{"id":655,"date":"2025-09-05T11:54:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T11:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1v0.net\/blog\/?p=655"},"modified":"2025-09-05T11:54:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T11:54:25","slug":"how-to-build-a-shopping-cart-in-laravel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1v0.net\/blog\/how-to-build-a-shopping-cart-in-laravel\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Shopping Cart in Laravel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A shopping cart is one of the most common features in e-commerce applications. In Laravel, you can implement it in a clean, modular way using controllers, models, Blade views, and session or database storage. In this guide, we\u2019ll build a minimal yet extensible shopping cart system that supports adding products, updating quantities, removing items, persisting to database (optional), and rendering a clean UI. We\u2019ll also cover validation, middleware guards, and testing to ensure reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Database Setup for Products<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Products should be stored in the database. For simplicity, our cart will use the products<\/code> table.<\/p>\n\n\n

php artisan make:model Product -m<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Bash<\/span> (<\/span>bash<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n
\/\/ database\/migrations\/xxxx_xx_xx_create_products_table.php<\/span>\nSchema::create('products'<\/span>, function<\/span> (Blueprint $table)<\/span> <\/span>{\n    $table->id();\n    $table->string('name'<\/span>);\n    $table->decimal('price'<\/span>, 10<\/span>, 2<\/span>);\n    $table->unsignedInteger('stock'<\/span>)->default(0<\/span>);\n    $table->timestamps();\n});<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Seed your products table with some demo items for testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Session-Based Cart Structure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll store cart items inside the session as an array keyed by product ID:<\/p>\n\n\n
[\n    1<\/span> => ['name'<\/span> => 'Laptop'<\/span>, 'price'<\/span> => 999.99<\/span>, 'quantity'<\/span> => 2<\/span>],\n    3<\/span> => ['name'<\/span> => 'Mouse'<\/span>, 'price'<\/span> => 25.00<\/span>, 'quantity'<\/span> => 1<\/span>],\n]<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
This structure keeps cart operations simple. Later, you can swap to a database-backed cart for authenticated users without changing much logic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Cart Controller & Routes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
\/\/ routes\/web.php<\/span>\nuse<\/span> App<\/span>\\Http<\/span>\\Controllers<\/span>\\CartController<\/span>;\n\nRoute::prefix('cart'<\/span>)->name('cart.'<\/span>)->group(function<\/span> ()<\/span> <\/span>{\n    Route::get('\/'<\/span>, [CartController::class, 'index'<\/span>])->name('index'<\/span>);\n    Route::post('\/add\/{product}'<\/span>, [CartController::class, 'add'<\/span>])->name('add'<\/span>);\n    Route::post('\/update\/{product}'<\/span>, [CartController::class, 'update'<\/span>])->name('update'<\/span>);\n    Route::post('\/remove\/{product}'<\/span>, [CartController::class, 'remove'<\/span>])->name('remove'<\/span>);\n    Route::post('\/clear'<\/span>, [CartController::class, 'clear'<\/span>])->name('clear'<\/span>);\n});<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n
\/\/ app\/Http\/Controllers\/CartController.php<\/span>\nnamespace<\/span> App<\/span>\\Http<\/span>\\Controllers<\/span>;\n\nuse<\/span> App<\/span>\\Models<\/span>\\Product<\/span>;\nuse<\/span> Illuminate<\/span>\\Http<\/span>\\Request<\/span>;\n\nclass<\/span> CartController<\/span> extends<\/span> Controller<\/span>\n<\/span>{\n    public<\/span> function<\/span> index<\/span>(Request $request)<\/span>\n    <\/span>{\n        $cart = $request->session()->get('cart'<\/span>, []);\n        $total = collect($cart)->sum(fn ($item) => $item['price'<\/span>] * $item['quantity'<\/span>]);\n        return<\/span> view('cart.index'<\/span>, compact('cart'<\/span>,'total'<\/span>));\n    }\n\n    public<\/span> function<\/span> add<\/span>(Request $request, Product $product)<\/span>\n    <\/span>{\n        $cart = $request->session()->get('cart'<\/span>, []);\n\n        $qty = (int) $request->input('quantity'<\/span>, 1<\/span>);\n        if<\/span> ($qty < 1<\/span>) $qty = 1<\/span>;\n\n        if<\/span> (isset<\/span>($cart[$product->id])) {\n            $cart[$product->id]['quantity'<\/span>] += $qty;\n        } else<\/span> {\n            $cart[$product->id] = [\n                'name'<\/span> => $product->name,\n                'price'<\/span> => $product->price,\n                'quantity'<\/span> => $qty,\n            ];\n        }\n\n        $request->session()->put('cart'<\/span>, $cart);\n        return<\/span> back()->with('success'<\/span>, 'Product added to cart.'<\/span>);\n    }\n\n    public<\/span> function<\/span> update<\/span>(Request $request, Product $product)<\/span>\n    <\/span>{\n        $cart = $request->session()->get('cart'<\/span>, []);\n        if<\/span> (isset<\/span>($cart[$product->id])) {\n            $cart[$product->id]['quantity'<\/span>] = max(1<\/span>, (int) $request->input('quantity'<\/span>, 1<\/span>));\n            $request->session()->put('cart'<\/span>, $cart);\n        }\n        return<\/span> back()->with('success'<\/span>, 'Cart updated.'<\/span>);\n    }\n\n    public<\/span> function<\/span> remove<\/span>(Request $request, Product $product)<\/span>\n    <\/span>{\n        $cart = $request->session()->get('cart'<\/span>, []);\n        unset<\/span>($cart[$product->id]);\n        $request->session()->put('cart'<\/span>, $cart);\n        return<\/span> back()->with('success'<\/span>, 'Item removed.'<\/span>);\n    }\n\n    public<\/span> function<\/span> clear<\/span>(Request $request)<\/span>\n    <\/span>{\n        $request->session()->forget('cart'<\/span>);\n        return<\/span> back()->with('success'<\/span>, 'Cart cleared.'<\/span>);\n    }\n}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The controller uses session storage to track cart items and provides endpoints for all core operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Blade UI for Cart<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
<!-- resources\/views\/cart\/index.blade.php -->\n<h2>Shopping Cart<\/h2>\n\n@if<\/span>(empty<\/span>($cart))\n    <p>Your cart is empty<\/span>.<\/p>\n@else<\/span>\n    <table>\n        <thead>\n            <tr><th>Product<\/th><th>Qty<\/th><th>Price<\/th><th>Total<\/th><th><\/th><\/tr>\n        <\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n        @foreach<\/span>($cart as<\/span> $id => $item)\n            <tr>\n                <td>{{ $item['name'<\/span>] }}<\/td>\n                <td>\n                    <form method=\"POST\"<\/span> action=\"{{ route('cart.update',$id) }}\"<\/span>>\n                        @csrf\n                        <input type=\"number\"<\/span> name=\"quantity\"<\/span> value=\"{{ $item['quantity'] }}\"<\/span> min=\"1\"<\/span> \/>\n                        <button>Update<\/button>\n                    <\/form>\n                <\/td>\n                <td>${{ number_format($item['price'<\/span>],2<\/span>) }}<\/td>\n                <td>${{ number_format($item['price'<\/span>] * $item['quantity'<\/span>],2<\/span>) }}<\/td>\n                <td>\n                    <form method=\"POST\"<\/span> action=\"{{ route('cart.remove',$id) }}\"<\/span>>\n                        @csrf\n                        <button>Remove<\/button>\n                    <\/form>\n                <\/td>\n            <\/tr>\n        @endforeach<\/span>\n        <\/tbody>\n    <\/table>\n\n    <p><strong>Total:<\/strong> ${{ number_format($total,2<\/span>) }}<\/p>\n\n    <form method=\"POST\"<\/span> action=\"{{ route('cart.clear') }}\"<\/span>> @csrf\n        <button>Clear Cart<\/button>\n    <\/form>\n@endif<\/span><\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The Blade template loops through session items, calculates totals, and offers controls for updating and removing products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Adding to Cart from Product List<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
<!-- resources\/views\/products\/index.blade.php -->\n@foreach<\/span>($products as<\/span> $product)\n    <div>\n        <h3>{{ $product->name }}<\/h3>\n        <p>${{ number_format($product->price,2<\/span>) }}<\/p>\n\n        <form method=\"POST\"<\/span> action=\"{{ route('cart.add',$product) }}\"<\/span>>\n            @csrf\n            <input type=\"number\"<\/span> name=\"quantity\"<\/span> value=\"1\"<\/span> min=\"1\"<\/span> \/>\n            <button>Add to Cart<\/button>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n@endforeach<\/span><\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
This simple UI lets users add products to the cart with quantity input. The form posts to cart.add<\/code>, which handles insertion into the session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Persisting Cart for Authenticated Users<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For logged-in users, you may want to store carts in the database. Create a carts<\/code> table linked to users and move session data into persistent storage on login or checkout. This allows users to resume shopping across devices.<\/p>\n\n\n
Schema::create('carts'<\/span>, function<\/span> (Blueprint $table)<\/span> <\/span>{\n    $table->id();\n    $table->foreignId('user_id'<\/span>)->constrained()->onDelete('cascade'<\/span>);\n    $table->json('items'<\/span>);\n    $table->timestamps();\n});<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Sync session data to the user\u2019s cart record on login or checkout for persistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Testing the Cart<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
\/\/ tests\/Feature\/CartTest.php<\/span>\nuse<\/span> App<\/span>\\Models<\/span>\\Product<\/span>;\nuse<\/span> Tests<\/span>\\TestCase<\/span>;\n\nclass<\/span> CartTest<\/span> extends<\/span> TestCase<\/span>\n<\/span>{\n    public<\/span> function<\/span> test_can_add_product_to_cart<\/span>()<\/span>\n    <\/span>{\n        $product = Product::factory()->create();\n\n        $this<\/span>->post('\/cart\/add\/'<\/span>.$product->id, ['quantity'<\/span> => 2<\/span>])\n            ->assertSessionHas('success'<\/span>);\n\n        $this<\/span>->assertEquals(2<\/span>, session('cart'<\/span>)[$product->id]['quantity'<\/span>]);\n    }\n\n    public<\/span> function<\/span> test_can_update_and_remove_cart_item<\/span>()<\/span>\n    <\/span>{\n        $product = Product::factory()->create();\n\n        $this<\/span>->post('\/cart\/add\/'<\/span>.$product->id);\n        $this<\/span>->post('\/cart\/update\/'<\/span>.$product->id, ['quantity'<\/span> => 5<\/span>]);\n\n        $this<\/span>->assertEquals(5<\/span>, session('cart'<\/span>)[$product->id]['quantity'<\/span>]);\n\n        $this<\/span>->post('\/cart\/remove\/'<\/span>.$product->id);\n        $this<\/span>->assertArrayNotHasKey($product->id, session('cart'<\/span>, []));\n    }\n}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Tests confirm that cart operations work correctly. Extend tests to include edge cases like invalid quantities and stock limits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Wrapping Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We built a minimal shopping cart in Laravel using session storage, complete with add, update, remove, and clear functionality. The Blade UI renders cart contents and totals, and we discussed persisting carts for authenticated users. This foundation can be extended with product stock checks, coupons, checkout workflows, and payment integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Continue building your Laravel e-commerce toolkit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n