Accessing Auth::user() in API Resources with Laravel Sanctum

Learn how to effectively use `Auth::user()` in Laravel API resources while utilizing Sanctum for authentication. This guide covers essential tips and code snippets for seamless implementation.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/67362313/ asked by the user 'Xunita' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/9660648/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/67365028/ provided by the user 'Mohammadhossein Fereydouni' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/12088665/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Accessing Auth::user() in API Resources with Laravel Sanctum

When developing Laravel applications with API resources, you may encounter a need to access the authenticated user’s information, especially when using Laravel Sanctum for authentication. This task can be a bit tricky, particularly when working with routes that lack the authentication middleware. In this guide, we'll delve into a common problem and the solutions that will help you seamlessly integrate Auth::user() into your API resources.

The Problem at Hand

You may find yourself in a situation where you want to access the authenticated user's information within an API resource, such as checking whether a property has been saved by the user. The challenge arises when you want to implement this functionality on a route that does not have the auth:sanctum middleware applied. Given an example scenario:

You're using Laravel Sanctum for user authentication

You want to determine if a property has been saved by the user within a PropertyResource

Your route to get properties, defined as Route::get('property', [PropertyController::class, 'index']);, does not require authentication

The main issue here is that Auth::user() can only be accessed if the route has the auth:sanctum middleware set up.

Solution Overview

Fortunately, there are two primary ways to access Auth::user() in your API resources when using Laravel Sanctum:

Set Sanctum as the Default Guard

Use Auth::guard('sanctum')->check() Instead of the Regular Auth Check

Let’s break these options down for a clearer understanding.

Option 1: Set Sanctum as Default Guard

To allow Laravel to automatically use the Sanctum guard for authentication, you can set it as the default guard in your auth.php configuration file. This way, whenever you call the Auth facade, it will attempt to check the Sanctum guard.

Here’s how you can do it:

Navigate to the configuration file located at config/auth.php.

Find the 'guards' array and set Sanctum as the default by modifying the default guard.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Option 2: Use Auth::guard('sanctum')->check()

Instead of relying on the basic Auth::check(), you can explicitly use the Sanctum guard with the following command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This allows you to perform checks with the Sanctum guard without requiring authentication middleware on the route.

Extending Middleware for Guests and Authenticated Users

If you encounter a case where your route should accommodate both guests and authenticated users, creating a middleware can streamline your process. Here’s a simple implementation:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This middleware snippet checks if the user is authenticated with Sanctum and sets the guard accordingly, making the authenticated user’s details accessible in your API resources.

Conclusion

Accessing Auth::user() in your API resources while using Laravel Sanctum can be achieved through either setting Sanctum as the default guard or specifically using the Sanctum guard when checking for authentication. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your application can differentiate between guest and authenticated users effectively, allowing for a more personalized user experience.

Implementing this knowledge will not only solve the issue at hand but also enhance your understanding and capability to handle user authentication in Laravel with ease.

Happy coding!

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