Middleware in Laravel acts as a filter layer for HTTP requests, allowing you to inspect, modify, or reject requests before they reach your application logic.
Why It Matters
Middleware provides a clean way to handle cross-cutting concerns like authentication, logging, and CORS without cluttering your controller code.
When to Use This
- Authenticating users before allowing access
- Logging all incoming requests
- Handling CORS for API requests
- Rate limiting to prevent abuse
Examples
- Auth middleware redirecting unauthenticated users to login
- API middleware adding CORS headers to responses
- Log middleware recording request duration and response codes