Product Hunt

Architecture and Database Design Effective application development begins with a robust database schema. For this Product Hunt mini-clone, the foundation rests on MySQL with a clear entity-relationship model. The system tracks products, tags, comments, and upvotes through Eloquent relationships. Instead of a standard pivot table for upvotes, the implementation treats upvotes as a distinct entity. This allows for more granular control over metadata like timestamps. Comments utilize a self-referencing parent ID to facilitate threaded replies, while Spatie Media Library manages all product thumbnails and gallery images through a dedicated media table. Prerequisites To implement this architecture, you need a firm grasp of the following: * **PHP 8.x** and Laravel framework fundamentals. * **Relational Database** concepts (Foreign keys, many-to-many relationships). * **Blade Components** for front-end modularity. * **Basic JavaScript** (specifically Alpine.js) for interactive UI elements. Key Libraries & Tools * Laravel Socialite: Simplifies OAuth authentication for GitHub logins. * Livewire: Handles real-time reactivity for upvotes and comments without leaving PHP. * Filament: A powerful TALL stack admin panel for managing backend resources. * **Spatie Login Link**: A developer-centric tool for passwordless local authentication. Code Walkthrough: Queries and Components The `HomeController` utilizes an invocable action to fetch products while aggressively preventing N+1 query issues. By eager loading counts for comments and upvotes, the application remains performant even as the dataset grows. ```python // Product Model Scope public function scopeLaunchToday($query) { return $query->whereDate('created_at', now()); } ``` The front-end uses a hybrid approach. Standard Blade layouts handle the static structure, while Livewire components inject dynamism into specific areas like the upvote button. ```javascript // Livewire Upvote Toggle public function toggle() { if (auth()->guest()) { return $this->dispatch('open-signin-modal'); } // Logic to register or remove vote } ``` Syntax Notes and Practical Examples Laravel 11+ introduces more concise scope syntax and improved model definitions. This project demonstrates how to use `computed properties` in Livewire to keep the `render()` method clean. By offloading complex logic to these properties, the UI updates only when the underlying data changes. Tips & Gotchas Always wrap your Spatie Login Link in environment checks. Exposing passwordless login on production is a catastrophic security risk. For the admin side, keeping Filament logic in the `app/Filament` directory ensures your public-facing code and administrative tools remain decoupled and maintainable.