Laravel Middleware Tutorial: What It Is and How to Use It

Learn what Laravel middleware is and how to use it — built-in middleware, creating custom middleware, and applying it to routes.

Middleware acts as a filter for HTTP requests entering your application. It runs before (or after) a request reaches your controller, making it perfect for tasks like authentication checks, logging, or blocking certain users. What is Middleware, Really? Think of middleware as a series of checkpoints a request must pass through before reaching its final destination (your controller). Each checkpoint can: Allow the request to continue Modify the request Reject the request entirely (e.g., redirect to login) Built-in Middleware You've Already Used Middleware Purpose auth Blocks access unless the user is logged in guest Blocks access if the user IS logged in (used on login/register pages) verified Requires a verified email address throttle Rate-limits requests (prevents abuse) Example: Route::get('/dashboard', function () { return view('dashboard'); })->middleware('auth'); Creating Cust...

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