The Code Works… But in the Wrong Place! Understanding store(), boot(), and Observers in Laravel


⚙️ The Code Works… But in the Wrong Place! Understanding store(), boot(), and Observers in Laravel

In large Laravel projects, it's easy to write a simple piece of code, like sending a welcome email after a user registers, directly inside the store() method.

But over time, you may notice that users can be added from multiple sources:

  • Admin Panel

  • Seeder

  • Import Job

  • External API

The problem: code in store() only runs for that request path. Copying it everywhere leads to maintenance nightmares.

🔹 Where Should the Code Live?

1️⃣ Code inside store()

  • Acts like the "front desk" of your system.

  • Only handles the current request.

  • Suitable for request-specific logic, like validating form data before saving.

2️⃣ Code inside the model’s boot() method

  • Acts like "internal company rules".

  • Ideal for general rules related to the model:

    • Auto-generating UUIDs

    • Setting default values

    • Sending a welcome email after user creation

3️⃣ Code in an Observer

  • Acts like "system automation".

  • Watches system-wide events (created, updated, deleted).

  • Ensures automatic actions run no matter where the user was created.

  • Example: any new user from any source → send a welcome email.

🧠 Summary

  • Request-specific logic → store()

  • General model rules → boot()

  • Automated actions after events → Observer

The key is not just to make the code work, but to make it work in the right place, ensuring maintainability and flexibility in your system.