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Getting Started with Custom Module Development ​

Welcome to WhatsmarkSaaS custom module development! This comprehensive guide will walk you through creating powerful, maintainable modules that extend your WhatsmarkSaaS platform with custom functionality.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this guide, you'll be able to:

  • Set up a complete custom module structure
  • Implement proper service providers and configuration
  • Create routes, controllers, and views
  • Handle database migrations and models
  • Implement security best practices
  • Test your module effectively

Prerequisites ​

Before starting custom module development, ensure you have:

Requirements Checklist

  • WhatsmarkSaaS Platform: Version 2.0 or higher installed and running
  • PHP Knowledge: Familiarity with PHP 8.3 and Laravel 12+
  • Development Environment: Local development setup with database access

Module Architecture Overview ​

WhatsmarkSaaS modules follow a structured architecture that ensures maintainability and compatibility:

text
Modules/YourModule/
├── Config/
│   └── config.php
├── Database/
│   ├── Migrations/
│   └── Seeders/
├── Http/
│   ├── Controllers/
│   ├── Middleware/
│   └── Requests/
├── Providers/
│   └── YourModuleServiceProvider.php
├── Resources/
│   ├── assets/
│   ├── lang/
│   └── views/
├── Routes/
│   ├── web.php
│   └── api.php
├── Tests/
├── composer.json
└── module.json

Step 1: Create Your First Module ​

Generate Module Structure ​

Use the built-in module generator to create your module skeleton:

bash
php artisan module:make YourModuleName
text
If you prefer manual setup, create the directory structure shown above
and follow the configuration steps below.

Configure Module Metadata ​

Edit the module.json file to define your module's metadata:

json
{
    "name": "YourModule",
    "alias": "yourmodule",
    "description": "Your module description",
    "keywords": ["whatsmarksaas", "module", "your-feature"],
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "active": 1,
    "order": 1,
    "providers": [
        "Modules\\YourModule\\Providers\\YourModuleServiceProvider"
    ],
    "files": []
}

Set Up Service Provider ​

Create your module's service provider in Providers/YourModuleServiceProvider.php:

php
<?php

namespace Modules\YourModule\Providers;

use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factory;

class YourModuleServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
{
    protected string $moduleName = 'YourModule';
    protected string $moduleNameLower = 'yourmodule';

    public function boot(): void
    {
        $this->registerTranslations();
        $this->registerConfig();
        $this->registerViews();
        $this->loadMigrationsFrom(module_path($this->moduleName, 'Database/Migrations'));
    }

    public function register(): void
    {
        $this->app->register(RouteServiceProvider::class);

        // Register module config
        $this->mergeConfigFrom(
            module_path($this->moduleName, 'Config/config.php'), $this->moduleNameLower
        );
    }

    protected function registerConfig(): void
    {
        $this->publishes([
            module_path($this->moduleName, 'Config/config.php') => config_path($this->moduleNameLower . '.php'),
        ], 'config');
    }

    protected function registerViews(): void
    {
        $viewPath = resource_path('views/modules/' . $this->moduleNameLower);
        $sourcePath = module_path($this->moduleName, 'Resources/views');

        $this->publishes([
            $sourcePath => $viewPath
        ], ['views', $this->moduleNameLower . '-module-views']);

        $this->loadViewsFrom(array_merge($this->getPublishableViewPaths(), [$sourcePath]), $this->moduleNameLower);
    }

    protected function registerTranslations(): void
    {
        $langPath = resource_path('lang/modules/' . $this->moduleNameLower);

        if (is_dir($langPath)) {
            $this->loadTranslationsFrom($langPath, $this->moduleNameLower);
            $this->loadJsonTranslationsFrom($langPath);
        } else {
            $this->loadTranslationsFrom(module_path($this->moduleName, 'Resources/lang'), $this->moduleNameLower);
            $this->loadJsonTranslationsFrom(module_path($this->moduleName, 'Resources/lang'));
        }
    }

    private function getPublishableViewPaths(): array
    {
        $paths = [];
        foreach (config('view.paths') as $path) {
            if (is_dir($path . '/modules/' . $this->moduleNameLower)) {
                $paths[] = $path . '/modules/' . $this->moduleNameLower;
            }
        }
        return $paths;
    }
}

Step 2: Configure Routes ​

Web Routes ​

Create Routes/web.php for your module's web routes. This file should contain:

  • Admin routes with proper middleware
  • User-facing routes
  • Protected routes with authentication

API Routes ​

Create Routes/api.php for API endpoints including:

  • Public API endpoints
  • Protected API routes with authentication
  • Webhook endpoints (remember to exclude from CSRF)

Step 3: Create Controllers ​

Create controllers in Http/Controllers/ directory:

  • AdminController: Handle admin functionality
  • UserController: Handle user-facing features
  • ApiController: Handle API requests and webhooks

Ensure controllers follow Laravel conventions and keep them slim by moving business logic to service classes.

Step 4: Database Integration ​

Create Migrations ​

Generate migrations for your module:

bash
php artisan module:make-migration create_yourmodule_table YourModule

Design your database schema considering:

  • Proper foreign key relationships
  • Appropriate indexes for performance
  • Nullable fields where needed
  • JSON columns for flexible data storage

Create Models ​

Create Eloquent models in the Models/ directory:

  • Define fillable attributes
  • Set up model relationships
  • Add custom scopes and accessors
  • Implement proper data casting

Step 5: Create Views ​

Create Blade templates in Resources/views/:

  • Admin views: Dashboard, settings, management interfaces
  • User views: User-facing interfaces
  • Layouts: Extend existing layouts or create module-specific ones

Ensure views follow your application's design system and accessibility standards.

Step 6: Module Configuration ​

Create Config/config.php with your module settings:

  • Module metadata (name, version)
  • Feature flags for optional functionality
  • Default configuration values
  • Environment-specific settings

Step 7: Security Implementation ​

CSRF Exclusions ​

For webhook endpoints, add CSRF exclusions in your service provider. See the CSRF Token Validation guide for detailed implementation.

Middleware ​

Create custom middleware in Http/Middleware/ for:

  • Module-specific access control
  • Feature availability checks
  • Request validation and transformation
  • Security logging

Step 8: Testing Your Module ​

Create comprehensive tests in the Tests/ directory:

  • Feature Tests: Test complete user workflows
  • Unit Tests: Test individual classes and methods
  • API Tests: Test API endpoints and responses
  • Security Tests: Verify access controls and validation

Step 9: Module Activation ​

Enable Your Module ​

bash
# Activate the module
php artisan module:enable YourModule

# Run migrations
php artisan migrate

# Publish assets (if any)
php artisan module:publish YourModule

Verify Installation ​

bash
# Check module status
php artisan module:list

# Test module routes
php artisan route:list | grep yourmodule

Next Steps ​

What's Next?

Now that you have a basic module set up, explore these advanced topics:

Last Updated: October 2025 • Laravel Version: 12.x • WhatsmarkSaaS Module Development

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