Return every request as plain json Laravel using Middleware

Question

I have a route in my web.php that returns a view:

Route::get('/', function () {
    return view('welcome');
});

welcome is default Laravel view welcome.blade.php.

I have Middleware called AlwaysReturnJson and it contains:

<?php

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Closure;

class AlwaysReturnJson
{
    /**
     * Handle an incoming request.
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
     * @param  \Closure  $next
     * @return mixed
     */
    public function handle($request, Closure $next)
    {

        $request->headers->set('Accept', 'application/json');
        return $next($request);
    }
}

I set up this middleware in Kernel.php as global middleware:

 protected $middleware = [
        \App\Http\Middleware\AlwaysReturnJson::class
    ];

What I expect is to get plain text/json of welcome file in my browser when I navigate to given route but I always get it as html and it render page properly. I checked it, it applies middleware on every request so that is not a problem. Why is this happening and shouldn't it convert that view to a plain text? Am I doing something wrong?

@AngadDubey no controller here. OP use closure to return view — W Kristianto
– W Kristianto, Commented Jan 14, 2020 at 16:14
try returning the view as json response return response()->json([ 'welcome' => view('welcome') ]); — Angad Dubey
– Angad Dubey, Commented Jan 14, 2020 at 16:16
@N.Dockic I'm trying use your way and success. I think it's not Laravel issue but webserver. — W Kristianto
– W Kristianto, Commented Jan 14, 2020 at 16:19
You are setting an Accept header, this is more like saying: "Always accept json". — Adam Rodriguez
– Adam Rodriguez, Commented Jan 14, 2020 at 16:27
@WahyuKristianto could you maybe give me direction about what problem could be with server? — N. Djokic
– N. Djokic, Commented Jan 15, 2020 at 10:18

Hafez Divandari · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-15 21:26:06Z

4

If you want to set a header for your response you can do this:

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Closure;

class AlwaysReturnJson
{
    /**
     * Handle an incoming request.
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
     * @param  \Closure  $next
     * @return mixed
     */
    public function handle($request, Closure $next)
    {
        $response = $next($request);

        $response->headers->set('Content-Type', 'application/json');

        return $response;
    }
}

If you want to force return valid json content use this middleware instead:

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Closure;

class AlwaysReturnJson
{
    /**
     * Handle an incoming request.
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
     * @param  \Closure  $next
     * @return mixed
     */
    public function handle($request, Closure $next)
    {
        $response = $next($request);

        return response()->json($response->getContent());
    }
}

See Laravel docs about after middleware for more info.

You can alternatively return json response on your controller without any middleware needed:

Route::get('/', function () {
    return response()->json(
        view('welcome')->render()
    );
});

edited Jan 15, 2020 at 21:26

answered Jan 14, 2020 at 16:29

Hafez Divandari

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2 Comments

N. Djokic Over a year ago

Your answer is basically correct, I will mark it as accepted answer but have you tried example that I tried like this: $request->headers->set('Accept', 'application/json'); ? Does it return always json for you?

Hafez Divandari Over a year ago

@N.Djokic my first answer just sets Content-Type header (not Accept). However I've updated my answer and added a code to force your response to be a valid json.

Foued MOUSSI · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-15 20:47:51Z

2

You may want to use laravel After middleware (the middleware would perform its task after the request is handled by the application) and then set the content-type of response.

<?php

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Closure;

class AfterAlwaysReturnJson
{
    public function handle($request, Closure $next)
    {
        $response = $next($request);

        return $response->header('Content-Type', 'application/json');
    }
}

edited Jan 15, 2020 at 20:47

answered Jan 14, 2020 at 16:31

Foued MOUSSI

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3 Comments

N. Djokic Over a year ago

Thanks for answer. Have you tried my example code? Did it return json response?

Foued MOUSSI Over a year ago

I will give it a try and go back to you

Foued MOUSSI Over a year ago

I gave it a try , and YES your code works fine for me (tested on Laravel 5.7)

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