Laravel Livewire

Overview

Build dynamic, reactive Laravel interfaces using only PHP. Livewire v4+ handles server-side rendering with automatic client-side updates via hydration/dehydration—no JavaScript required.

Quick Start

Installation

composer require livewire/livewire
php artisan livewire:layout  # Creates resources/views/layouts/app.blade.php

Create a Component

# Single-file component (default)
php artisan make:livewire CreatePost

# Page component
php artisan make:livewire pages::post.create

# Multi-file component
php artisan make:livewire CreatePost --mfc

# Class-based component (traditional)
php artisan make:livewire CreatePost --class

Basic Component Pattern

<?php
use Livewire\Component;
new class extends Component {
    public string $title = '';
    public string $content = '';

    public function save()
    {
        $this->validate([
            'title' => 'required|max:255',
            'content' => 'required',
        ]);

        Post::create($this->only(['title', 'content']));
        return $this->redirect('/posts');
    }
};
?>

<form wire:submit="save">
    <input type="text" wire:model="title">
    @error('title') <span class="error">{{ $message }}</span> @enderror

    <textarea wire:model="content"></textarea>
    @error('content') <span class="error">{{ $message }}</span> @enderror

    <button type="submit">Save</button>
</form>

Core Concepts

Component Structure

Single-file components (resources/views/components/post/⚡create.blade.php):

• PHP class and Blade template in one file
• Lightning bolt (⚡) is optional and can be disabled in config

Multi-file components (resources/views/components/post/⚡create/):

• Separate files for PHP, Blade, JS, CSS
• Better for large components with significant JavaScript

Class-based components (app/Livewire/CreatePost.php):

• Traditional Laravel structure
• Familiar for Livewire v2/v3 developers

Property Management

// Public properties - accessible in template as $property
public $title = '';

// Protected properties - accessible as $this->property, not sent to client
protected $apiKey = 'secret';

// Typed properties
public string $email = '';
public int $count = 0;
public ?Post $post;  // Auto-locks ID

// Reset properties
$this->reset('title', 'content');
$value = $this->pull('title');  // Get and reset

Lifecycle Hooks

public function mount(Post $post)
{
    $this->post = $post;
    $this->title = $post->title;
}

public function updatedTitle($value)
{
    $this->title = strtolower($value);
}

Computed Properties

Memoized derived values—accessed via $this->property.

use Livewire\Attributes\Computed;

#[Computed]
public function posts()
{
    return Post::all(); // Runs once per request
}

#[Computed(persist: true, seconds: 3600)]
public function cachedData()
{
    return ExpensiveModel::all();
}

Usage in blade: @foreach ($this->posts as $post)

Data Binding

wire:model Modifiers

<input type="text" wire:model="title">
<input type="email" wire:model.live="email">  <!-- Live validation -->
<input type="text" wire:model.blur="title">   <!-- On blur -->
<input type="text" wire:model.live.debounce.500ms="search">

Dependent Selects (Important!)

Use wire:key when one select depends on another.

<select wire:model.live="selectedState">
    @foreach(State::all() as $state)
        <option value="{{ $state->id }}">{{ $state->label }}</option>
    @endforeach
</select>

<select wire:model.live="selectedCity" wire:key="{{ $selectedState }}">
    @foreach(City::whereStateId($selectedState)->get() as $city)
        <option value="{{ $city->id }}">{{ $city->label }}</option>
    @endforeach
</select>

Actions & Events

Event Listeners

<button wire:click="save">Save</button>
<input wire:keydown.enter="search">
<form wire:submit="submitForm">
<button wire:click="delete({{ $post->id }})">Delete</button>

Event Modifiers

<!-- Key modifiers -->
<input wire:keydown.enter="search">
<input wire:keydown.shift.enter="...">

<!-- Event modifiers -->
<button wire:click.prevent="save">
<button wire:click.stop="...">
<button wire:click.window="...">
<button wire:click.once="...">
<button wire:click.debounce.250ms="...">

Dispatching Events

From PHP:

$this->dispatch('post-created', postId: $post->id);
$this->dispatch('post-created')->to(Dashboard::class);  // Direct to component

From Blade (client-side):

<button wire:click="$dispatch('post-created', { id: {{ $post->id }} })">

Listening in PHP:

use Livewire\Attributes\On;

#[On('post-created')]
public function handlePostCreated($postId)
{
    // Handle event
}

Listening in Blade:

<livewire:post-list @post-created="$refresh" />

Parent-Child Communication

<!-- Passing props -->
<livewire:todo-item :$post />

<!-- Reactive props (child updates when parent changes) -->
<?php
use Livewire\Attributes\Reactive;
#[Reactive]
public $todos;
?>

<!-- Direct parent access -->
<button wire:click="$parent.remove({{ $id }})">Remove</button>

Forms & Validation

Validation with Attributes

use Livewire\Attributes\Validate;

new class extends Component {
    #[Validate('required|min:5')]
    public $title = '';

    #[Validate('required|email', message: 'Please enter a valid email')]
    public $email = '';

    public function save()
    {
        $this->validate(); // Runs all rules
        Post::create($this->only(['title', 'email']));
    }
};

Real-Time Validation

<input type="text" wire:model.live="title">
@error('title') <span class="error">{{ $message }}</span> @enderror

public function updated($property)
{
    $this->validateOnly($property);
}

Form Objects

Extract form logic into reusable classes:

php artisan livewire:form PostForm

// app/Livewire/Forms/PostForm.php
namespace App\Livewire\Forms;
use Livewire\Attributes\Validate;
use Livewire\Form;

class PostForm extends Form
{
    #[Validate('required|min:5')]
    public $title = '';

    #[Validate('required|min:5')]
    public $content = '';

    public function store()
    {
        $this->validate();
        Post::create($this->only(['title', 'content']));
    }
}

<input type="text" wire:model="form.title">
@error('form.title') <span class="error">{{ $message }}</span> @enderror

Loading States

<button wire:click="save">
    Save
    <span wire:loading>Saving...</span>
</button>

<!-- Target specific action -->
<div wire:loading wire:target="removePhoto">Removing...</div>

<!-- CSS attribute -->
<button class="data-loading:opacity-50">Save</button>

Advanced Features

Lazy Loading

<livewire:revenue-chart lazy />

use Livewire\Attributes\Lazy;

#[Lazy]
class RevenueChart extends Component
{
    public function placeholder()
    {
        return view('livewire.placeholders.skeleton');
    }
}

Polling

<div wire:poll>{{ $count }}</div>           <!-- Every 2.5s -->
<div wire:poll.15s>{{ $count }}</div>       <!-- Custom interval -->
<div wire:poll.visible>{{ $count }}</div>   <!-- Only when visible -->
<div wire:poll.keep-alive>{{ $count }}</div> <!-- Keep in background -->

File Uploads

use Livewire\WithFileUploads;

class UploadPhoto extends Component
{
    use WithFileUploads;

    #[Validate('image|max:1024')] // 1MB max
    public $photo;

    public function save()
    {
        $this->photo->store(path: 'photos');
    }
}

<form wire:submit="save">
    @if ($photo)
        <img src="{{ $photo->temporaryUrl() }}">
    @endif
    <input type="file" wire:model="photo">
</form>

Pagination

use Livewire\WithPagination;

class ShowPosts extends Component
{
    use WithPagination;

    public function render()
    {
        return view('livewire.show-posts', [
            'posts' => Post::paginate(10),
        ]);
    }
}

{{ $posts->links() }}

Alpine.js Integration

<div x-data="{ expanded: false }">
    <button @click="expanded = !expanded">Toggle</button>
    <div x-show="expanded">
        {{ $content }}
    </div>
</div>

Access Livewire from Alpine:

<input x-on:blur="$wire.save()">
<span x-text="$wire.title.length"></span>

Testing

use Livewire\Livewire;

test('component renders', function () {
    Livewire::test(CreatePost::class)
        ->assertStatus(200);
});

test('can create post', function () {
    Livewire::test(CreatePost::class)
        ->set('title', 'Test Post')
        ->call('save')
        ->assertRedirect('/posts');
});

test('validation works', function () {
    Livewire::test(CreatePost::class)
        ->set('title', '')
        ->call('save')
        ->assertHasErrors('title');
});

Routing

// routes/web.php
Route::livewire('/posts/create', 'pages::post.create');
Route::livewire('/posts/{id}', 'pages::post.show');
Route::livewire('/posts/{post}', 'pages::post.edit'); // Model binding

PHP Attributes Reference

Common Gotchas

1. Computed properties require $this — use $this->posts, not $posts
2. Default wire:model doesn’t update as you type — use .live modifier
3. Dependent selects need wire:key — prevents stale options
4. Props aren’t reactive by default — use #[Reactive] attribute
5. Always validate/authorize properties — treat as user input
6. Use only() or except() to limit data sent to client

Security Best Practices

1. Always authorize action parameters — users can call any public method
2. Use #[Locked] for sensitive IDs to prevent manipulation
3. Mark dangerous methods as protected/private — prevents client access
4. Validate all input — use #[Validate] or rules() method
5. Never trust client-side data — properties are user input

Performance Tips

1. Use computed properties for expensive queries
2. Lazy load components below the fold
3. Use .blur instead of .live when real-time isn’t needed
4. Avoid storing large Eloquent collections as properties
5. Use wire:key for list items to prevent DOM thrashing
6. Debounce live updates for better performance
7. Cache expensive operations with #[Computed(persist: true)]

Resources

For Component Architecture

See references/core.md — components, properties, lifecycle, actions

For Forms & Validation

See references/forms.md — form handling, validation, file uploads

For Advanced Features

See references/advanced.md — nesting, events, computed properties, pagination

For Directives

See references/directives.md — all wire:* directives

For Attributes

See references/attributes.md — all PHP attributes

For Integration

See references/integration.md — Alpine.js, JavaScript, security

For Testing

See references/testing.md — Pest/PHPUnit patterns