing ones
// http://localhost/products?sort=-name&search=samsung
url()->query('products?sort=-name', ['search' => 'samsung']);

This method is particularly useful when building APIs, dashboards, or any feature requiring sophisticated filtering and sorting capabilities. For example, in a product catalog with filtering and pagination:

class ProductController extends Controller
{
    public function index(Request $request)
    {
        $products = Product::query();
        
        // Apply filters based on request parameters
        if ($request->has('category')) {
            $products->where('category_id', $request->category);
        }
        
        // Apply sorting
        if ($request->has('sort')) {
            $sort = $request->sort;
            $direction = str_starts_with($sort, '-') ? 'desc' : 'asc';
            $column = ltrim($sort, '-');
            $products->orderBy($column, $direction);
        }
        
        $products = $products->paginate(20);
        
        // Generate next page URL with all current filters
        $nextPageUrl = null;
        if ($products->hasMorePages()) {
            $params = $request->query();
            $params['page'] = $products->currentPage() + 1;
            $nextPageUrl = url()->query('products', $params);
        }
        
        return view('products.index', [
            'products' => $products,
            'nextPageUrl' => $nextPageUrl,
            'filterUrl' => function($newParams) use ($request) {
                // Generate URLs for filter controls while preserving other parameters
                $params = array_merge($request->query(), $newParams);
                return url()->query('products', $params);
            }
        ]);
    }
}

This feature is especially valuable when building front-end components that require URLs with dynamic query parameters, such as:

• Filter and sort controls for tables or lists
• Pagination links that preserve current filter/sort settings
• Search forms with multiple optional parameters
• API endpoints that accept complex filtering options

Using the query() method consistently throughout your application creates a more maintainable and consistent experience for both developers and users. It eliminates common pitfalls like forgetting to encode parameters properly or inadvertently overriding existing query strings.

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