Creating Notifications

Create multi-channel notifications that send via email and database.

Quick Start

# Generate notification class
./vendor/bin/sail artisan make:notification BookingConfirmedNotification

Implementation Steps

1. Define Notification Class

<?php

namespace App\Notifications;

use App\Models\Booking;
use Illuminate\Bus\Queueable;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Queue\ShouldQueue;
use Illuminate\Notifications\Messages\MailMessage;
use Illuminate\Notifications\Notification;

class BookingConfirmedNotification extends Notification implements ShouldQueue
{
    use Queueable;

    public function __construct(
        public Booking $booking
    ) {
    }

    public function via(object $notifiable): array
    {
        return ['mail', 'database'];
    }

    public function toMail(object $notifiable): MailMessage
    {
        return (new MailMessage())
            ->subject('Booking Confirmed: ' . $this->booking->reference)
            ->greeting('Hello ' . $notifiable->name . '!')
            ->line('Your booking has been confirmed.')
            ->line('**Reference:** ' . $this->booking->reference)
            ->action('View Booking', url('/admin/bookings/' . $this->booking->id))
            ->line('Thank you for using Volare!');
    }

    public function toArray(object $notifiable): array
    {
        return [
            'title' => 'Booking Confirmed',
            'message' => 'Booking ' . $this->booking->reference . ' confirmed.',
            'booking_id' => $this->booking->id,
            'reference' => $this->booking->reference,
        ];
    }
}

2. Choose When to Send

From Observer:

use App\Notifications\BookingConfirmedNotification;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Notification;

public function updated(Booking $booking): void
{
    if ($booking->isDirty('status') && $booking->status === BookingStatus::Confirmed) {
        $user = $booking->user;
        $user->notify(new BookingConfirmedNotification($booking));
    }
}

From Controller/Service:

$user->notify(new BookingConfirmedNotification($booking));

To Multiple Users:

$users = User::role(Role::Admin->value)->get();
Notification::send($users, new BookingConfirmedNotification($booking));

3. Test the Notification

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Notification;

it('sends notification when booking is confirmed', function (): void {
    Notification::fake();

    $user = User::factory()->create();
    $booking = Booking::factory()->create(['user_id' => $user->id]);

    $booking->update(['status' => BookingStatus::Confirmed]);

    Notification::assertSentTo($user, BookingConfirmedNotification::class);
});

it('notification contains booking details', function (): void {
    Notification::fake();

    $user = User::factory()->create();
    $booking = Booking::factory()->create([
        'user_id' => $user->id,
        'reference' => 'BK12345',
    ]);

    $user->notify(new BookingConfirmedNotification($booking));

    Notification::assertSentTo($user, BookingConfirmedNotification::class, function ($notification) use ($booking, $user) {
        $data = $notification->toArray($user);
        return $data['booking_id'] === $booking->id
            && $data['reference'] === 'BK12345';
    });
});

it('sends via mail and database channels', function (): void {
    Notification::fake();

    $user = User::factory()->create();
    $booking = Booking::factory()->create(['user_id' => $user->id]);

    $user->notify(new BookingConfirmedNotification($booking));

    Notification::assertSentTo($user, BookingConfirmedNotification::class, function ($notification, $channels) {
        return in_array('mail', $channels) && in_array('database', $channels);
    });
});

Best Practices

Always Queue Notifications

Implement ShouldQueue to prevent blocking:

class MyNotification extends Notification implements ShouldQueue
{
    use Queueable;
}

Queue worker must be running:

./vendor/bin/sail artisan queue:work

Use Both Channels

Always provide mail and database channels:

public function via(object $notifiable): array
{
    return ['mail', 'database'];
}

Email for external delivery
Database for in-app notification bell

Pass Models as Constructor Properties

Use constructor property promotion:

public function __construct(
    public Booking $booking,
    public Offer $offer
) {
}

Models are serialized for queue, relationships preserved.

Format Email Content

Use MailMessage fluent interface:

return (new MailMessage())
    ->subject('Clear, specific subject')
    ->greeting('Hello ' . $notifiable->name . '!')
    ->line('First line of content')
    ->line('**Bold:** for emphasis')
    ->action('Action Button Text', $url)
    ->line('Closing line');

Return Structured Database Data

Provide specific fields for Filament notification panel:

public function toArray(object $notifiable): array
{
    return [
        'title' => 'Short Title',           // Required
        'message' => 'Brief message',       // Required
        'record_id' => $this->model->id,   // Optional
        'type' => 'booking',                // Optional
        // Additional context fields...
    ];
}

Test Comprehensively

Test notifications with:

Recipient selection logic
Channel verification (mail + database)
Data payload validation
Multiple recipient scenarios

Use Notification::fake() to avoid actual sending.

Recipient Patterns

Single User

$user->notify(new MyNotification($model));

Multiple Users (Collection)

Notification::send($users, new MyNotification($model));

Query-Based Recipients

$admins = User::role(Role::Admin->value)->get();
Notification::send($admins, new MyNotification($model));

Merge and Deduplicate

$admins = User::role(Role::Admin->value)->get();
$suppliers = User::where('supplier_id', $supplierId)->get();
$recipients = $admins->merge($suppliers)->unique('id');

Notification::send($recipients, new MyNotification($model));

Local Testing

Use Mailpit

Web UI: http://localhost:8025

View all sent emails without actual delivery.

See: Mailpit Setup

Test Command

# Send test notification
./vendor/bin/sail artisan notification:test user@example.com

Troubleshooting

Notifications not sending:

Queue worker running? sail artisan queue:work
Check logs: storage/logs/laravel.log
Verify MAIL_* env vars

Email not received:

Check Mailpit UI (http://localhost:8025)
Verify via() includes ‘mail’
Check queue failed jobs table

Database notifications missing:

Verify via() includes ‘database’
Check notifications table directly
User must be Notifiable (default on User model)