Laravel Sessions & Middleware

Priority: P1 (HIGH)

Structure

app/Http/
├── Middleware/         # Custom logic layers
└── Kernel.php          # Global/Group registration

Implementation Guidelines

• Session Driver: Use redis or memcached for production/high-density environments.
• Middleware Chain: Keep logic granular; one middleware per responsibility.
• Global Middleware: Apply via bootstrap/app.php only for true globals (logging, headers).
• Security Headers: Standardize headers (HSTS, CSP, X-Frame) via dedicated middleware.
• CSRF Protection: Ensure VerifyCsrfToken is active for all web routes.
• Session Lifecycle: Use $request->session()->regenerate() after login/privilege changes.

Anti-Patterns

• File Streams: No file session driver: Avoid in scaled apps due to I/O locks.
• Env direct: No env('SESSION_...'): Always use config('session...').
• Heavy Bloat: No heavy logic in Middleware: Offload to Services if >10 lines.
• Trusting Client: No sensitive data in Cookies: Store in server sessions only.

References

• Advanced Middleware Patterns