The Laravel Boost guidelines are specifically curated by Laravel maintainers for this application. These guidelines should be followed closely to ensure the best experience when building Laravel applications.
This application is a Laravel application running on PHP 8.5. You are an expert with the Laravel ecosystem. Always use the APIs that match the installed major version of each package — do not assume a version.
Before relying on a package's API, confirm its installed version:
- PHP packages: run
composer show --directto list direct dependencies with versions, orcomposer show <vendor/package>for a single package. - JS packages: check
package.jsonfor the installed versions.
This project has domain-specific skills available in **/skills/**. You MUST activate the relevant skill whenever you work in that domain—don't wait until you're stuck.
- You must follow all existing code conventions used in this application. When creating or editing a file, check sibling files for the correct structure, approach, and naming.
- Use descriptive names for variables and methods. For example,
isRegisteredForDiscounts, notdiscount(). - Check for existing components to reuse before writing a new one.
- Do not create verification scripts or tinker when tests cover that functionality and prove they work. Unit and feature tests are more important.
- Stick to existing directory structure; don't create new base folders without approval.
- Do not change the application's dependencies without approval.
- If the user doesn't see a frontend change reflected in the UI, it could mean they need to run
pnpm run build,pnpm run dev, orcomposer run dev. Ask them.
- You must only create documentation files if explicitly requested by the user.
- Be concise in your explanations - focus on what's important rather than explaining obvious details.
=== boost rules ===
- Laravel Boost is an MCP server with tools designed specifically for this application. Prefer Boost tools over manual alternatives like shell commands or file reads.
- Use
database-queryto run read-only queries against the database instead of writing raw SQL in tinker. - Use
database-schemato inspect table structure before writing migrations or models. - Use
get-absolute-urlto resolve the correct scheme, domain, and port for project URLs. Always use this before sharing a URL with the user. - Use
browser-logsto read browser logs, errors, and exceptions. Only recent logs are useful, ignore old entries.
- Use
search-docsbefore changes that depend on Laravel ecosystem APIs, behavior, configuration, or version-specific syntax. Skip it for copy-only edits and other changes where package documentation is irrelevant. Reuse sufficient results already in context instead of searching again. - Pass a
packagesarray to scope results when you know which packages are relevant. - Use multiple broad, topic-based queries:
['rate limiting', 'routing rate limiting', 'routing']. Expect the most relevant results first. - Do not add package names to queries because package info is already shared. Use
test resource table, notfilament 4 test resource table.
- Use words for auto-stemmed AND logic:
rate limitmatches both "rate" AND "limit". - Use
"quoted phrases"for exact position matching:"infinite scroll"requires adjacent words in order. - Combine words and phrases for mixed queries:
middleware "rate limit". - Use multiple queries for OR logic:
queries=["authentication", "middleware"].
- This project contains committed, area-grouped rules in
.ai/ruleswhen that directory exists (settled decisions, non-obvious traps, standing constraints). Framework and package guidelines that only apply to specific paths (testing, frontend, components) also live there, under.ai/rules/boost— this is not just recorded decisions, it is load-bearing guidance you have not seen inline. Before you enter plan mode or create/edit any file, you MUST first: open @.ai/rules/index.md (it maps file globs to rule files), read every rule file whose globs cover the path(s) in scope, and rungrep -rin 'keyword' .ai/rulesto catch what a path match alone misses. Do not write code until you have read and are following every matching rule. If.ai/rulesdoes not exist, continue without it. - Record durable rules with
record-ruleso the next agent or teammate inherits them instead of working them out again. Pass aglob(e.g.app/Http/Controllers/**), a shorttitle, and a few-linenote. Always userecord-rule, never your native memory or notes tool — native memory is personal and session-scoped; only.ai/rulesis shared with the team and persists in the repo.
- Run Artisan commands directly via the command line (e.g.,
php artisan route:list). Usephp artisan listto discover available commands andphp artisan [command] --helpto check parameters. - Inspect routes with
php artisan route:list. Filter with:--method=GET,--name=users,--path=api,--except-vendor,--only-vendor. - Read configuration values using dot notation:
php artisan config:show app.name,php artisan config:show database.default. Or read config files directly from theconfig/directory.
- Execute PHP in app context for debugging and testing code. Do not create models without user approval, prefer tests with factories instead. Prefer existing Artisan commands over custom tinker code.
- Always use single quotes to prevent shell expansion:
php artisan tinker --execute 'Your::code();'- Double quotes for PHP strings inside:
php artisan tinker --execute 'User::where("active", true)->count();'
- Double quotes for PHP strings inside:
=== php rules ===
- Always use curly braces for control structures, even for single-line bodies.
- Use PHP 8 constructor property promotion:
public function __construct(public GitHub $github) { }. Do not leave empty zero-parameter__construct()methods unless the constructor is private. - Use explicit return type declarations and type hints for all method parameters:
function isAccessible(User $user, ?string $path = null): bool - Follow existing application Enum naming conventions.
- Prefer PHPDoc blocks over inline comments. Only add inline comments for exceptionally complex logic.
- Use array shape type definitions in PHPDoc blocks.
=== deployments rules ===
- Laravel can be deployed using Laravel Cloud, which is the fastest way to deploy and scale production Laravel applications.
=== herd rules ===
- The application is served by Laravel Herd at
https?://[kebab-case-project-dir].test. Use theget-absolute-urltool to generate valid URLs. Never run commands to serve the site. It is always available. - Use the
herdCLI to manage services, PHP versions, and sites (e.g.herd sites,herd services:start <service>,herd php:list). Runherd listto discover all available commands.
=== tests rules ===
- Test every code change by adding or updating a test.
- Run the affected tests and ensure they pass.
- Test the changed behavior and its important failure modes, but do not add tests beyond them.
- Read the
testing-best-practicesskill before writing tests.
=== inertia-laravel/core rules ===
- Inertia creates fully client-side rendered SPAs without modern SPA complexity, leveraging existing server-side patterns.
- Components live in
resources/js/pages(unless specified invite.config.js). UseInertia::render()for server-side routing instead of Blade views. - ALWAYS use
search-docstool for version-specific Inertia documentation and updated code examples. - IMPORTANT: Activate
inertia-react-developmentwhen working with Inertia client-side patterns.
- Use all Inertia features from v1, v2, and v3. Check the documentation before making changes to ensure the correct approach.
- New v3 features: standalone HTTP requests (
useHttphook), optimistic updates with automatic rollback, layout props (useLayoutPropshook), instant visits, simplified SSR via@inertiajs/viteplugin, custom exception handling for error pages. - Carried over from v2: deferred props, infinite scroll, merging props, polling, prefetching, once props, flash data.
- When using deferred props, add an empty state with a pulsing or animated skeleton.
- Axios has been removed. Use the built-in XHR client with interceptors, or install Axios separately if needed.
Inertia::lazy()/LazyProphas been removed. UseInertia::optional()instead.- Prop types (
Inertia::optional(),Inertia::defer(),Inertia::merge()) work inside nested arrays with dot-notation paths. - SSR works automatically in Vite dev mode with
@inertiajs/vite- no separate Node.js server needed during development. - Event renames:
invalidis nowhttpException,exceptionis nownetworkError. router.cancel()replaced byrouter.cancelAll().- The
futureconfiguration namespace has been removed - all v2 future options are now always enabled.
=== laravel/core rules ===
- Use
php artisan make:commands to create new files (i.e. migrations, controllers, models, etc.). You can list available Artisan commands usingphp artisan listand check their parameters withphp artisan [command] --help. - If you're creating a generic PHP class, use
php artisan make:class. - Pass
--no-interactionto all Artisan commands to ensure they work without user input. You should also pass the correct--optionsto ensure correct behavior.
- When creating new models, create useful factories and seeders for them too. Ask the user if they need any other things, using
php artisan make:model --helpto check the available options.
- For APIs, default to using Eloquent API Resources and API versioning unless existing API routes do not, then you should follow existing application convention.
- When generating links to other pages, prefer named routes and the
route()function.
- When creating models for tests, use the factories for the models. Check if the factory has custom states that can be used before manually setting up the model.
- Faker: Use methods such as
$this->faker->word()orfake()->randomDigit(). Follow existing conventions whether to use$this->fakerorfake(). - When creating tests, make use of
php artisan make:test [options] {name}to create a feature test, and pass--unitto create a unit test. Most tests should be feature tests.
- If you receive an "Illuminate\Foundation\ViteException: Unable to locate file in Vite manifest" error, you can run
pnpm run buildor ask the user to runpnpm run devorcomposer run dev.
=== wayfinder/core rules ===
Use Wayfinder to generate TypeScript functions for Laravel routes. Import from @/actions/ (controllers) or @/routes/ (named routes).
=== pint/core rules ===
- If you have modified any PHP files, you must run
vendor/bin/pint --dirty --format agentbefore finalizing changes to ensure your code matches the project's expected style. - Do not run
vendor/bin/pint --test --format agent, simply runvendor/bin/pint --format agentto fix any formatting issues.
=== pest/core rules ===
- This project uses Pest. Create tests with
php artisan make:test --pest {name}. - Do not include the test suite directory in
{name}. UseSomeFeatureTest, notFeature/SomeFeatureTest. - Read the
testing-best-practicesskill for guidance on coverage, naming, structure, dependency isolation, and review. - Do not delete tests or test files without approval. They are part of the application.
- Run the narrowest set of tests that covers the change. Pass a file path or
--filter=testNametophp artisan test --compact. - Rerun a test after each change to it.
- Run
vendor/bin/pestto call the test runner directly. It accepts the same file path and--filter=testNamearguments. - After the feature tests pass, ask the user to run the complete suite with
php artisan test --compact.
=== inertia-react/core rules ===
- IMPORTANT: Activate
inertia-react-developmentwhen working with Inertia React client-side patterns.
=== inertiaui/modal/core rules ===
inertiaui/modalopens any Laravel route in a Modal or Slideover without changing existing routes or controllers. Supports React and Vue.- Always activate the
inertia-modal-developmentskill when working with modal routes,ModalLinkcomponents,Modalcomponents, theInertia::modal()method, modal configuration, or any code that uses@inertiaui/modal-vueor@inertiaui/modal-react.