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
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