Laravel Data Fields

Typed, dynamic data fields for Eloquent models. Attach admin-defined fields to any model and read them as typed PHP values — booleans cast to bool, numbers to float, dates to Carbon, files to your File model, and so on.

Two parallel storage modes:

Cast mode — one JSON column on the owner model holds a self-describing DataField document (schema + values together). Ergonomic typed object access, atomic per-column writes, multiple "forms" per model.
Row mode — one row per field in a polymorphic data_fields table. Cross-row queries by key/value, per-field granular updates, indexable.

Pick whichever fits the column you're working with — a single model can use both modes on different attributes.

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField;

class User extends Model
{
    protected $casts = [
        'preferences' => DataField::class,    // cast mode
    ];
    use \Ssntpl\DataFields\Concerns\HasDataFields;   // row mode
}

// Cast mode — work with the column as a typed document
$user->preferences = DataField::section(items: [
    ['key' => 'dark_mode', 'type' => 'bool', 'value' => true],
    ['key' => 'language',  'type' => 'text', 'value' => 'en'],
]);
$user->preferences->dark_mode->value;   // bool true
$user->preferences->dark_mode->value = false;
$user->save();

// Row mode — store fields polymorphically
$user->fields()->create([
    'key' => 'phone', 'type' => 'text', 'value' => '+91-9999900000',
]);
$user->getFieldValue('phone');          // '+91-9999900000'

Installation

Install via Composer:

composer require ssntpl/data-fields

Publish the config (optional — only needed if you want to override defaults):

php artisan vendor:publish --tag=data-fields-config

Row mode

If you're using row mode (the data_fields table), publish and run the migration:

php artisan vendor:publish --tag=data-fields-migrations
php artisan migrate

If you'd rather skip the publish step, set data-fields.auto_load_migrations to true in the published config — the service provider will load the package's migration directly.

Cast mode

Cast mode doesn't ship a table — the consumer adds a JSON column to whichever model they want:

Schema::table('users', function (Blueprint $table) {
    $table->json('preferences')->nullable();
});

Requirements

PHP 8.2+
Laravel 11.0 or 12.0
ssntpl/laravel-files ^0.1 (required — used by the file / files field types)

Choosing a mode

Both modes share the same conceptual shape (key, type, value, label, description, validations, meta) and the same casting layer. They differ in where the data lives and which read/write patterns they optimise for.

Concern	Cast mode	Row mode
Storage	One JSON column on the owner model	One row per field in `data_fields`
Read one field	Single column read	One DB query (or via eager load)
Read all fields	Single column read	One query (eager-loadable)
Update one field	Whole column rewrite	One row update
Query across rows by field	Hard (DB-specific JSON path queries)	Native SQL
Multiple distinct "forms" per record	Natural (one column per form)	Needs a discriminator column
Containers (`step` / `section` / `group`)	First-class	Not supported
Concurrent writes to different fields	Last-write-wins on the column	Field-independent
DB-level constraints (FK, unique)	None inside JSON	Native SQL
External (non-PHP) consumers	Must understand JSON shape	Trivial — normalised rows
Best fit	Settings, preferences, structured submissions	EAV, searchable attributes, sparse data

Rule of thumb: start with cast mode. Reach for row mode when you have a real need for cross-row queries by field value, BI/reporting tooling, or field-level DB constraints.

Cast mode

A single JSON column on the owner model holds the entire field document. The Laravel cast hydrates that JSON into a DataField object you can read, mutate, and persist with ordinary $model->save() semantics.

Setup

Add a json column to your model's table:

Schema::table('users', function (Blueprint $table) {
    $table->json('preferences')->nullable();
});

Add the cast to your model — write DataField::class directly; the package resolves to its internal cast via Laravel's Castable interface:

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField;

class User extends Model
{
    protected $casts = [
        'preferences' => DataField::class,
    ];

    protected $fillable = ['preferences', /* ... */];
}

That's it. Each cast column can hold an entire form's worth of fields. Attach as many as you need:

protected $casts = [
    'preferences'       => DataField::class,
    'email_settings'    => DataField::class,
    'shipping_defaults' => DataField::class,
];

Defining and writing

A column casts to a single DataField object. The simplest form is a container holding leaf fields:

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField;

$user->preferences = DataField::section(items: [
    ['key' => 'dark_mode', 'type' => 'bool', 'value' => true],
    ['key' => 'language',  'type' => 'text', 'value' => 'en'],
]);
$user->save();

You can also assign a plain array — the cast coerces it to a DataField for you:

$user->preferences = [
    'type'  => 'section',
    'items' => [
        ['key' => 'dark_mode', 'type' => 'bool', 'value' => true],
    ],
];
$user->save();

A null column casts to null. Assigning null clears the column:

$user->preferences = null;
$user->save();

There's no implicit default — initialise the document explicitly via a factory or by assignment. This matches Laravel's nullable-cast contract.

Reading values

Property access returns the matching DataField; chain ->value to read the typed value:

$user->preferences->dark_mode;          // DataField (leaf)
$user->preferences->dark_mode->value;   // bool true (cast via the field's type)
$user->preferences->language->value;    // 'en'

For nested structures, chain through container children:

$user->preferences->appearance->dark_mode->value;

Or use the explicit dotted-path lookup:

$user->preferences->dataField('appearance.dark_mode')->value;

If a key doesn't exist, property access returns null:

$user->preferences->missing_key;        // null

Mutating values

The DataField object is mutable. Mutations persist when you call $model->save():

$user->preferences->dark_mode->value = false;
$user->save();

Dirty tracking works through Laravel's standard cast-re-serialisation: isDirty('preferences') returns true after any in-memory change, and save() writes the new JSON when it differs from the original.

You can also replace an entire field by assignment:

$user->preferences->dark_mode = DataField::leaf('bool', false, ['key' => 'dark_mode']);
// or, equivalently, with a plain array:
$user->preferences->dark_mode = ['key' => 'dark_mode', 'type' => 'bool', 'value' => false];
$user->save();

Adding and removing fields at runtime

Containers support addField and removeField:

$user->preferences->addField([
    'key' => 'fontsize', 'type' => 'number', 'value' => 14,
]);

$user->preferences->removeField('language');

$user->save();

Adding a duplicate sibling key throws \InvalidArgumentException immediately — structural validation runs at the point of authorship, not at save.

Containers and nesting

Three container types are available — they're semantically equivalent inside the package; pick whichever your UI vocabulary prefers:

Type	Typical use
`section`	Logical grouping of related fields
`step`	A wizard/multi-step form pane
`group`	An inline cluster, smaller than a section

Containers nest arbitrarily:

$user->preferences = DataField::section(items: [
    [
        'type' => 'group', 'key' => 'appearance', 'label' => 'Appearance',
        'items' => [
            ['key' => 'dark_mode', 'type' => 'bool', 'value' => true],
            ['key' => 'accent', 'type' => 'select_single', 'value' => 'blue',
             'options' => [['key' => 'blue'], ['key' => 'red']]],
        ],
    ],
    [
        'type' => 'group', 'key' => 'notifications', 'label' => 'Notifications',
        'items' => [
            ['key' => 'frequency', 'type' => 'select_single', 'value' => 'daily',
             'options' => [['key' => 'daily'], ['key' => 'weekly']]],
        ],
    ],
]);

Access nested leaves via property chains or dotted-path lookup:

$user->preferences->appearance->dark_mode->value;
$user->preferences->dataField('appearance.accent')->value;
$user->preferences->notifications->frequency->value;

Validation

Each leaf can carry inline Laravel validation rules. Run them with validate():

$user->preferences = DataField::section(items: [
    ['key' => 'name', 'type' => 'text', 'validations' => ['required', 'min:2']],
    ['key' => 'age',  'type' => 'number', 'validations' => ['required', 'numeric', 'min:18']],
]);

try {
    $user->preferences->validate();
} catch (\Illuminate\Validation\ValidationException $e) {
    // $e->errors() — dotted paths, e.g. 'step_1.age' for nested
}

Notes:

validate() is a guard, not a filter — on success it returns the values unchanged. If you want Laravel's "only validated keys" shape, call Validator::make(...)->validated() directly.
For select_single / select_multiple with an options list, an Rule::in(...) rule is auto-derived so out-of-options values fail validation without you having to repeat the option keys in validations.
Hidden fields (resolved via visible_if) are skipped — their stored values are preserved on read and not deleted on write.

To validate on save, call validate() inside your own saving observer:

static::saving(function ($model) {
    if ($model->preferences) {
        $model->preferences->validate();
    }
});

Default values

A leaf's default is returned by ->value when no value has been set. Explicit null overrides the default — callers chose to clear it.

$df = new DataField([
    'key' => 'plan', 'type' => 'text', 'default' => 'free',
]);
$df->value;                  // 'free' (from default)

$df->value = 'pro';
$df->value;                  // 'pro'

$df->value = null;
$df->value;                  // null (explicit override)

Conditional visibility (`visible_if`)

Mark a field as visible only when a sibling has a specific value. Currently equality-based; multiple keys mean AND.

DataField::section(items: [
    ['key' => 'has_phone', 'type' => 'bool', 'value' => false],
    [
        'key' => 'phone', 'type' => 'text',
        'visible_if' => ['has_phone' => true],
        'validations' => ['required'],
    ],
]);

Hidden fields skip validation; their stored values are preserved.

Factories

Three container shortcuts plus a generic leaf and a recursive fromArray:

DataField::section(?string $key = null, array $items = [], array $extra = []): self
DataField::step(?string $key = null, array $items = [], array $extra = []): self
DataField::group(?string $key = null, array $items = [], array $extra = []): self
DataField::leaf(FieldType|string $type, mixed $value = null, array $extra = []): self
DataField::fromArray(array $node): self

Examples:

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField;
use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\FieldType;

DataField::section('preferences', items: [...]);
DataField::leaf(FieldType::Date, '2026-06-15', ['key' => 'expires_at']);
DataField::leaf('number', 14, ['key' => 'fontsize', 'label' => 'Font size']);

Iteration and array access

Containers iterate over their items:

foreach ($user->preferences as $field) {
    echo $field->key . ' = ' . $field->value . PHP_EOL;
}

count($user->preferences);          // count of items

ArrayAccess works by both index and key:

$user->preferences[0];              // first DataField
$user->preferences['dark_mode'];    // DataField with key 'dark_mode'
unset($user->preferences['dark_mode']);

Row mode

Use row mode when you need cross-row queries by field key/value (e.g. "find all users with plan = 'pro'"), per-field granular updates, BI/ reporting tools that expect normalised data, or DB-level constraints on individual fields.

Row mode setup

Add the trait to your model:

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Concerns\HasDataFields;

class Product extends Model
{
    use HasDataFields;
}

That's it — the trait wires up the polymorphic fields() relationship against the package's data_fields table.

Working with rows

$product->fields()->create([
    'key'   => 'sku',
    'type'  => 'text',
    'value' => 'WIDGET-001',
    'label' => 'Stock keeping unit',
]);

// Read
$product->fields;                                      // Collection<DataRow>
$product->fields()->where('key', 'sku')->first()->value;

// Cast across all rows
foreach ($product->fields as $row) {
    echo $row->label . ' = ' . $row->value . PHP_EOL;
}

Rows store typed values: $row->value returns the cast PHP type (bool, float, Carbon, File, etc.) based on the row's type.

Single-key helpers

The trait provides two convenience methods for working with a single field by key:

$product->getFieldValue('sku');                        // cast value or null
$product->setFieldValue('sku', 'NEW-001');             // upsert by key
$product->setFieldValue('weight', 2.5, 'number');      // type on first set

setFieldValue creates the row if absent and updates if present. The third argument accepts a FieldType enum or a raw string; it defaults to text on create and preserves the existing type on update.

Custom row model

Subclass DataRow to add custom attributes, accessors, or methods:

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Models\DataRow;

class CustomDataRow extends DataRow
{
    protected $extraFillable = ['source_system'];

    public function getFillable()
    {
        return array_merge(parent::getFillable(), $this->extraFillable ?? []);
    }

    public function isFromExternalSystem(): bool
    {
        return $this->source_system !== null;
    }
}

Point the config at your subclass:

// config/data-fields.php
return [
    'data_row_model' => App\Models\CustomDataRow::class,
];

The fields() relationship will now hydrate as CustomDataRow instances.

Validation rules in row mode

Storing validations rules alongside the field works — but note that row mode does not auto-run those rules. The rules are persisted as field metadata; running them is the consuming application's job (typically before calling create() / update()):

$product->fields()->create([
    'key'         => 'price',
    'value'       => '99.99',
    'type'        => 'number',
    'validations' => ['required', 'numeric', 'min:0'],   // stored only
]);

If you want auto-running rules, use cast mode — $df->validate() runs them.

Field types reference

The package supports 12 leaf types and 3 container types. All available as both literal strings and as cases on the FieldType PHP enum.

Leaves

Type	Stored as	Read returns
`bool`	`'1'` / `'0'` (row), native bool (cast)	`bool`
`text`	`string`	`string`
`number`	`string` (row), `float` (cast)	`float`
`select_single`	`string`	`string`
`select_multiple`	JSON array of strings	`array<string>`
`date`	`'YYYY-MM-DD'` string	`string`
`time`	`'HH:MM:SS'` string	`string`
`datetime`	`'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS'` string	`\Carbon\Carbon`
`file`	`{model_type, model_id}` JSON	`\Ssntpl\LaravelFiles\Models\File` or `null`
`files`	array of `{model_type, model_id}`	`array<File>` (always a list)
`json`	JSON	decoded `array`
`array`	JSON list	`array`

Lenient string decoding on read — for json, array, and select_multiple, the read path will json_decode a stored string if it encounters one (recovery path for double-encoded or migrated legacy data). If you want to store an opaque string verbatim, use the text type instead; json is for structured data and writes always store the native PHP structure.

Containers (cast mode only)

Type	Notes
`step`	A step/page in a wizard form
`section`	A logical grouping of related fields
`group`	An inline cluster, smaller than a section

All three are semantically equivalent inside the package — the choice is a hint to your UI layer.

The `FieldType` enum

For type safety in your code, use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\FieldType:

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\FieldType;

FieldType::Bool->value;              // 'bool'
FieldType::SelectSingle->isLeaf();   // true
FieldType::Section->isContainer();   // true

FieldType::leaves();                 // list of leaf cases
FieldType::containers();             // list of container cases

DataField::leaf(FieldType::DateTime, now(), ['key' => 'last_seen']);

The enum is the in-memory type; JSON storage and the row-mode type column stay as strings.

File and files types

The file and files types store a reference to a File model from the ssntpl/laravel-files package.

Pass a File instance, the package handles the rest:

$file = File::find(123);

$user->preferences = DataField::section(items: [
    ['key' => 'avatar', 'type' => 'file', 'value' => $file],
]);
$user->save();

$user->preferences->avatar->value;          // File instance
$user->preferences->avatar->value->url;     // works as any File

For files (multiple), pass an array — even a single File is wrapped to a list:

$user->preferences->addField([
    'key' => 'attachments', 'type' => 'files',
    'value' => [$f1, $f2, $f3],
]);

$user->preferences->attachments->value;     // array<File>

An empty files field round-trips as [], not null.

Configuration

The published config (config/data-fields.php) is small:

return [
    // Row-mode Eloquent model. Subclass DataRow and point at it to add
    // custom attributes/behaviour.
    'data_row_model' => \Ssntpl\DataFields\Models\DataRow::class,

    // Enable created_at / updated_at on the `data_fields` table.
    // Off by default — most consumers don't need per-row timestamps.
    'data_fields_timestamps' => false,

    // When true, the service provider loads the package's migration
    // directly — no `vendor:publish` needed.
    'auto_load_migrations' => false,
];

API reference

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField` (cast value object)

Method	Notes
`new DataField($node)` / `fromArray($node)`	Construct from a node array; throws on malformed input
`static leaf(FieldType\|string $type, $value, array $extra = [])`	Leaf factory
`static section(?string $key, array $items, array $extra = [])`	Section container factory
`static step(?string $key, array $items, array $extra = [])`	Step container factory
`static group(?string $key, array $items, array $extra = [])`	Group container factory
`isLeaf()` / `isContainer()`	Type-based predicates
`isVisible(?array $siblingValues = null)`	Resolves `visible_if`
`getValue()` / `setValue($v)`	Read/write the leaf value (honours default)
`$df->{$childKey}`	Property access — returns child `DataField` or `null`
`$df->dataField($dottedPath)`	Explicit path lookup, deep
`$df->addField($node)` / `$df->removeField($key)`	Container-only mutation
Iterable, `ArrayAccess`, `Countable`	Walk and index children
`validate()`	Runs Laravel rules; throws `ValidationException`
`toArray()` / `jsonSerialize()`	Storage-form serialisation

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Models\DataRow` (row-mode Eloquent model)

Method	Notes
`owner()`	Polymorphic morphTo
`fields()`	Children via self-polymorphism (rare in practice)
`duplicate()` / `duplicateInto($owner)`	Clone with re-parented children
`delete()`	Transactional cascade to files + children

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Concerns\HasDataFields` (row-mode trait)

Method	Notes
`fields()`	`morphMany` to `DataRow`
`getFieldValue($key)`	Cast value or `null`
`setFieldValue($key, $value, $type = null)`	Upsert by key

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\FieldType` (enum)

Method	Notes
`isLeaf()` / `isContainer()`	Per-case predicates
`static coerce($value)`	Accept enum or string; throws on unknown
`static leaves()` / `static containers()`	Enumerate by kind

Common patterns

Per-environment defaults

Use the model's creating event to seed a default document:

static::creating(function (User $user) {
    if ($user->preferences === null) {
        $user->preferences = DataField::section(items: [
            ['key' => 'language', 'type' => 'text', 'value' => 'en'],
            ['key' => 'theme',    'type' => 'select_single', 'value' => 'system',
             'options' => [['key'=>'system'],['key'=>'light'],['key'=>'dark']]],
        ]);
    }
});

Validating on save

Hook into saving:

static::saving(function (User $user) {
    if ($user->preferences) {
        $user->preferences->validate();
    }
});

Schema defined on a parent, values stored per-child

When many child records share one schema (e.g., template + responses), keep the schema on the parent and store only the merged document on the child. The cast handles both shapes identically — the schema lives wherever you choose.

Iterating leaves across containers

dataField('a.b.c') looks up by full path. To walk every leaf:

$walker = function (DataField $node) use (&$walker, &$leaves) {
    if ($node->isLeaf()) {
        $leaves[] = $node;
        return;
    }
    foreach ($node->items as $child) {
        $walker($child);
    }
};
$leaves = [];
$walker($user->preferences);

Migrating from 0.2.x

The 0.4.x release is a breaking redesign. If you were on 0.2.x with the HasDataFieldsJson trait:

Before (0.2.x):

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Traits\HasDataFieldsJson;

class LogEntry extends Model
{
    use HasDataFieldsJson;
}

$entry->setDataFieldsSchema([
    ['key' => 'performed_by', 'type' => 'text'],
]);
$entry->setFieldValue('performed_by', 'Rahul');
$entry->save();

After (0.4.x):

use Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField;

class LogEntry extends Model
{
    protected $casts = [
        'entry_data' => DataField::class,
    ];
}

$entry->entry_data = DataField::section();
$entry->entry_data->addField(['key' => 'performed_by', 'type' => 'text', 'value' => 'Rahul']);
$entry->save();

For row-mode consumers, the rename DataField → DataRow and trait namespace Traits\ → Concerns\ are the main changes:

- use Ssntpl\DataFields\Traits\HasDataFields;
+ use Ssntpl\DataFields\Concerns\HasDataFields;

- use Ssntpl\DataFields\Models\DataField;
+ use Ssntpl\DataFields\Models\DataRow;

Type-string constants are gone — use either the raw string ('bool', 'text', …) or the FieldType enum cases (FieldType::Bool->value, …).

See CHANGELOG.md for the complete list of changes and rationales.

Testing

composer install
composer test          # or: vendor/bin/phpunit

The test suite runs against SQLite in-memory using Orchestra Testbench.

Security

The file / files types store a reference to a row in ssntpl/laravel-files's files table as {model_type, model_id} JSON. On read, the cast resolves model_type through Laravel's morph map (Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\Relation::morphMap()) and rejects any class that is not Ssntpl\LaravelFiles\Models\File or a subclass — so a tampered value cannot autoload arbitrary classes. If you have subclassed the File model, ensure your subclass extends Ssntpl\LaravelFiles\Models\File.

If you discover a security vulnerability, please email abhishek.sharma@ssntpl.in instead of opening a public issue.

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for a detailed record of changes per release.

Contributing

Issues and pull requests are welcome at github.com/ssntpl/data-fields.

When sending a PR:

Fork the repo and create a feature branch.
Add tests covering the change.
Run composer test and make sure everything is green.
Update CHANGELOG.md under the [Unreleased] section.

Credits

Abhishek Sharma — abhishek.sharma@ssntpl.in — https://ssntpl.com
All contributors

License

The MIT License (MIT). See LICENSE.md.

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src		src
tests		tests
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README.md		README.md
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phpunit.xml		phpunit.xml

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Laravel Data Fields

Table of contents

Installation

Row mode

Cast mode

Requirements

Choosing a mode

Cast mode

Setup

Defining and writing

Reading values

Mutating values

Adding and removing fields at runtime

Containers and nesting

Validation

Default values

Conditional visibility (visible_if)

Factories

Iteration and array access

Row mode

Row mode setup

Working with rows

Single-key helpers

Custom row model

Validation rules in row mode

Field types reference

Leaves

Containers (cast mode only)

The FieldType enum

File and files types

Configuration

API reference

Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField (cast value object)

Ssntpl\DataFields\Models\DataRow (row-mode Eloquent model)

Ssntpl\DataFields\Concerns\HasDataFields (row-mode trait)

Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\FieldType (enum)

Common patterns

Per-environment defaults

Validating on save

Schema defined on a parent, values stored per-child

Iterating leaves across containers

Migrating from 0.2.x

Testing

Security

Changelog

Contributing

Credits

License

About

Resources

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Stars

Watchers

Forks

Releases 10

Packages 0

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Contributors

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Languages

Conditional visibility (`visible_if`)

The `FieldType` enum

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\DataField` (cast value object)

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Models\DataRow` (row-mode Eloquent model)

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Concerns\HasDataFields` (row-mode trait)

`Ssntpl\DataFields\Support\FieldType` (enum)

Packages