Laravel: Where to store global arrays data and constants?

For most constants used globally across the application, storing them in config files is sufficient. It is also pretty simple

Create a new file in the app/config directory. Let's call it constants.php

In there you have to return an array of config values.

return [
    'langs' => [
        'es' => 'www.domain.es',
        'en' => 'www.domain.us'
        // etc
    ]
];

And you can access them as follows

Config::get('constants.langs');
// or if you want a specific one
Config::get('constants.langs.en');

And you can set them as well

Config::set('foo.bar', 'test');

Note that the values you set will not persist. They are only available for the current request.

Update

The config is probably not the right place to store information generated from the database. You could just use an Eloquent Model like:

class Category extends Eloquent {
    // db table 'categories' will be assumed
}

And query all categories

Category::all();

If the whole Model thing for some reason isn't working out you can start thinking about creating your own class and a facade. Or you could just create a class with all static variables and methods and then use it without the facade stuff.

For Constants

Create constants.php file in the config directory:-

define('YOUR_DEFINED_CONST', 'Your defined constant value!');

return [

'your-returned-const' => 'Your returned constant value!'

];

You can use them like:-

echo YOUR_DEFINED_CONST . '<br>';

echo config('constants.your-returned-const');

For Static Arrays

Create static_arrays.php file in the config directory:-

class StaticArray
{

    public static $langs = [
        'es' => 'www.domain.es',
        'en' => 'www.domain.us',
        'uk' => 'www.domain.uk',
        'br' => 'www.domain.br',
        'it' => 'www.domain.it',
        'de' => 'www.domain.de',
        'fr' => 'www.domain.fr'
    ];

}

You can use it like:-

echo StaticArray::$langs['en'];

Note: Laravel includes all config files automatically, so no need of manual include :)

Create common constants file in Laravel

app/constants.php

    define('YOUR_CONSTANT_VAR', 'VALUE');

    //EX
    define('COLOR_TWO', 'red');

composer.json add file location at autoload in composer.json

"autoload": {
    "files": [
        "app/constants.php"
    ]
}

Before this change can take effect, you must run the following command in Terminal to regenerate Laravel’s autoload files:

composer dump-autoload

For global constants in Laravel 5, I don't like calling Config for them. I define them in Route group like this:

// global contants for all requests
Route::group(['prefix' => ''], function() {
    define('USER_ROLE_ADMIN','1');
    define('USER_ROLE_ACCOUNT','2');
});

I think the best way is to use localization.

Create a new file messages.php in resources/lang/en (en because that is what is set in my config/app 'locale'=>'en') return an array of all your values

return [
    'welcome' => 'Welcome to our application'
];

to retrieve for laravel 5.3 and below

echo trans('messages.welcome');

or

echo Lang::get('messages.welcome');

for 5.4 use

echo __('messages.welcome') 

laravel 5.0 localization

or

laravel 5.4 localization

Just to add to the above answer you will have to include the config class before you could start using it in Laravel 5.3

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Config;

Atleast in Laravel 5.4, in your constructor you can create them;

public function __construct()
{
  \Config::set('privileged', array('user1','user2');
  \Config::set('SomeOtherConstant', 'my constant');     
}     

Then you can call them like this in your methods;

\Config::get('privileged');

Especially useful for static methods in the Model, etc...

Reference on Laracasts.com https://laracasts.com/discuss/channels/general-discussion/class-apphttpcontrollersconfig-not-found

Just put a file constants.php file into the config directory and define your constants in that file, that file will be auto loaded, Tested in Laravel 6+

Create a constants class:

<?php
    
    namespace App\Support;
    
    class Constants {
        /* UNITS */
        public const UNIT_METRIC = 0;
        public const UNIT_IMPERIAL = 1;
        public const UNIT_DEFAULT = UNIT_METRIC;
    
    }

Then use it in your model, controller, whatever:

<?php

namespace App\Models;

use App\Support\Constants;

class Model
{
  public function units()
  {
      return Constants::UNIT_DEFAULT;
  }
}