Raw PHP in Blade (@php) in Laravel - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - Raw PHP in Blade (@php)

Start Blade Template

↓

Encounter @php block

↓

Execute PHP code inside block

↓

Output or store results

↓

Continue rendering Blade template

↓

End Template Rendering

Blade template engine reads the @php block, runs the PHP code inside, then continues rendering the rest of the template.

Execution Sample

Laravel

@php
  $greeting = 'Hello, world!';
@endphp
<p>{{ $greeting }}</p>

This code runs raw PHP inside Blade to set a variable, then outputs it in HTML.

Execution Table

Step	Action	PHP Code Executed	Variable State	Output Produced
1	Enter @php block	No PHP code executed yet	$greeting = undefined	No output
2	Execute PHP code	$greeting = 'Hello, world!';	$greeting = 'Hello, world!'	No output
3	Exit @php block	End of PHP block	$greeting = 'Hello, world!'	No output
4	Render <p> tag with Blade echo	Echo $greeting	$greeting = 'Hello, world!'	<p>Hello, world!</p>
5	Finish template	No PHP	$greeting = 'Hello, world!'	Full HTML output

💡 Template rendering completes after processing @php block and outputting variable.

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	Final
$greeting	undefined	undefined	'Hello, world!'	'Hello, world!'	'Hello, world!'

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why doesn't the @php block directly output anything?

Because @php runs raw PHP code without echoing; output happens only when Blade echoes variables like {{ $greeting }} as shown in step 4.

Can variables set inside @php be used later in the template?

Yes, variables set inside @php persist and can be used anywhere later in the Blade template, as seen with $greeting in step 4.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what is the value of $greeting after step 2?

A undefined

B 'Hello, world!'

C null

D Empty string

💡 Hint

Check the 'Variable State' column at step 2 in the execution table.

At which step does the template produce visible HTML output?

A Step 4

B Step 3

C Step 1

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Output Produced' column to find when HTML appears.

If you remove the @endphp tag, what happens to the execution flow?

A PHP code runs normally

B Variables are still set but output is empty

C Blade throws a syntax error and stops rendering

D Template skips the PHP code

💡 Hint

Blade requires @endphp to close the PHP block; missing it breaks the template parsing.

Concept Snapshot

@php ... @endphp lets you run raw PHP inside Blade templates.
Variables set inside @php persist for later use.
No output happens inside @php unless you echo explicitly.
Use {{ }} to output variables safely.
Always close @php blocks with @endphp.

Full Transcript

In Laravel Blade templates, the @php directive allows you to write raw PHP code inside your template. When the Blade engine encounters @php, it executes the PHP code inside the block without producing output unless you explicitly echo something. Variables defined inside this block remain available for the rest of the template. After the @php block ends with @endphp, Blade continues rendering the template, and you can output variables using the {{ }} syntax. This flow ensures you can mix PHP logic and HTML cleanly. Remember to always close your @php blocks to avoid syntax errors.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of using @php in a Laravel Blade template?

easy

A. To define routes in Laravel

B. To include CSS styles directly

C. To create database migrations

D. To write raw PHP code inside the Blade template

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Blade template usage

   Blade templates allow embedding PHP code for dynamic content.

2. Step 2: Identify the role of @php

   The @php directive lets you write plain PHP code inside Blade templates.

3. Final Answer:

   To write raw PHP code inside the Blade template -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   @php is for raw PHP code [OK]

Hint: Remember @php means raw PHP inside Blade [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing @php with CSS or HTML directives
• Thinking @php defines routes or migrations
• Using @php to write JavaScript code

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to write raw PHP code inside a Blade template using @php?

easy

A. @php { echo 'Hello'; }

B.

C. @php echo 'Hello'; @endphp

D. @php echo 'Hello';

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Blade raw PHP syntax

   Blade uses @php to start and @endphp to end raw PHP blocks.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   @php echo 'Hello'; @endphp correctly uses @php and @endphp to wrap PHP code.

3. Final Answer:

   @php echo 'Hello'; @endphp -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Raw PHP block must start with @php and end with @endphp [OK]

Hint: Use @php ... @endphp to wrap PHP code in Blade [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting the closing @endphp
• Using curly braces instead of @endphp
• Using raw PHP tags inside Blade without @php

3. What will be the output of the following Blade snippet?

@php
  $count = 3;
  for ($i = 1; $i <= $count; $i++) {
    echo "Item $i ";
  }
@endphp

medium

A. Item 1 Item 2 Item 3

B. Item 123

C. Item $i Item $i Item $i

D. Syntax error

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the PHP loop inside @php block

   The loop runs from 1 to 3, echoing "Item " plus the current number and a space each time.

2. Step 2: Determine the output string

   It prints "Item 1 ", then "Item 2 ", then "Item 3 ", concatenated as one string.

3. Final Answer:

   Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Loop prints each item with number and space [OK]

Hint: Loops inside @php behave like normal PHP loops [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking echo concatenates without spaces
• Confusing variable interpolation syntax
• Expecting Blade syntax inside @php block

4. Identify the error in this Blade template code:

@php
  $name = 'Alice'
  echo "Hello, $name!";
@endphp

medium

A. Missing semicolon after variable assignment

B. Incorrect use of double quotes

C. Missing @endphp directive

D. Variable name not allowed in Blade

Solution

1. Step 1: Check PHP syntax inside @php block

   PHP requires semicolons after statements; the assignment line lacks one.

2. Step 2: Confirm other syntax correctness

   Double quotes and variable usage are correct; @endphp is present.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing semicolon after variable assignment -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Every PHP statement needs a semicolon [OK]

Hint: Check semicolons after each PHP statement [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting semicolon after variable assignment
• Assuming Blade handles PHP syntax errors
• Missing closing @endphp tag

5. You want to display a list of users with their ages using raw PHP inside a Blade template. Which code correctly uses @php to loop through $users = [['name' => 'Bob', 'age' => 25], ['name' => 'Sue', 'age' => 30]]; and echo each user's name and age?

hard

A. @php
foreach ($users as $user) {
echo 'Name: $user[name], Age: $user[age]';
}
@endphp

B. @php
foreach ($users as $user) {
echo "Name: {$user['name']}, Age: {$user['age']}";
}
@endphp

C. @php
foreach ($users as $user) {
echo "Name: $user->name, Age: $user->age";
}
@endphp

D. @php
foreach ($users as $user) {
echo "Name: $user[name], Age: $user[age]";
}
@endphp

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the data structure

   $users is an array of associative arrays, so access uses square brackets with quotes.

2. Step 2: Check string interpolation syntax

   @php foreach ($users as $user) { echo "Name: {$user['name']}, Age: {$user['age']}
   "; } @endphp correctly uses curly braces around array keys inside double quotes for interpolation.

3. Final Answer:

   @php foreach ($users as $user) { echo "Name: {$user['name']}, Age: {$user['age']}<br>"; } @endphp -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Use {$array['key']} inside double quotes for correct interpolation [OK]

Hint: Use curly braces for array keys inside double quotes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using single quotes with variables inside (no interpolation)
• Accessing arrays as objects ($user->name) when they are arrays
• Not using curly braces for array keys inside strings