Always Render API Exceptions as JSON in Laravel

Have you ever enforced returning JSON on API requests for exceptions using a custom middleware like the following:

class ForceJsonResponse
{
    public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next)
    {
        $request->headers->set('Accept', 'application/json');

        return $next($request);
    }
}

Laravel 11 gives you a handy way to do this without any extra middleware. I think it's really nice if you are using a web browser to test API routes and always get JSON even without setting the Accept header to application/json or using the above middleware:

// bootstrap/app.php

return Application::configure(basePath: dirname(__DIR__))

    //...

    ->withExceptions(function (Exceptions $exceptions) {
        $exceptions->shouldRenderJsonWhen(function (Request $request, Throwable $e) {
            if ($request->is('api/*')) {
                return true;
            }

            return $request->expectsJson();
        });
    })->create();

Using the shouldRenderJsonWhen() method, this code ensures that any exceptions thrown during an API request are rendered as JSON. Besides exceptions, it's up to you to ensure non-error responses return JSON.

This tip comes straight from the documentation, which also has some excellent tips on throttling exceptions, customizing error responses, and more!

The post Always Render API Exceptions as JSON in Laravel appeared first on Laravel News.

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