Cleanly Process Business Logic in Laravel Using Pipeline

Laravel’s Pipeline allows developers to pass data through multiple logical steps in a clean and readable way. This article explains how Pipeline works with a real-world example that simplifies complex business flows.

Real Project Example: User Registration Flow

Imagine a registration process with these steps:

1. Check if user is active
2. Verify email
3. Apply default settings

Instead of writing everything in one place, Pipeline keeps it readable.

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Pipeline;
$user = Pipeline::send($user)
    ->through([
        function ($user, $next) {
            if (! $user->is_active) {
                abort(403, 'Inactive user');
            }
            return $next($user);
        },
        function ($user, $next) {
            $user->email_verified_at ??= now();
            return $next($user);
        },
        function ($user, $next) {
            $user->assignRole('user');
            return $next($user);
        },
    ])
    ->then(fn ($user) => $user);

Each step does one thing only.

Why Pipeline Is Better Than Conditions

Without Pipeline, you’d end up with:

• Nested if statements
• Hard-to-read logic
• Poor separation of concerns

With Pipeline:

• Each step is isolated
• Logic is reusable
• Flow is easy to understand
• Testing becomes simpler

When Pipeline Fits Perfectly

Use Pipeline when:

• Logic must run in a strict order
• Each step has a clear responsibility
• You want reusable business rules
• Controllers are getting too big

Avoid it when:

• Logic is very small
• A single method is enough