Create Admin Panel with Laravel Backpack - Part 1

Create Admin Panel with Laravel Backpack - Part 1

Learn how to create a powerful admin panel using Laravel Backpack. This guide will walk you through the initial setup and basic CRUD operations.

Introduction

Laravel Backpack is a collection of packages that helps you build custom admin panels. It provides a set of tools and features that make it easy to create CRUD operations, manage users, and handle file uploads.

Prerequisites

  • Laravel 6.x or higher
  • PHP 7.2 or higher
  • Composer
  • Node.js and NPM
  • Configured database

1 Install Laravel Backpack

First, install the required packages:

composer require backpack/crud
php artisan backpack:install

2 Configure Authentication

Set up the authentication system:

php artisan backpack:install
php artisan migrate

3 Create Your First CRUD

Generate a CRUD for a model (e.g., Product):

php artisan backpack:crud product

4 Define the Model

Create and configure your model:

php artisan make:model Product -m

5 Configure the Migration

Define your database structure:

public function up()
{
    Schema::create('products', function (Blueprint $table) {
        $table->id();
        $table->string('name');
        $table->text('description');
        $table->decimal('price', 8, 2);
        $table->integer('stock');
        $table->timestamps();
    });
}

6 Configure the CRUD Controller

Set up the fields and columns in your CRUD controller:

protected function setupListOperation()
{
    $this->crud->addColumn('name');
    $this->crud->addColumn('price');
    $this->crud->addColumn('stock');
}

protected function setupCreateOperation()
{
    $this->crud->addField('name');
    $this->crud->addField('description');
    $this->crud->addField('price');
    $this->crud->addField('stock');
}

7 Add Routes

Add the CRUD routes to your routes file:

Route::group([
    'prefix' => config('backpack.base.route_prefix', 'admin'),
    'middleware' => array_merge(
        (array) config('backpack.base.web_middleware', 'web'),
        (array) config('backpack.base.middleware_key', 'admin')
    ),
], function () {
    Route::crud('product', 'ProductCrudController');
});

Key Features Covered

  • Basic CRUD operations
  • Form fields configuration
  • List view customization
  • Authentication setup

Best Practices

  • Use meaningful field names and labels
  • Implement proper validation rules
  • Add helpful field hints and placeholders
  • Use appropriate field types for your data
  • Implement proper access control

Common Issues

  • Ensure proper file permissions
  • Check route caching in production
  • Verify database migrations
  • Test all CRUD operations thoroughly

Additional Resources