Filament v5
Build powerful Laravel admin panels using Filament v5's server-driven UI with Schemas and Livewire v4 reactivity.
Overview
Filament v5 is a Laravel admin panel framework that provides complete CRUD interfaces, forms, tables, and dashboard components through a declarative PHP API. Built on Livewire v4, it offers real-time reactivity without writing JavaScript.
Key Concepts
- PanelProvider: Central configuration class defining your admin panel
- Resources: Automatic CRUD interfaces for Eloquent models
- Schemas: Declarative UI components (forms, tables, infolists)
- Actions: Interactive buttons with modals and backend logic
- Widgets: Dashboard components for data visualization
System Requirements
- Laravel 11.28+
- PHP 8.2+
- Livewire v4
- Node.js 18+
- Tailwind CSS v4.1+
Installation
Install Filament via Composer and scaffold a panel:
composer require filament/filament:"^5.0" -W
php artisan filament:install --scaffold
npm install && npm run dev
php artisan make:filament-user
This creates the panel provider, directory structure, and assets needed to start building.
Directory Structure
app/
Filament/
Resources/ # CRUD resources with forms and tables
Pages/ # Custom pages
Widgets/ # Dashboard widgets
Providers/
Filament/
AdminPanelProvider.php
Core Concepts
Panel Configuration
The PanelProvider is the entry point for your admin panel. It configures:
- Identity: ID, path, branding (name, logo, colors)
- Discovery: Auto-discovery of resources, pages, and widgets
- Middleware: Session, authentication, and custom middleware
- Tenancy: Multi-tenant configuration for SaaS applications
Resources
Resources provide complete CRUD interfaces through:
- Forms: Schema-based forms with 20+ field types (TextInput, Select, DatePicker, FileUpload, RichEditor, etc.)
- Tables: Data tables with columns, filters, sorting, and actions
- Pages: Automatic generation of List, Create, Edit, and View pages
- Relations: Relation managers for handling model relationships
Forms
Forms use a schema-based approach where you declare fields as PHP objects:
- Input Fields: Text, select, checkbox, toggle, date/time pickers
- Media: File and image uploads with validation
- Complex Fields: Rich text editors, repeaters, builders
- Layout: Grids, sections, tabs, and wizards
- Validation: Built-in Laravel validation rules
Tables
Tables display data with extensive customization:
- Columns: Text, badges, icons, images, colors
- Filters: Select, ternary, and custom filter logic
- Actions: Per-row actions, bulk actions, header actions
- Features: Search, sorting, pagination, grouping
Actions
Actions are interactive buttons that trigger:
- Modals: Form dialogs for data collection
- Confirmation: Destructive action confirmation
- Wizards: Multi-step processes
- Notifications: User feedback after completion
Widgets
Dashboard widgets include:
- Stats Overview: Metric cards with trends and sparklines
- Charts: Line, bar, pie charts using Chart.js
- Tables: Data tables for recent records
Testing
Filament uses Pest PHP with Livewire testing helpers:
- Page Testing: List, create, edit, view page functionality
- Form Testing: Validation, state management, submission
- Table Testing: Search, filters, sorting, actions
- Authorization Testing: Access control and permissions
Authorization
Access control through:
- Panel Access: FilamentUser contract for panel-level access
- Policies: Laravel policies for resource-level permissions
- Field Visibility: Show/hide fields based on user roles
- Multi-Tenancy: Tenant isolation for SaaS applications
Architecture Patterns
Server-Driven UI
Filament uses a server-driven approach where the backend defines the UI structure through schemas. The PHP code describes forms, tables, and layouts which Filament renders as Livewire components.
Schema System
Schemas are PHP configuration objects that define:
- Form fields and their validation rules
- Table columns and their formatting
- Layout containers (grids, sections, tabs)
- Action definitions and their behavior
Livewire Integration
All components mount as Livewire components, providing:
- Real-time reactivity without page reloads
- Automatic state management
- Event handling and AJAX updates
- Form validation with instant feedback
Resource-First Design
The framework encourages a resource-first approach:
- Define your Eloquent models
- Create resources that map to those models
- Configure forms and tables for each resource
- Add actions and widgets as needed
Command Reference
| Command |
Purpose |
filament:install --scaffold |
Install Filament with panel scaffolding |
make:filament-resource |
Create CRUD resource |
make:filament-page |
Create custom page |
make:filament-widget |
Create dashboard widget |
make:filament-panel |
Create additional panel |
make:filament-user |
Create admin user |
make:filament-relation-manager |
Create relation manager |
filament:cache-components |
Cache for production |
Detailed Documentation
Reference Guides
Comprehensive documentation for each component:
- Forms - All form components, validation rules, layouts, and conditional logic
- Tables - Column types, filters, actions, and table configuration
- Resources - CRUD resources, relation managers, infolists, and global search
- Infolists - Read-only data display components (TextEntry, ImageEntry, IconEntry)
- Widgets - Stats overview, charts, and table widgets
- Actions - Modal actions, notifications, action groups, and wizards
- Notifications - Flash messages, database, and broadcast notifications
- Schemas - Schema system, layouts, and component organization
- Testing - Pest testing patterns for resources, forms, tables, and authorization
- Authorization - Access control, policies, roles, and multi-tenancy
Code Examples
See examples.md for complete working code examples including:
- Complete resource implementations
- Form configurations
- Table setups
- Widget configurations
- Test suites
- Authorization patterns
Best Practices
Performance
- Use
getEloquentQuery() to eager load relationships and prevent N+1 queries
- Enable component caching in production with
filament:cache-components
- Limit pagination options and use deferred loading for large datasets
- Cache expensive calculations in widgets
Security
- Always implement the FilamentUser contract for panel access control
- Use Laravel policies for resource-level authorization
- Validate all input with appropriate form rules
- Never skip authorization in production environments
- Implement proper tenant isolation for multi-tenant applications
Code Organization
- Organize by feature:
app/Filament/Admin/Resources/
- Extract complex forms and tables to separate classes
- Create reusable form components for common patterns
- Keep resources focused on single responsibility
- Use dedicated pages for non-CRUD functionality
Testing
- Test all CRUD operations for each resource
- Validate form validation rules with multiple scenarios
- Test table features: search, filters, sorting, actions
- Verify authorization with different user roles
- Use factories to create realistic test data
When to Use Filament
Filament is ideal for:
- Admin Panels: Back-office interfaces for managing application data
- CMS: Content management systems with rich editing capabilities
- CRM: Customer relationship management tools
- E-commerce: Product, order, and inventory management
- SaaS Applications: Multi-tenant admin interfaces
- Internal Tools: Business process management and data entry
Additional Resources
Version: 1.0.0
License: MIT
Compatibility: Laravel 11+, PHP 8.2+, Livewire v4
