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What is the InteractsWithData trait?

Illuminate\Support\Traits\InteractsWithData is a trait that groups common APIs for array-like input data. The trait itself requires only two abstract methods: all() and data(). Each class provides its own data retrieval logic. In return, the trait gives you many high-frequency methods:
  • Presence checks: has(), hasAny(), exists(), missing()
  • Emptiness checks: filled(), isNotFilled(), anyFilled()
  • Conditional execution: whenHas(), whenFilled(), whenMissing()
  • Extraction: only(), except()
  • Type conversion: string(), boolean(), integer(), float(), date(), enum(), collect()

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Relationship to Request methods

Illuminate\Http\Request from the request() helper uses InteractsWithData through Concerns\InteractsWithInput. So everyday input access patterns are provided through this trait: 
$search = request()->input('search');

if (request()->has('search')) {
    $filters = request()->only(['search', 'status']);
}

$payload = request()->except(['_token']);
Request::get() is a Symfony-compatible method defined in the Request class itself. In Laravel 13 source code, it is explicitly marked @deprecated use ->input() instead, so input() is the recommended method. 
$legacy = request()->get('search');  // Compatibility method (prefer input())

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Main implementations in Laravel core

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Classes that directly use InteractsWithData

ClassPurpose
Illuminate\Http\Concerns\InteractsWithInputInput access API for Request
Illuminate\Support\ValidatedInputWrapper for return values of validated() / safe()
Illuminate\Support\FluentFluent access to settings and arbitrary attributes
Illuminate\Support\UriQueryStringQuery string operations for Uri
Illuminate\View\ComponentAttributeBagOperations on Blade component attributes
  • Illuminate\Session\Store implements similar APIs such as has(), get(), only(), and except() independently
  • Illuminate\Validation\Concerns\ValidatesAttributes provides validation judgment logic and is intentionally separate from input access APIs

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Relationship between the trait and core classes

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Add it to your package classes

InteractsWithData fits package classes that store input arrays and should expose Laravel-style access APIs.
1

Create a data container class

namespace Vendor\Package\Support;

use Illuminate\Support\Arr;
use Illuminate\Support\Traits\InteractsWithData;

class OptionBag
{
    use InteractsWithData;

    /**
     * @param  array<string, mixed>  $items
     */
    public function __construct(
        protected array $items = [],
    ) {}

    public function all($keys = null): array
    {
        if (! $keys) {
            return $this->items;
        }

        $result = [];

        $keyList = is_array($keys) ? $keys : [$keys];

        foreach ($keyList as $key) {
            Arr::set($result, $key, Arr::get($this->items, $key));
        }

        return $result;
    }

    protected function data($key = null, $default = null): mixed
    {
        return data_get($this->items, $key, $default);
    }
}
2

Read values safely with typed accessors

$options = new OptionBag([
    'feature.enabled' => 'true',
    'retry.max' => '5',
    'channels' => ['mail', 'slack'],
]);

$enabled = $options->boolean('feature.enabled'); // true
$retryMax = $options->integer('retry.max');      // 5
$channels = $options->collect('channels');       // Collection
$public = $options->except(['secret']);          // Excludes "secret"

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Practical use cases

  • Option bags for external API clients
  • Normalization layers for webhook payloads
  • Configuration override resolver classes in packages
If you implement only all() and data(), you avoid rebuilding input access APIs repeatedly and lower maintenance cost.
Last modified on April 23, 2026