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🔧 Installation

Please read carefully the instructions below and follow them step by step.

1. Install the package​

You can install the package via Composer:

composer require cslant/laravel-like

The package will register its CSlant\LaravelLike\Providers\LikeServiceProvider automatically via package auto-discovery.

2. Publish the configuration and migration files​

required

This is a required step. Please don't skip it.

php artisan vendor:publish --provider="CSlant\LaravelLike\Providers\LikeServiceProvider"

This publishes two things:

  1. config/like.php — the package configuration file
  2. database/migrations/ — the migrations for the interactions table:
    • <timestamp>_create_likes_table.php — creates the likes table
    • <timestamp>_add_type_lookup_index_to_likes_table.php — adds a composite index (model_type, model_id, type) that speeds up likesCount(), dislikesCount(), lovesCount(), and likeCountsFor()

You can also publish them separately:

php artisan vendor:publish --provider="CSlant\LaravelLike\Providers\LikeServiceProvider" --tag=config
php artisan vendor:publish --provider="CSlant\LaravelLike\Providers\LikeServiceProvider" --tag=migrations
Everything configurable

See the configuration page for every available option (is_uuids, table_name, interaction_model, users.model, users.foreign_key).

3. Run the migration​

After the configuration file has been published, run the migration:

php artisan migrate

The migration creates a single likes table that stores all interactions (likes, dislikes, loves) for all interactable models through a polymorphic model column pair.

Table structure: id, model_id, model_type (polymorphic morphs), user_id, type, created_at, updated_at, with a unique constraint on (user_id, model_id, model_type, type) and a composite index on (model_type, model_id, type) for fast per-model count lookups.

4. Add the trait to your content model​

Add the HasLike trait to any model you want to make interactable. This provides like and dislike functionality.

namespace App\Models;

use CSlant\LaravelLike\HasLike;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Post extends Model
{
    use HasLike;

    // Your model code here
}

If you only need the love ❤️ surface, use HasLove instead (or in addition):

use CSlant\LaravelLike\HasLove;

class Post extends Model
{
    use HasLike;
    use HasLove;

    // Now supports: like, dislike AND love
}
Do not add UserHasInteraction to a HasLike/HasLove model

UserHasInteraction is meant for the User model. It defines a likes() hasMany relationship, which collides with the likes() morphMany relationship defined by HasLike/HasLove. Never compose UserHasInteraction together with HasLike or HasLove on the same model.

5. Add the trait to your User model​

To let the authenticated user interact (and to fetch their interactions), add the UserHasInteraction trait to your User model:

namespace App\Models;

use CSlant\LaravelLike\UserHasInteraction;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Auth\User as Authenticatable;

class User extends Authenticatable
{
    use UserHasInteraction;

    // Your model code here
}

UserHasInteraction adds:

  • likes() — a HasMany relationship with all the user's interactions (likes, dislikes, loves)
  • forgetInteractions() / forgetInteractionsOfType() — bulk-delete the user's interactions

6. Optional: register the facade​

The Like and Love facades are usable out of the box via their full class name:

use CSlant\LaravelLike\Facades\Like;

Like::like($post);

Everything works without registering anything extra. If you want shorter aliases, add them to the aliases array in config/app.php:

'aliases' => [
    // ...
    'Like' => \CSlant\LaravelLike\Facades\Like::class,
],

Done 🎉​

That's it! You have successfully installed the Laravel Like package. Now head over to: