Form Request classes ni nini?

Question

Accepted Answer

**Form Request** classes ni classes maalum za request zinazo**funika mantiki ya validation (na authorization)** kwa request maalum. Huhamisha sheria za validation kutoka kwa controllers hadi katika classes maalum zinazoweza kutumika tena — zikiweka controllers nyembamba na validation iliyopangwa.

## Kuunda na kutumia Form Request

```php
<?php
// php artisan make:request StoreUserRequest
class StoreUserRequest extends FormRequest {
    public function authorize(): bool {
        return $this->user()->can('create', User::class);   // AUTHORIZATION check
    }

public function rules(): array {
        return [                                              // VALIDATION rules
            'name' => 'required|string|max:100',
            'email' => 'required|email|unique:users',
            'password' => 'required|min:8|confirmed',
        ];
    }

public function messages(): array {
        return ['email.unique' => 'That email is already taken.'];   // custom messages
    }
}
```

```php
// type-hint the Form Request in the controller — validation runs AUTOMATICALLY
public function store(StoreUserRequest $request) {
    // if we reach here, validation AND authorization already PASSED
    User::create($request->validated());   // get the validated data
}
```

Unapoweka type-hint ya Form Request katika method ya controller, Laravel **huendesha authorization na validation yake kiotomatiki kabla ya method kutekelezwa** — ikiwa mojawapo itashindwa, request hukataliwa (403 kwa authorization, 422/redirect kwa validation) na method yako haitaendeshwa kamwe. Hivyo ndani ya method, unajua data ni halali na kitendo kimeidhinishwa.

## Faida

```text
✓ Thin controllers — validation/authorization logic lives in the Form Request, not the controller
✓ Reusable — use the same request class across multiple endpoints
✓ Organized — rules, messages, and authorization for a request are in one place
✓ Combines validation AND authorization — both checked automatically before the controller
✓ Access prepared/validated data cleanly via $request->validated()
```

## Kwa nini ni muhimu

Form Request classes ni mazoea bora muhimu ya Laravel kwa kupanga validation na authorization kwa namna safi — ndiyo mbinu inayopendekezwa kwa lolote linalozidi validation ya kawaida, hivyo kuzielewa ni za thamani kwa kuandika programu za Laravel zinazoweza kudumishwa.

Faida yao kuu ni kuweka **controllers nyembamba**: kwa kuhamisha sheria za validation na mantiki ya authorization katika class maalum (ambayo Laravel huendesha kiotomatiki kabla ya method ya controller), controller hubaki ikilenga mantiki yake kuu, na uhakika kwamba data tayari ime-validate-iwa na kitendo kimeidhinishwa wakati inatekelezwa.

Utenganishaji huu hufanya msimbo kuwa zaidi **uliopangwa** (sheria zote, custom messages, na authorization kwa request katika sehemu moja yenye mshikamano), **unaoweza kutumika tena** (Form Request ile ile inaweza kutumika katika endpoints mbalimbali), na safi zaidi.

Muunganiko wa kiotomatiki wa **validation na authorization** katika class moja — zote zikikaguliwa kabla ya controller kuendeshwa, zikikataa maombi yasiyo halali au yasiyoidhinishwa kiotomatiki — ni nadhifu na hupunguza boilerplate.

Kuelewa Form Requests, jinsi zinavyoendeshwa kiotomatiki, na faida za kuondoa validation/authorization kutoka kwa controllers huonyesha mazoea ya kukomaa ya Laravel na ni muhimu kwa kujenga programu zilizopangwa vizuri, kwa kuwa validation na authorization ni mambo yaliyoenea na Form Requests ni njia safi na yenye mtindo wa Laravel ya kuyashughulikia kwa hali zisizo za kawaida — alama mahususi ya msimbo wa Laravel wa kitaalamu na unaoweza kudumishwa.