Complete Guide

Master the Laravel Specifications package through hands-on tutorials, real-world examples, and practical techniques. This comprehensive guide takes you from basic usage to advanced patterns.

What You'll Learn

This guide covers everything you need to become proficient with Laravel Specifications:

🏗️ Foundation Skills

• Basic Usage: Create, compose, and use specifications effectively
• Query Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Eloquent and collections
• Testing Strategies: Write comprehensive tests for your specifications

🚀 Advanced Techniques

• Composition Patterns: Master complex specification combinations
• Performance Optimization: Caching strategies and query optimization
• Laravel Integration: Middleware, jobs, events, and more

📚 Best Practices

• Code Organization: Structure specifications in large applications
• Maintainability: Keep specifications clean and readable
• Team Development: Collaborate effectively with specifications

Guide Structure

Each section builds upon the previous one, taking you on a journey from beginner to expert:

Basic Usage →

Learn the fundamentals: creating specifications, basic composition, and common patterns.

$spec = new ActiveUserSpecification();
$activeUsers = User::whereSpecification($spec)->get();

Composition Techniques →

Master the art of combining specifications to express complex business logic.

$eligibleSpec = $activeSpec
    ->and($verifiedSpec)
    ->and($premiumSpec->or($loyaltySpec));

Query Integration →

Discover how specifications integrate with Laravel's query builder and collections.

// Database queries
User::whereSpecification($spec)->paginate();

// Collection filtering  
$users->filter($spec->isSatisfiedBy(...));

Testing Strategies →

Build robust test suites for your specifications with comprehensive coverage.

$this->assertTrue($spec->isSatisfiedBy($user));
$this->assertDatabaseHas('users', 
    User::whereSpecification($spec)->first()->toArray()
);

Performance & Caching →

Optimize specification performance with caching strategies and query optimization.

$cached = new CachedSpecification($spec, ttl: 3600);
$optimized = $spec->withQueryOptimization();

Laravel Integration →

Integrate specifications throughout your Laravel application: middleware, jobs, events, and policies.

// Middleware
Route::middleware(new SpecificationMiddleware($adminSpec));

// Job filtering
ProcessUsers::dispatch()->onlyWhere($activeSpec);

Best Practices →

Learn industry best practices for maintaining clean, scalable specification-based applications.

Learning Path Recommendations

For Beginners

Start here if you're new to specifications:

1. Basic Usage - Essential concepts
2. Query Integration - Practical application
3. Testing Strategies - Quality assurance

For Intermediate Developers

If you understand the basics but want to go deeper:

1. Composition Techniques - Advanced patterns
2. Performance & Caching - Optimization
3. Laravel Integration - Framework features

For Advanced Users

Looking to master specifications completely:

1. Best Practices - Professional development
2. Deep Dive Section - Theoretical foundations
3. Examples Section - Real-world case studies

Code Examples Repository

All examples in this guide are available in our examples repository with:

• ✅ Complete, runnable Laravel applications
• ✅ Unit and feature tests
• ✅ Performance benchmarks
• ✅ Migration scripts and seed data

Getting Help

As you work through this guide:

• Questions? Check our FAQ section
• Issues? Report on GitHub Issues
• Discussions? Join our GitHub Discussions

Prerequisites

This guide assumes you have:

• ✅ Basic Laravel knowledge (models, migrations, controllers)
• ✅ PHP 8.0+ installed
• ✅ Laravel Specifications package installed (installation guide)

Time Investment

Plan your learning journey:

• Full guide: 6-8 hours (comprehensive mastery)
• Core concepts: 2-3 hours (essential skills)
• Advanced topics: 3-4 hours (expert techniques)

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Ready to Begin?

Choose your starting point based on your current skill level. Each section includes hands-on exercises and real-world examples.

Start with Basic Usage →