yorcreative / laravel-argonaut-dto
Argonaut is a lightweight Data Transfer Object (DTO) package for Laravel that supports nested casting, recursive serialization, and validation out of the box. Ideal for service layers, APIs, and clean architecture workflows.
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Requires
- php: ^8.2|^8.3|^8.4
- illuminate/contracts: ^10.0|^11.0|^12.0
Requires (Dev)
- laravel/pint: ^1.0
- orchestra/testbench: ^7.0|^8.0|^9.0|^10.0
- phpunit/phpunit: ^9.0|^10.0|^11.5.3
README

Laravel Argonaut DTO
Laravel Argonaut DTO is a lightweight, highly composable package for transforming arrays, objects, or collections into structured DTOs (Data Transfer Objects), with built-in support for:
- 🧱 Deep nested transformation and casting
- 🔁 Type-safe data conversion
- ✅ Validation using Laravel’s validator
- 🧠 Explicit attribute prioritization
- 📦 Clean serialization (
toArray
,toJson
) - ♻️ Consistent data shape enforcement across boundaries
📦 Installation
Install via Composer:
composer require yorcreative/laravel-argonaut-dto
🚀 Quick Start
1. Define a DTO
DTOs extend ArgonautDTO
, and define your expected structure via public properties, casting rules, and validation.
class UserDTO extends ArgonautDTO { public string $username; public string $email; protected array $casts = [ 'username' => 'string', 'email' => 'string', ]; public function rules(): array { return [ 'username' => ['required', 'string'], 'email' => ['required', 'email'], ]; } }
This defines a strongly typed DTO with both validation rules and simple type casting.
2. Create an Assembler
Assemblers are responsible for mapping raw inputs (arrays or objects) into your DTOs.
// static usage example class UserDTOAssembler extends ArgonautAssembler { public static function toUserDTO(object $input): UserDTO { return new UserDTO([ 'username' => $input->display_name, 'email' => $input->email, ]); } } // instance usage example class UserDTOAssembler extends ArgonautAssembler { public function __construct(protected UserFormattingService $formattingService) { // } public static function toUserDTO(object $input): UserDTO { return new UserDTO([ 'username' => $formatingService->userName($input->display_name), 'email' => $formatingService->email($input->email), ]); } }
Assembler method names must follow the format
to<ClassName>
orfrom<ClassName>
, and are resolved automatically usingclass_basename
.
3. Assemble a DTO
Use the assembler to transform raw data into structured, casted DTO instances.
// static usage example $dto = UserDTOAssembler::assemble([ 'display_name' => 'jdoe', 'email' => 'jdoe@example.com', ], UserDTO::class); // instance usage example $dto = $userDTOAssemblerInstance->assembleInstance([ 'display_name' => 'jdoe', 'email' => 'jdoe@example.com', ], UserDTO::class);
You can also batch transform arrays or collections:
// static usage UserDTOAssembler::fromArray($userArray, UserDTO::class); UserDTOAssembler::fromCollection($userCollection, UserDTO::class); // instance usage UserDTOAssembler::fromArray($userArray, UserDTO::class, $userDTOAssemblerInstance); UserDTOAssembler::fromCollection($userCollection, UserDTO::class, $userDTOAssemblerInstance); // or using the assembler instance's static methods $userDTOAssemblerInstance::fromArray($userArray, UserDTO::class, $userDTOAssemblerInstance); $userDTOAssemblerInstance::fromCollection($userCollection, UserDTO::class, $userDTOAssemblerInstance);
🧪 Real-World Static Usage Example: Product + Features + Reviews
This example demonstrates nested relationships and complex type casting in action.
ProductDTO with nested casting:
class ProductDTO extends ArgonautDTO { public string $title; public array $features; public Collection $reviews; public ?UserDTO $user = null; protected array $casts = [ 'features' => [ProductFeatureDTO::class], 'reviews' => Collection::class . ':' . ProductReviewDTO::class, 'user' => UserDTO::class, ]; public function rules(): array { return [ 'title' => ['required', 'string'], 'reviews' => ['sometimes', 'required', 'collection', 'min:1'], ]; } }
ProductDTOAssembler mapping input structure:
class ProductDTOAssembler extends ArgonautAssembler { public static function toProductDTO(object $input): ProductDTO { return new ProductDTO([ 'title' => $input->product_name, 'user' => $input->user, 'features' => $input->features ?? [], 'reviews' => $input->reviews ?? [], ]); } public static function toProductFeatureDTO(object $input): ProductFeatureDTO { return new ProductFeatureDTO([ 'name' => $input->name ?? 'Unnamed Feature', 'description' => $input->description ?? null, ]); } public static function toProductReviewDTO(object $input): ProductReviewDTO { return new ProductReviewDTO([ 'rating' => (int) ($input->rating ?? 0), 'comment' => $input->comment ?? '', ]); } }
🎯 Advanced: Dependency Injection in Assemblers
ArgonautAssembler offers enhanced flexibility for your Assembler logic by supporting dependency injection. This allows you to leverage services or custom logic, whether defined in static or non-static methods, during the DTO assembly process. This is particularly powerful when integrating with Laravel's service container.
This feature enables you to:
- Integrate Application Services: Easily inject your existing application services (e.g., a custom formatting utility, a validation service) directly into your assembler methods.
- Decouple Complex Logic: Keep your assembler methods focused on the core task of data mapping by delegating more complex operations or external data fetching/processing to injected dependencies.
- Improve Testability: By injecting dependencies, you can more easily mock them in your unit tests, leading to more robust and isolated tests for your assemblers.
How Dependency Injection Works
ArgonautAssembler
supports dependency injection in non-static transformation methods (e.g., toUserDTO
or
fromUserDTO
) by leveraging Laravel’s service container. When you call ArgonautAssembler::assemble()
,
fromCollection()
, fromArray()
, or assembleInstance()
with an instance of the assembler, the transformation method
is invoked on that instance. Laravel’s container automatically resolves and injects any dependencies declared in the
method’s signature.
- Static Methods: Static transformation methods (e.g.,
public static function toUserDTO($input)
) do not support dependency injection, as they are called statically without an instance. - Instance Methods: Non-static transformation methods (e.g.,
public function toUserDTO($input)
) are called on an assembler instance, allowing Laravel to inject dependencies into the method.
Example: Using Dependency Injection
Below is an example of an assembler with a non-static transformation method that uses dependency injection to format a user’s name via an injected service.
<?php namespace App\Assemblers; use App\DTOs\UserDTO; use App\Services\UserFormattingService; use YorCreative\LaravelArgonautDTO\ArgonautAssembler; class UserAssembler extends ArgonautAssembler { public function __construct(protected UserFormattingService $formattingService) { // } /** * Transform input data into a UserDTO with dependency injection. * * @param object $input Input data (e.g., from a model or array cast to object). * @param UserFormattingService $formatter Injected service for formatting user data. * @return UserDTO */ public function toUserDTO(object $input): UserDTO { return new UserDTO([ 'full_name' => $formattingService->formatName($input->first_name, $input->last_name), 'email' => $input->email, 'created_at' => $input->created_at, ]); } }
Registering the Assembler
// ServiceProvider <?php namespace App\Providers; use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider; class YourServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider { public function register() { $this->app->bind(FormattingServiceInterface::class, function($app) { return new FormattingService(); }) $this->app->bind(YourArgonautAssembler::clas, function ($app) { return new YourArgonautAssembler($app->get(FormattingServiceInterface::class)); }); } public function provides() { return [ YourArgonautAssembler::class, FormattingServiceInterface::class ] } }
Using the Assembler
To use the assembler with dependency injection, you need to provide an instance of the assembler to the assemble
method or related methods (fromCollection
, fromArray
, or assembleInstance
). Laravel’s container will resolve the
dependencies when the method is invoked.
<?php use App\Assemblers\UserAssembler; use App\DTOs\UserDTO; // Example input (e.g., a model or object) $input = (object) [ 'first_name' => 'John', 'last_name' => 'Doe', 'email' => 'john.doe@example.com', 'created_at' => now(), ]; // Creating an assembler instance $formattingService = new UserFormattingService(); $assembler = new UserAssembler($formattingService); // or using the container instance $assembler = resolve(YourArgonautAssembler::class); // Pass the $assembler instance $userDTO = UserAssembler::assemble($input, UserDTO::class, $assembler); // Or use the instance method $userDTO = $assembler->assembleInstance($input, UserDTO::class); // Transform a collection passing the $assembler instance $array = [$input, $input]; $collection = collect($array); $userDTOs = UserAssembler::fromCollection($collection, UserDTO::class, $assembler); $userDTOs = $assembler::fromArray($array, UserDTO::class, $assembler)
In this example:
- The
toUserDTO
method requires aUserFormattingService
dependency. - The assembler instance (
$assembler
) is passed toassemble
,fromArray
orfromCollection
, ensuring the non-statictoUserDTO
method is invoked on the instance.
Advanced: 🎯 DTOs with Prioritized Attributes and Custom Setters
ArgonautDTO allows you to prioritize the assignment of specific fields using $prioritizedAttributes
, which is critical
for cases where one field influences others.
class UserDTO extends ArgonautDTO { public ?string $firstName = null; public ?string $lastName = null; public string $username; public string $email; public ?string $fullName = null; protected array $prioritizedAttributes = ['firstName', 'lastName']; protected array $casts = [ 'firstName' => 'string', 'lastName' => 'string', 'username' => 'string', 'email' => 'string', 'fullName' => 'string', ]; public function setFirstName($value) { $this->firstName = $value; $this->fullName = $this->firstName . ' ' . $this->lastName; } public function setLastName($value) { $this->lastName = $value; $this->fullName = $this->firstName . ' ' . $this->lastName; } public function rules(): array { return [ 'firstName' => ['nullable', 'string', 'max:32'], 'lastName' => ['nullable', 'string', 'max:32'], 'username' => ['required', 'string', 'max:64'], 'email' => ['required', 'email', 'max:255'], ]; } }
🔁 Casting Reference
Casting allows you to automatically transform values into other DTOs, Laravel Collections, arrays, dates, and more.
protected array $casts = [ 'registeredAt' => \Illuminate\Support\Carbon::class, 'profile' => ProfileDTO::class, 'roles' => [RoleDTO::class], 'permissions' => Collection::class . ':' . PermissionDTO::class, ];
Cast Type | Example | Description |
---|---|---|
Scalar | 'string' , 'int' , etc. |
Native PHP type cast |
Single DTO | ProfileDTO::class |
Cast an array to a DTO instance |
Array of DTOs | [RoleDTO::class] |
Cast to array of DTOs |
Collection of DTOs | Collection::class . ':' . CommentDTO::class |
Cast to a Laravel Collection |
Date casting | Carbon::class |
Cast to Carbon/DateTime instance |
✅ Validation
Validate DTOs with Laravel’s validator:
$userDTO->validate(); // Throws ValidationException $userDTO->validate(false); // Returns array of errors (non-throwing) $userDTO->isValid(); // Returns true/false
📤 Serialization
Serialize DTOs for output, API responses, etc.
$userDTO->toArray(); // Recursively converts nested DTOs $userDTO->toJson(); // JSON output (throws on encoding errors)
🛠️ DTO Collection Helper
Create DTO collections directly:
UserDTO::collection([ ['username' => 'john', 'email' => 'john@example.com'], ]);
🧪 Testing
Run the test suite using:
composer test
📚 Credits
📃 License
This package is open-sourced software licensed under the MIT license.