Laravel's request life cycle starts from public/index.php, passes through routing and middleware, then to the controller to process business logic, and finally returns the response through exception processing. 1. All requests are first captured by public/index.php and encapsulated into Request objects, and start Laravel core service; 2. After the route is matched, the request is processed by middleware such as authentication, CSRF protection, etc. If the middleware returns a response, the subsequent process will be terminated; 3. The request arrives at the controller method to execute business logic, rely on automatic injection, and an exception may be thrown; 4. The exception is captured by the global exception processor, and the error response can be customized, and the response can be generated and returned to the browser.
When you're diving into Laravel, understanding how a request flows through the framework is key to building solid applications. It's not just about knowing what each part does — it's about seeing how they work together from the moment a user hits your app until they get a response.

Here's a breakdown of how the request lifecycle in Laravel typically goes, and what parts you should pay attention to as a developer.

1. The Entry Point: Public/index.php
Every HTTP request in Laravel starts at public/index.php
. This is your application's front controller. It loads the Composer autoloader and bootstraps the Laravel application using the kernel.
What happens here:

- The request is captured and wrapped in a
Request
object. - Laravel fires up its core services (like configuration, routing, etc.).
- The kernel handles the request and prepares a response.
You don't usually touch this file, but it's good to know it exists and that it's where everything kicks off.
2. Routing and Middleware
Once the app is booted, Laravel checks the routes defined in routes/web.php
or routes/api.php
(depending on the request type). It matches the incoming URL and HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.) to a route.
Before hitting the actual route handler, the request goes through middleware. Middleware are layers that can modify the request or perform actions before and after handling it.
Common middleware tasks include:
- Authentication (
auth
) - CSRF protection (
VerifyCsrfToken
) - Logging requests
- CORS headers
If any middleware returns a response (eg, redirecting an unauthenticated user), the rest of the route logic won't run.
3. Controllers and Business Logic
After passing through middleware, the request reaches the controller method or closure you defined in the route. This is where your main business logic lives — things like querying the database, processing forms, calling services, etc.
For example:
Route::get('/posts/{id}', [PostController::class, 'show']);
In this case, Laravel calls the show()
method in PostController
, passing along the {id}
parameter from the URL.
Key points here:
- You can inject dependencies like Request objects or models directly into controller methods.
- Laravel uses service container to resolve these dependencies automatically.
This is also where exceptions might be thrown — like if a model isn't found — which leads us to the next step.
4. Exception Handling and Responses
Laravel has a global exception handler located in App/Exceptions/Handler.php
. If something goes wrong during the request lifecycle — like a missing model or a validation error — Laravel catches the exception here.
You can customize how different exceptions are handled:
- Return specific HTTP responses (eg, JSON for API errors)
- Log errors
- Redirect users
Finally, whatever response is generated — whether by a controller, middleware, or exception handler — gets sent back to the browser.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
- Laravel caches some parts of the request lifecycle (like routes and config) for performance. Use
php artisan config:clear
orroute:clear
when debugging issues. - Middleware order matters — especially for authentication and session handling.
- Exceptions in controllers or models can be caught globally, making it easier to maintain consistent error responses.
That's basically how a request moves through Laravel. Once you understand this flow, debugging becomes easier, and structuring your code makes more sense.
The above is the detailed content of Understanding the Request Lifecycle in Laravel?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

There are three ways to add custom validation rules in Laravel: using closures, Rule classes, and form requests. 1. Use closures to be suitable for lightweight verification, such as preventing the user name "admin"; 2. Create Rule classes (such as ValidUsernameRule) to make complex logic clearer and maintainable; 3. Integrate multiple rules in form requests and centrally manage verification logic. At the same time, you can set prompts through custom messages methods or incoming error message arrays to improve flexibility and maintainability.

ToworkeffectivelywithpivottablesinLaravel,firstaccesspivotdatausingwithPivot()orwithTimestamps(),thenupdateentrieswithupdateExistingPivot(),managerelationshipsviadetach()andsync(),andusecustompivotmodelswhenneeded.1.UsewithPivot()toincludespecificcol

Laravelprovidesacleanandflexiblewaytosendnotificationsviamultiplechannelslikeemail,SMS,in-appalerts,andpushnotifications.Youdefinenotificationchannelsinthevia()methodofanotificationclass,andimplementspecificmethodsliketoMail(),toDatabase(),ortoVonage

Dependency injection automatically handles class dependencies through service containers in Laravel without manual new objects. Its core is constructor injection and method injection, such as automatically passing in the Request instance in the controller. Laravel parses dependencies through type prompts and recursively creates the required objects. The binding interface and implementation can be used by the service provider to use the bind method, or singleton to bind a singleton. When using it, you need to ensure type prompts, avoid constructor complications, use context bindings with caution, and understand automatic parsing rules. Mastering these can improve code flexibility and maintenance.

Laravel performance optimization can improve application efficiency through four core directions. 1. Use the cache mechanism to reduce duplicate queries, store infrequently changing data through Cache::remember() and other methods to reduce database access frequency; 2. Optimize database from the model to query statements, avoid N 1 queries, specifying field queries, adding indexes, paging processing and reading and writing separation, and reduce bottlenecks; 3. Use time-consuming operations such as email sending and file exporting to queue asynchronous processing, use Supervisor to manage workers and set up retry mechanisms; 4. Use middleware and service providers reasonably to avoid complex logic and unnecessary initialization code, and delay loading of services to improve startup efficiency.

Methods to manage database state in Laravel tests include using RefreshDatabase, selective seeding of data, careful use of transactions, and manual cleaning if necessary. 1. Use RefreshDatabasetrait to automatically migrate the database structure to ensure that each test is based on a clean database; 2. Use specific seeds to fill the necessary data and generate dynamic data in combination with the model factory; 3. Use DatabaseTransactionstrait to roll back the test changes, but pay attention to its limitations; 4. Manually truncate the table or reseed the database when it cannot be automatically cleaned. These methods are flexibly selected according to the type of test and environment to ensure the reliability and efficiency of the test.

LaravelSanctum is suitable for simple, lightweight API certifications such as SPA or mobile applications, while Passport is suitable for scenarios where full OAuth2 functionality is required. 1. Sanctum provides token-based authentication, suitable for first-party clients; 2. Passport supports complex processes such as authorization codes and client credentials, suitable for third-party developers to access; 3. Sanctum installation and configuration are simpler and maintenance costs are low; 4. Passport functions are comprehensive but configuration is complex, suitable for platforms that require fine permission control. When selecting, you should determine whether the OAuth2 feature is required based on the project requirements.

Laravel simplifies database transaction processing with built-in support. 1. Use the DB::transaction() method to automatically commit or rollback operations to ensure data integrity; 2. Support nested transactions and implement them through savepoints, but it is usually recommended to use a single transaction wrapper to avoid complexity; 3. Provide manual control methods such as beginTransaction(), commit() and rollBack(), suitable for scenarios that require more flexible processing; 4. Best practices include keeping transactions short, only using them when necessary, testing failures, and recording rollback information. Rationally choosing transaction management methods can help improve application reliability and performance.
