Helper Functions

Global helper functions autoloaded via Composer. Available throughout your application.

Date & Time

diffForHumans

diffForHumans(?string $date): ?string

diffForHumans('2025-01-15');  // "2 months ago"
diffForHumans(null);          // null

ymdDate

ymdDate(?string $date, string $format = 'Y-m-d'): ?string

ymdDate('2025-01-15 14:30:00');          // "2025-01-15"
ymdDate('2025-01-15', 'd/m/Y');          // "15/01/2025"
ymdDate(null);                           // null

dateForReports

dateForReports(?string $date, string $format = 'Y-m-d H:i'): ?string

Returns null on invalid date (doesn't throw).

dateForReports('2025-01-15 14:30:00');   // "2025-01-15 14:30"
dateForReports('invalid');               // null

toFormattedDateString

toFormattedDateString(?string $date): ?string

toFormattedDateString('2025-01-15');     // "January 15, 2025"

toDateString

toDateString(?string $date): ?string

toDateString('2025-01-15 14:30:00');     // "2025-01-15"

toDateTimeString

toDateTimeString(?string $date): ?string

toDateTimeString('2025-01-15 14:30');    // "2025-01-15 14:30:00"

toTimeString

toTimeString(?string $date): ?string

toTimeString('2025-01-15 14:30:00');     // "14:30:00"

Duration

parseTimeToSeconds

parseTimeToSeconds(string $timeString): int|float

Supports H:i:s, i:s, and plain integer seconds.

parseTimeToSeconds('01:30:00');  // 5400
parseTimeToSeconds('30:45');     // 1845
parseTimeToSeconds('120');       // 120

formatDuration

formatDuration(int|float|null $duration, ?string $format = '%y %mo %d %h %m %s', string $separator = ' '): string

Placeholders: %y years, %mo months, %d days, %h hours, %m minutes, %s seconds.

formatDuration(3661);                    // "1h 1m 1s"
formatDuration(90061);                   // "1d 1h 1m 1s"
formatDuration(3661, '%h %m');           // "1h 1m"
formatDuration(3661, '%h %m', '-');      // "1h-1m"
formatDuration(null);                    // "0s"
formatDuration(0);                       // "0s"
formatDuration(-3661);                   // "1h 1m 1s" (absolute)

Filtering & Sorting

filterValue

filterValue(string $key = 'date'): ?string

Reads from ?filters={"key":"value"} query parameter.

// URL: ?filters={"date":"2025-01-15","status":"1"}
filterValue('date');     // "2025-01-15"
filterValue('status');   // "1"
filterValue('missing');  // null

arrayFilters

arrayFilters(array|string|null $data): array<string, mixed>

Converts JSON string or array to filtered array (removes falsy values).

arrayFilters('{"active":1,"name":""}');  // ['active' => 1]
arrayFilters(['a' => 1, 'b' => null]);  // ['a' => 1]
arrayFilters(null);                      // []

flattenArray

flattenArray(array $data, int $depth = 0): array<int|string, mixed>

flattenArray(['a' => [1, 2], 'b' => [3]]);    // [1, 2, 3]
flattenArray(['a' => [1, [2]]], 1);            // [1, [2]]

sortDirection

sortDirection(): string

Returns sort direction from ?descending query parameter.

// ?descending=true  → "ASC"
// ?descending=false → "DESC"

sortBy

sortBy(): array<string>|string|null

Returns sort key(s) from ?sort request parameter.

// ?sort=name          → "name"
// ?sort[]=name&sort[]=id → ["name", "id"]
// (not set)           → null

Utility

uuid

uuid(): UuidInterface

Generate UUID v4 via Str::uuid().

slug

slug(?string $text = null): ?string

slug('Hello World');  // "hello-world"
slug(null);           // null

relativePath

relativePath(string $path): string

Returns path relative to base_path().

relativePath('/var/www/app/Models/Post.php');  // "app/Models/Post.php"

classShortName

classShortName(string $param): ?string

Uses reflection. May throw ReflectionException.

classShortName(App\Models\Post::class);  // "Post"

Introspection

scopeMethods

scopeMethods(object $class): array<string>

Returns all public methods starting with "scope".

scopeMethods(new Post);  // ["scopeActive", "scopePublished", ...]

tableColumns

tableColumns(string|Model $table = 'users'): array<string>

Returns ordered column list: [id, ...sorted middle..., created_at, updated_at, deleted_at].

tableColumns('posts');          // ["id", "active", "desc", ...]
tableColumns(Post::class);     // Same — accepts class-string
tableColumns(new Post);        // Same — accepts model instance

fillableCsv

fillableCsv(string $model): string

fillableCsv(Post::class);  // "name,desc,status,active"
fillableCsv('posts');       // All columns from table (if not a model class)

columnsCsv

columnsCsv(string $model, string $separator = ','): string

columnsCsv(Post::class);        // "id,active,desc,name,..."
columnsCsv(Post::class, '|');   // "id|active|desc|name|..."

Class Discovery

appClasses

appClasses(string $path = 'App', array $excluding = []): array<int, string>

Recursively finds PHP classes in app directory.

appClasses('Models');                                   // ["App\Models\Post", ...]
appClasses('Models', [App\Models\User::class]);         // Excludes User

databaseClasses

databaseClasses(?string $directory = null, array $excluding = []): array<int, string>

Recursively finds PHP classes in database directory.

databaseClasses('seeders');     // ["Database\Seeders\PostSeeder", ...]
databaseClasses();              // All classes in database/