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How to create a comment system using Laravel Livewire: Part 1
PHP Laravel Livewire

How to create a comment system using Laravel Livewire: Part 1

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By Nihar Ranjan Das, Published on June 6th 2023 | 20 mins, 1933 words

When I first watch a Livewire tutorial on Youtube, I was just surprised. I saw a form submit without page refresh and without any JavaScript code. Then I start learning about Livewire Laravel. And I loved it so much, while I learning it.

In this article, I will show you, how we can create a comment system using Laravel Livewire. Let's dive deep and explore.


Install Livewire into Laravel

Run the bellow code and install Livewire into Laravel

composer require livewire/livewire

Then Include the style in the head section and the scripts before the end of the body section. 

<head>
    ...
    @livewireStyles
</head>
<body>
    ...
 
    @livewireScripts
</body>
</html>
If you want to use the livewire for only the comment system, then add those styles & scripts to the target page 

The full layout of the comment system

Database Schema

For the comment system, we will use MySQL and we need three tables. 

  • users table
  • posts table
  • comments table

For those tables, we need three models also in the model's folder

  • User.php
  • Post.php
  • Comment.php

In this system, a post has multiple comments also a user has multiple comments. A comment belongs to a post and a user. There will be multiple replies to a comment also.

Let's make the relationships in the models.

In User model

// app/Models/User.php

public function comments(): HasMany
{
    return $this->hasMany(Comment::class);
}


In Post model

// app/Models/Post.php

public function comments(): HasMany
{
    return $this->hasMany(Comment::class);
}


In Comment model

// app/Models/Comment.php

public function user(): BelongsTo
{
    return $this->belongsTo(User::class);
}

public function replies(): HasMany
{
    return $this->hasMany(Comment::class, 'parent_id');
}

public function parentComment(): BelongsTo
{
    return $this->belongsTo(Comment::class, 'parent_id');
}

public function post(): BelongsTo
{
    return $this->belongsTo(Post::class);
}


Create Livewire Components

 Generate a new Livewire component called Comments by running the following command.

php artisan make:livewire Comments

The following command will generate two files

// app/Http/Livewire/Comments.php

namespace App\Http\Livewire;
 
use Livewire\Component;
 
class Counter extends Component
{
    public function render()
    {
        return view('livewire.comments');
    }
}


// resources/views/livewire/comments.blade.php

<div>
    ...
</div>

We also need two more Livewire components for the comment system

// For comment create form
php artisan make:livewire CommentCreate

// For comment single item
php artisan make:livewire CommentItem

Let's add some HTML to the generated views and some code to the generated classes for the comment system

All Livewire components MUST have a single root element

Comments Component

Here is the full code of the Comment component. The see the code description click here.

// app/Http/Livewire/Comments.php

namespace App\Http\Livewire;
 
use App\Models\Comment;
use App\Models\Post;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Collection;
use Livewire\Component;
 
class Comments extends Component
{
    public Post $post;
    public Collection $comments;

    public $listeners = [
        'commentCreated' => 'commentCreated',
        'commentDeleted' => 'commentDeleted',
    ];

    public function mount(Post $post)
    {
        $this->post = $post;
        $this->comments = $this->getComments();
    }

    public function render()
    {
        $comments = $this->comments;
        return view('livewire.comments', compact('comments'));
    }

    public function commentCreated(int $id)
    {
        $comment = Comment::query()->find($id);
        if (!$comment->parent_id) {
            $this->comments = $this->comments->prepend($comment);
        }
    }

    public function commentDeleted(int $id)
    {
        $this->comments = $this->comments->reject(function ($comment, int $key) use ($id) {
            return $comment->id == $id;
        });
    }

    private function getComments(): Collection|array
    {
        return Comment::query()
            ->with([
               'user',
               'replies'
            ])
            ->where('post_id', $this->post->id)
            ->whereNull('parent_id')
            ->orderByDesc('created_at')
            ->get();
    }
}


// resources/views/livewire/comments.blade.php

<div class="w-full">
    <p class="mb-4"><span>{{ $comments->count() > 0 ? $comments->count() : '' }}</span> Comments</p>
    <livewire:comment-create :post-id="$post->id" />

    <div>
        @if($comments->count() > 0)
            @foreach($comments as $comment)
                <livewire:comment-item wire:key="{{ $comment->id }}" :comment="$comment" />
            @endforeach
        @endif
    </div>
</div>


Comment Form Component

This is the code of the Comment Create form component. The see the code description click here.

// app/Http/Livewire/CommentCreate.php

namespace App\Http\Livewire;
 
use App\Models\Comment;
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
use Livewire\Component;
 
class CommentCreate extends Component
{
    public ?User $user = null;
    public ?Comment $commentModel = null;
    public string $comment = '';
    public int $postId;
    public ?int $parentId = null;
    public ?string $message = null;
    public bool $showProfile = true;

    protected array $rules = [
        'comment' => 'required|string'
    ];

    protected array $messages = [
        'comment.required' => 'Comment is required',
        'comment.string' => 'Invalid comment',
    ];

    public function mount(
        int $postId,
        $commentModel = null,
        ?int $parentId = null,
        bool $showProfile = true
    )
    {
        if (Auth::check()) {
            $this->user = Auth::user();
        }
        $this->postId = $postId;
        $this->parentId = $parentId;
        $this->commentModel = $commentModel;
        $this->comment = $this->commentModel?->comment ?? '';
        $this->showProfile = $showProfile;
    }

    public function resetForm()
    {
        $this->comment = '';
        $this->parentId = null;
        $this->commentModel = null;
        $this->emitUp('hideCommentForm');
    }

    public function createComment()
    {
        $this->validate();
        if (!\auth()->check()) {
             return $this->redirect(route('login'));
        }
        if ($this->commentModel && $this->commentModel->comment) {
             if ($this->user->id != $this->commentModel->user_id) {
                  return response('You are allowed to perform this action.')->status(403);
             }
             $this->commentModel->comment = $this->comment;
             $this->commentModel->save();
             $this->emitUp('commentUpdated');
        } else {
            Comment::query()
               ->create([
                   'comment' => $this->comment,
                   'post_id' => $this->postId,
                   'user_id' => $this->user->id,
                   'parent_id' => $this->parentId
               ]);
            $this->emitUp('commentCreated', $comment->id);
        }

        $this->comment = '';
    }

    public function render()
    {
        return view('livewire.comment-create');
    }
}


// resources/views/livewire/comment-create.blade.php

<div>
    <form wire:submit.prevent="createComment" x-data="{
    focused: {{ $parentId ? 'true' : 'false' }},
    isEdit: {{ $commentModel ? 'true' : 'false' }},
    init() {
        if (this.isEdit || this.focused) {
            this.$refs.input.focus();
        }
        $wire.on('closeCommentBoxFromCreate', () => {
            this.focused = false;
        })
        $wire.on('hideCommentForm', () => {
            this.focused = false;
            this.isEdit = false;
        })
    }
    }">
        <div class="flex items-start gap-2 justify-start">
            @if($showProfile)
                <div class="overflow-hidden rounded-full w-8 h-8">
                    <img class="object-cover aspect-[3/3]" src="{{ asset($user ? "storage/$user->avatar" : 'images/default-user.png') }}" alt="{{ $user ? $user->name : 'Default avatar' }}">
                </div>
            @endif
            <div class="flex-1">
                <textarea
                    x-ref="input"
                    name="comment"
                    @click="focused = true"
                    id="comment"
                    wire:model.lazy="comment"
                    placeholder="Write a comment..."
                    class="block w-full border-0 px-3.5 py-2 text-gray-900 shadow-sm ring-1 ring-inset ring-gray-300 placeholder:text-gray-400 focus:ring-2 focus:ring-inset sm:text-sm sm:leading-6 font-medium transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out"
                    :rows="focused || isEdit ? 4 : 1"></textarea>
                @error('comment')
                    <x-input-error class="mt-2 text-sm" :messages="$message" />
                @enderror
            </div>
        </div>
        <div class="text-right mt-4 {{ strlen($comment) > 0 ? 'block' : 'hidden' }}">
            <button type="submit" class="inline-flex items-center px-4 py-2 bg-gray-800 border border-transparent font-semibold text-xs text-white uppercase tracking-widest hover:bg-gray-700 focus:bg-gray-700 active:bg-gray-900 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-indigo-500 focus:ring-offset-2 transition ease-in-out duration-150">Post</button>
            <button wire:click="resetForm" type="button" class="inline-flex items-center px-4 py-2 border border-transparent font-semibold text-xs text-gray-800 uppercase tracking-widest hover:text-gray-700 focus:text-gray-700 active:text-gray-900 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-indigo-500 focus:ring-offset-2 transition ease-in-out duration-150">Cancel</button>
        </div>
    </form>
</div>


Single Comment Component

This is the code of single comment box component. The see the code description click here.

// app/Http/Livewire/CommentItem.php

namespace App\Http\Livewire;
 
use App\Models\Comment;
use Livewire\Component;
 
class CommentItem extends Component
{
    public Comment $comment;
    public bool $replying = false;
    public bool $editing = false;

    public $listeners = [
        'commentUpdated'   => 'commentUpdated',
        'commentCreated'   => 'commentCreated',
        'hideCommentForm'  => 'hideCommentForm'
    ];

    public function mount(Comment $comment)
    {
        $this->comment = $comment;
    }

    public function render()
    {
        return view('livewire.comment-item');
    }

    public function startReplying()
    {
        $this->replying = true;
        $this->editing = false;
    }

    public function cancelReplying()
    {
        $this->replying = false;
    }

    private function commentUpdated()
    {
        $this->editing = false;
    }

    public function hideCommentForm()
    {
        $this->cancelReplying();
        $this->cancelEditing();
    }

    public function deleteComment()
    {
        $user = auth()->user();
        if (!$user) {
            return $this->redirect(route('login'));
        }
        if ($user->id != $this->comment->user_id) {
            return response('You are allowed to perform this action.')->status(403);
        }

        $id = $this->comment->id;
        $this->comment->delete();

        $this->emitUp('commentDeleted', $id);
    }

    private function commentCreated(int $replyId)
    {
        $this->cancelReplying();
    }
}


// resources/views/livewire/comment-item.blade.php
<div>
    <div class="flex items-start gap-4 justify-start mt-4">
        <div class="overflow-hidden rounded-full w-8 h-8">
            <img class="object-cover aspect-[3/3]" src="{{ asset($comment->user->avatar ?? 'assets/default-user.png') }}" alt="{{ $comment->user->name }}">
        </div>
        <div class="flex-1">
            <div class="">
                <div>
                    <div class="flex items-center justify-start gap-1">
                        <h3 class="font-semibold">{{ $comment->user->name }}</h3>
                        <span>-</span>
                        <p class="text-xs">{{ $comment->getFormattedDate() }}</p>
                    </div>
                    @if($editing)
                        <livewire:comment-create
                            wire:key="'edit-'.$comment->id"
                            :post-id="$comment->post_id"
                            :comment-model="$comment"
                            :show-profile="false" />
                    @else
                        <p class="text-sm">
                            {{ $comment->comment }}
                        </p>
                    @endif
                    <div class="flex items-center justify-start gap-4">
                        <p wire:click.prevent="startReplying" class="flex items-center uppercase text-[10px] cursor-pointer font-semibold transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out hover:underline">
                            <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="currentColor" class="w-[13px] h-[13px]">
                                <path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M2 10c0-3.967 3.69-7 8-7 4.31 0 8 3.033 8 7s-3.69 7-8 7a9.165 9.165 0 01-1.504-.123 5.976 5.976 0 01-3.935 1.107.75.75 0 01-.584-1.143 3.478 3.478 0 00.522-1.756C2.979 13.825 2 12.025 2 10z" clip-rule="evenodd" />
                            </svg>
                            <span class="ml-1">Reply</span>
                        </p>

                        @if(auth()->check() && auth()->id() == $comment->user_id)
                            <p wire:click.prevent="startCommentEdit" class="flex items-center uppercase text-[10px] cursor-pointer font-semibold transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out hover:underline">
                                <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="currentColor" class="w-[13px] h-[13px]">
                                    <path d="M5.433 13.917l1.262-3.155A4 4 0 017.58 9.42l6.92-6.918a2.121 2.121 0 013 3l-6.92 6.918c-.383.383-.84.685-1.343.886l-3.154 1.262a.5.5 0 01-.65-.65z" />
                                    <path d="M3.5 5.75c0-.69.56-1.25 1.25-1.25H10A.75.75 0 0010 3H4.75A2.75 2.75 0 002 5.75v9.5A2.75 2.75 0 004.75 18h9.5A2.75 2.75 0 0017 15.25V10a.75.75 0 00-1.5 0v5.25c0 .69-.56 1.25-1.25 1.25h-9.5c-.69 0-1.25-.56-1.25-1.25v-9.5z" />
                                </svg>

                                <span class="ml-1">Edit</span>
                            </p>

                            <p wire:click.prevent="deleteComment" class="flex items-center uppercase text-[10px] cursor-pointer font-semibold transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out hover:underline">
                                <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="currentColor" class="w-[13px] h-[13px]">
                                    <path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M8.75 1A2.75 2.75 0 006 3.75v.443c-.795.077-1.584.176-2.365.298a.75.75 0 10.23 1.482l.149-.022.841 10.518A2.75 2.75 0 007.596 19h4.807a2.75 2.75 0 002.742-2.53l.841-10.52.149.023a.75.75 0 00.23-1.482A41.03 41.03 0 0014 4.193V3.75A2.75 2.75 0 0011.25 1h-2.5zM10 4c.84 0 1.673.025 2.5.075V3.75c0-.69-.56-1.25-1.25-1.25h-2.5c-.69 0-1.25.56-1.25 1.25v.325C8.327 4.025 9.16 4 10 4zM8.58 7.72a.75.75 0 00-1.5.06l.3 7.5a.75.75 0 101.5-.06l-.3-7.5zm4.34.06a.75.75 0 10-1.5-.06l-.3 7.5a.75.75 0 101.5.06l.3-7.5z" clip-rule="evenodd" />
                                </svg>

                                <span class="ml-1">Delete</span>
                            </p>
                        @endif
                    </div>
                </div>

                @if($comment->replies)
                    @foreach($comment->replies as $reply)
                        <livewire:comment-item wire:key="{{ $reply->id }}" :comment="$reply" />
                    @endforeach
                @endif
            </div>

            @if($replying)
                <livewire:comment-create
                    wire:key="'reply-'.$comment->id"
                    :post-id="$comment->post_id"
                    :parent-id="$comment->id"
                    :show-profile="false" />
            @endif
        </div>
    </div>
</div>


This will be a big article. Let's split it and describe those components part by part in separate articles.

  1. Comment create form
  2. Comments component
  3. Single comment block


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