Blade gives you two big levers for keeping views maintainable: @include and Blade components.When should you use one versus the other?Does it matter?In the latest episode of the No Compromises podcast, we lay out a clear heuristic for when to extract markup for organization (includes) versus when to encapsulate and reuse with controlled scope (components).We also touch on scope pitfalls, “passing for documentation,” and why performance worries usually lie elsewhere.Sign up for the free Mastering Laravel newsletter. The highest value-to-time ratio you will find.
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15:55
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15:55
Changing your mind about when() and unless() in Eloquent
Aaron admits he used to wrap every query in plain old if-statements—until Laravel’s when()/unless() helpers (and arrow functions) won him over. He and Joel compare their journeys, debate readability trade-offs, and share guidelines for deciding which style to use. Along the way they discuss false assumptions, evolving “code grammar,” and how tools such as Rector can automate the switch.(00:00) - Intro – refining long-held opinions
(00:45) - Aaron’s original “query-then-if” pattern
(01:45) - Why when() first felt clumsy (closures, scopes, extra params)
(03:45) - Arrow functions & smaller conditions make when() nicer
(05:00) - Joel’s lingering objection: avoiding unless() for readability
(06:45) - Seeing the same helper everywhere changes minds
(08:30) - Takeaways – keep revisiting old habits as Laravel evolves
(09:30) - Silly bit
Want help learning how to more quickly refactor and standardize your app with Rector?
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11:02
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11:02
Finding a code-review style that fits your brain
Joel and Aaron compare two very different ways to tackle pull-requests—reviewing them commit-by-commit or scanning the whole thing at once. They dig into when each approach shines, how “atomic” commits can help (or hurt) reviewers, and why understanding how your teammate’s brain works is a super-power. Along the way they share practical tips for leaving yourself notes, spotting hidden changes, and keeping large refactors under control.(00:00) - The “gift” of a pull request and the pain of huge PRs
(02:30) - Joel’s commit-by-commit strategy and where it helps
(04:50) - Aaron’s Tetris-style holistic review (and leaving self-notes)
(07:45) - When atomic commits backfire and trust becomes a factor
(08:45) - Silly bit
Sign up for the newsletter
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16:20
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16:20
Never take hostages: give clients control from day one
Joel and Aaron explain why every project should start in the client’s own GitHub organization—even when the client has never heard of Git. They share scripts, onboarding tips, and war-stories that show how small setup shortcuts turn into big headaches later. You’ll learn a repeatable way to protect both your reputation and your client’s code base.(00:00) - Intro & episode setup
(01:15) - Create the repo in their org
(02:15) - Quick hack versus right process
(03:30) - Project-setup technical-debt risks
(05:00) - Declaring non-negotiables to clients
(06:45) - Docs that survive “hit-by-bus” events
(08:00) - Solo-dev reputation boosters
(08:45) - Silly bit
Want to level up your skills as a Laravel developer?
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10:55
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10:55
Balancing test coverage without chasing 100 percent
Joel and Aaron unpack how they use code-coverage numbers as a starting signal rather than a finish line. They discuss realistic thresholds, choosing the right tool for each test layer, and why coverage metrics can double as negotiation leverage inside big organizations. Listen in for practical ways to decide what to test—and when to stop.(00:00) - Testing passion vs. shipping work
(01:00) - Coverage tells you what’s missing
(03:45) - Picking a baseline metric that grows
(06:15) - Draw the line between logic and UI tests
(12:45) - Silly bit
Want help getting started with your test coverage? Going from 0% to 1% is the hardest step. We can help!
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