How to Include JavaScript in Laravel 11: A Step-by-Step Guide for All Scenarios

In Laravel 11, adding JavaScript to your project can be a breeze, thanks to Vite, the default asset bundler. Here’s how to set up your JavaScript for all kinds of scenarios, from global inclusion to conditional loading in specific views.

1. Including JavaScript in All Files

In many cases, you may want to include JavaScript globally across your Laravel application. Here’s how to organize and bundle JavaScript for universal inclusion.

Step 1: Place Your JavaScript File

1. Location: Store JavaScript files in the resources/js directory. For example, if your file is named custom.js, save it as resources/js/custom.js.
2. Organize: For complex projects with multiple JavaScript files, you can organize them within subdirectories in resources/js, such as resources/js/modules/custom.js.

Step 2: Compile JavaScript with Vite

Laravel 11 uses Vite for managing assets. To configure it to bundle your JavaScript:

1. Include in app.js: Open resources/js/app.js and import your custom file:

   import './custom.js';

1. Direct Import in Views: Alternatively, if you only want the JavaScript in certain views, you can use the @vite directive in the Blade template:

   @vite('resources/js/custom.js')

Step 3: Configure vite.config.js

Ensure vite.config.js is set to handle @vite imports correctly. By default, it should look something like this:

import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
import laravel from 'laravel-vite-plugin';

export default defineConfig({
    plugins: [
        laravel({
            input: ['resources/js/app.js'],
            refresh: true,
        }),
    ],
});

Step 4: Run Vite

To compile your assets with Vite:

• For development: run npm run dev
• For production: run npm run build

Step 5: Load JavaScript in Blade Templates

To include JavaScript files in your templates, use the @vite directive:

    
    @vite('resources/js/app.js')


    

Summary

• Store JavaScript files in resources/js.
• Import in app.js for global inclusion or include directly in Blade templates as needed.
• Compile assets using Vite.
• Use @vite in Blade templates to load JavaScript.

With this setup, JavaScript will be available site-wide in a Laravel 11 project.

2. Understanding Blade Rendering Order

When including JavaScript conditionally in specific views, it’s essential to understand the order in which Blade templates are rendered.

In Laravel, layouts are processed first, followed by individual views and partials. Here’s the rendering process:

1. The layout is rendered first, with placeholders (@yield and @section) created for content injection.
2. Child views or partials are processed next, with their content inserted into the layout placeholders.

Due to this order, if you want to conditionally add JavaScript files in the layout based on child view content, standard variable checks won’t work. You’ll need to use Blade’s @stack and @push directives for more flexible handling of page-specific JavaScript.

3. Conditionally Including JavaScript in Specific Views Using Stack and Push

For adding JavaScript to specific views, Laravel's @stack and @push directives offer an efficient solution, allowing you to conditionally include scripts in the layout.

Step 1: Define a Stack in Your Layout

In your layout, create a stack for page-specific scripts:

    
    @vite('resources/js/app.js')
    @stack('scripts') 


    @yield('content')

Step 2: Push Scripts from Child Views

In the specific Blade file that needs the JavaScript, push to the scripts stack:

@extends('layout')

@section('content')
    
@endsection

@push('scripts')
    @vite('resources/js/custom.js')
@endpush

With this setup, custom.js will only be included when that specific view is loaded. This method provides a clean solution that works with Laravel’s rendering order, ensuring that JavaScript files are conditionally included as needed.

Where To Declare @push?

The placement of @push statements in a Blade view matters primarily for readability and order of execution. Here’s how to use @push effectively:

1. Placement in the View: While you can place @push anywhere in a Blade view, it’s a best practice to put it at the end of the file, usually after @section content. This keeps script-related code separate from the main content, improving readability and maintainability.

   @extends('layout')

   @section('content')
       
   @endsection

   @push('scripts')
       @vite('resources/js/custom.js')
   @endpush

1. Order of Multiple @push Statements: If you have multiple @push declarations for the same stack (e.g., @push('scripts')), they will be appended in the order they appear in the view. For example:

   @push('scripts')
       
   @endpush

   @push('scripts')
       
   @endpush

In this case, script1.js will load before script2.js because @push adds content to the stack in the order it’s declared.

1. Using @push in Partials and Components: @push can also be used in Blade partials (e.g., @include) or Blade components. This is useful for including view-specific scripts or styles directly within reusable components, making it easy to manage dependencies.

   
   

       
   

   @push('scripts')
       @vite('resources/js/partial-specific.js')
   @endpush

When this partial is included in a view, partial-specific.js will be added to the scripts stack in the layout file.

1. Control the Order with @prepend: If specific scripts need to load before others in the same stack, you can use @prepend instead of @push. @prepend places content at the beginning of the stack, allowing greater control over the load order.

   @prepend('scripts')
       
   @endprepend

   @push('scripts')
       
   @endpush

Here, critical.js will load before non_critical.js, regardless of their placement in the Blade file.

Key Takeaways

• Place @push at the end of views for clarity and maintainability.
• Order is determined by placement within the view, with earlier @push statements loading first.
• @push works in partials and components, making it easy to include view-specific dependencies.
• Use @prepend for scripts that need to load first in the same stack.

4. Alternative: Using Inline Conditional Statements in the Layout

If you need finer control over when JavaScript is included, Laravel's conditional statements allow for route- or variable-based logic directly in the layout.

Conditionally Include Based on Route

You can use route checks directly in the layout to include JavaScript based on the current route:

@if (request()->routeIs('some.route.name'))
    @vite('resources/js/custom.js')
@endif

Conditionally Include Based on a Variable

To conditionally load scripts based on variables, you can set a flag in the controller or child view, then check for it in the layout:

1. In your controller:

   return view('your.view', ['loadCustomJS' => true]);

1. In the layout:

   @if (!empty($loadCustomJS))
       @vite('resources/js/custom.js')
   @endif

This approach allows you to control JavaScript loading based on specific variables or routes, providing flexibility for custom page setups.

Summary

Here’s a quick overview of the methods discussed:

• Global Inclusion: Place JavaScript in app.js and include it globally using @vite.
• Conditional Inclusion with Stack and Push: Use @stack and @push directives for flexible, modular script handling, which ensures scripts are only loaded in views where they are needed.
• Conditional Statements in Layout: Use route-based checks or controller variables to conditionally load JavaScript directly in the layout.

These options allow you to control JavaScript loading precisely, making your Laravel 11 project efficient and maintainable.