How to Include JavaScript in Laravel 11: A Step-by-Step Guide for All Scenarios
In Laravel 11, adding JavaScript to your project can be a breeze, thanks to Vite, the default asset bundler. Here’s how to set up your JavaScript for all kinds of scenarios, from global inclusion to conditional loading in specific views.
1. Including JavaScript in All Files
In many cases, you may want to include JavaScript globally across your Laravel application. Here’s how to organize and bundle JavaScript for universal inclusion.
Step 1: Place Your JavaScript File
-
Location: Store JavaScript files in the
resources/jsdirectory. For example, if your file is namedcustom.js, save it asresources/js/custom.js. -
Organize: For complex projects with multiple JavaScript files, you can organize them within subdirectories in
resources/js, such asresources/js/modules/custom.js.
Step 2: Compile JavaScript with Vite
Laravel 11 uses Vite for managing assets. To configure it to bundle your JavaScript:
-
Include in
app.js: Openresources/js/app.jsand import your custom file:
import './custom.js';
-
Direct Import in Views: Alternatively, if you only want the JavaScript in certain views, you can use the
@vitedirective in the Blade template:
@vite('resources/js/custom.js')
Step 3: Configure vite.config.js
Ensure vite.config.js is set to handle @vite imports correctly. By default, it should look something like this:
import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
import laravel from 'laravel-vite-plugin';
export default defineConfig({
plugins: [
laravel({
input: ['resources/js/app.js'],
refresh: true,
}),
],
});
Step 4: Run Vite
To compile your assets with Vite:
- For development: run
npm run dev - For production: run
npm run build
Step 5: Load JavaScript in Blade Templates
To include JavaScript files in your templates, use the @vite directive:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>My Laravel App</title>
@vite('resources/js/app.js')
</head>
<body>
<!-- Content here -->
</body>
</html>
Summary
-
Store JavaScript files in
resources/js. -
Import in
app.jsfor global inclusion or include directly in Blade templates as needed. - Compile assets using Vite.
-
Use
@vitein Blade templates to load JavaScript.
With this setup, JavaScript will be available site-wide in a Laravel 11 project.
2. Understanding Blade Rendering Order
When including JavaScript conditionally in specific views, it’s essential to understand the order in which Blade templates are rendered.
In Laravel, layouts are processed first, followed by individual views and partials. Here’s the rendering process:
-
The layout is rendered first, with placeholders (
@yieldand@section) created for content injection. - Child views or partials are processed next, with their content inserted into the layout placeholders.
Due to this order, if you want to conditionally add JavaScript files in the layout based on child view content, standard variable checks won’t work. You’ll need to use Blade’s @stack and @push directives for more flexible handling of page-specific JavaScript.
3. Conditionally Including JavaScript in Specific Views Using Stack and Push
For adding JavaScript to specific views, Laravel's @stack and @push directives offer an efficient solution, allowing you to conditionally include scripts in the layout.
Step 1: Define a Stack in Your Layout
In your layout, create a stack for page-specific scripts:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>My Laravel App</title>
@vite('resources/js/app.js')
@stack('scripts') <!-- Define a stack for additional scripts -->
</head>
<body>
@yield('content')
</body>
</html>
Step 2: Push Scripts from Child Views
In the specific Blade file that needs the JavaScript, push to the scripts stack:
@extends('layout')
@section('content')
<!-- Your page-specific content here -->
@endsection
@push('scripts')
@vite('resources/js/custom.js')
@endpush
With this setup, custom.js will only be included when that specific view is loaded. This method provides a clean solution that works with Laravel’s rendering order, ensuring that JavaScript files are conditionally included as needed.
Where To Declare @push?
The placement of @push statements in a Blade view matters primarily for readability and order of execution. Here’s how to use @push effectively:
-
Placement in the View: While you can place
@pushanywhere in a Blade view, it’s a best practice to put it at the end of the file, usually after@sectioncontent. This keeps script-related code separate from the main content, improving readability and maintainability.
@extends('layout')
@section('content')
<!-- Main content here -->
@endsection
@push('scripts')
@vite('resources/js/custom.js')
@endpush
-
Order of Multiple
@pushStatements: If you have multiple@pushdeclarations for the same stack (e.g.,@push('scripts')), they will be appended in the order they appear in the view. For example:
@push('scripts')
<script src="script1.js"></script>
@endpush
@push('scripts')
<script src="script2.js"></script>
@endpush
In this case, script1.js will load before script2.js because @push adds content to the stack in the order it’s declared.
-
Using
@pushin Partials and Components:@pushcan also be used in Blade partials (e.g.,@include) or Blade components. This is useful for including view-specific scripts or styles directly within reusable components, making it easy to manage dependencies.
<!-- partial.blade.php -->
<div>
<!-- Partial content -->
</div>
@push('scripts')
@vite('resources/js/partial-specific.js')
@endpush
When this partial is included in a view, partial-specific.js will be added to the scripts stack in the layout file.
-
Control the Order with
@prepend: If specific scripts need to load before others in the same stack, you can use@prependinstead of@push.@prependplaces content at the beginning of the stack, allowing greater control over the load order.
@prepend('scripts')
<script src="critical.js"></script>
@endprepend
@push('scripts')
<script src="non_critical.js"></script>
@endpush
Here, critical.js will load before non_critical.js, regardless of their placement in the Blade file.
Key Takeaways
-
Place
@pushat the end of views for clarity and maintainability. -
Order is determined by placement within the view, with earlier
@pushstatements loading first. -
@pushworks in partials and components, making it easy to include view-specific dependencies. - Use
@prependfor scripts that need to load first in the same stack.
4. Alternative: Using Inline Conditional Statements in the Layout
If you need finer control over when JavaScript is included, Laravel's conditional statements allow for route- or variable-based logic directly in the layout.
Conditionally Include Based on Route
You can use route checks directly in the layout to include JavaScript based on the current route:
@if (request()->routeIs('some.route.name'))
@vite('resources/js/custom.js')
@endif
Conditionally Include Based on a Variable
To conditionally load scripts based on variables, you can set a flag in the controller or child view, then check for it in the layout:
- In your controller:
return view('your.view', ['loadCustomJS' => true]);
- In the layout:
@if (!empty($loadCustomJS))
@vite('resources/js/custom.js')
@endif
This approach allows you to control JavaScript loading based on specific variables or routes, providing flexibility for custom page setups.
Summary
Here’s a quick overview of the methods discussed:
-
Global Inclusion: Place JavaScript in
app.jsand include it globally using@vite. -
Conditional Inclusion with Stack and Push: Use
@stackand@pushdirectives for flexible, modular script handling, which ensures scripts are only loaded in views where they are needed. - Conditional Statements in Layout: Use route-based checks or controller variables to conditionally load JavaScript directly in the layout.
These options allow you to control JavaScript loading precisely, making your Laravel 11 project efficient and maintainable.
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