README

Laravel Waitlist

A simple and flexible waitlist package for Laravel applications. Manage multiple waitlists with ease - perfect for beta programs, product launches, feature access, and more.

This package provides the core functionality without imposing any UI or API structure, giving you complete freedom to implement your own controllers, views, and API endpoints.

Features

• Multiple Waitlists - Create and manage as many waitlists as you need
• Simple API - Clean, intuitive interface for managing waitlist entries
• Status Management - Track entries as pending, invited, or rejected
• Email Verification - Optional email verification before inviting users
• Email Notifications - Automatic notifications when users are invited
• Metadata Support - Store custom data with each entry
• Fully Tested - 44 comprehensive tests, 80 assertions
• Type Safe - Full PHPStan level 5 compliance
• Flexible - No opinionated routes or views - use it your way

Requirements

• PHP 8.4+
• Laravel 11.0+

Installation

Install the package via Composer:

composer require offload-project/laravel-waitlist

Publish and run the migrations:

php artisan vendor:publish --tag="waitlist-migrations"
php artisan migrate

Optionally, publish the config file:

php artisan vendor:publish --tag="waitlist-config"

Usage

Quick Start (Single Waitlist)

If you only need one waitlist, just start using it - a default waitlist is created automatically:

use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Facades\Waitlist;

// Add users to the default waitlist
$entry = Waitlist::add('John Doe', 'john@example.com');

// Invite a user (sends notification automatically)
Waitlist::invite($entry);

// Get statistics
$total = Waitlist::count();
$pending = Waitlist::countPending();

Multiple Waitlists

Create and manage multiple waitlists for different purposes:

use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Facades\Waitlist;

// Create separate waitlists
$beta = Waitlist::create('Beta Program', 'beta', 'Early access to new features');
$launch = Waitlist::create('Product Launch', 'launch', 'Get notified when we launch');
$vip = Waitlist::create('VIP Access', 'vip', 'Premium tier waitlist');

// Add users to specific waitlists
Waitlist::for('beta')->add('John Doe', 'john@example.com');
Waitlist::for('launch')->add('Jane Smith', 'jane@example.com');
Waitlist::for('vip')->add('Bob Wilson', 'bob@example.com');

// Same person can join multiple waitlists
Waitlist::for('beta')->add('Alice Johnson', 'alice@example.com');
Waitlist::for('launch')->add('Alice Johnson', 'alice@example.com');

// Get entries for a specific waitlist
$betaEntries = Waitlist::for('beta')->getPending();
$launchCount = Waitlist::for('launch')->count();

// Invite users from a specific waitlist
$entry = Waitlist::for('beta')->getByEmail('john@example.com');
Waitlist::invite($entry);

Complete API

use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Facades\Waitlist;

// Create waitlists
$beta = Waitlist::create('Beta Program', 'beta', 'Description');
$waitlist = Waitlist::find('beta'); // Find by slug

// Add users
$entry = Waitlist::for('beta')->add('John Doe', 'john@example.com');

// Add with metadata
$entry = Waitlist::for('launch')->add('Jane Doe', 'jane@example.com', [
    'referral_source' => 'twitter',
    'interest' => 'premium',
    'company' => 'Acme Inc',
]);

// Invite and reject
Waitlist::invite($entry);        // By model
Waitlist::invite($entryId);      // By ID
Waitlist::reject($entry);
Waitlist::reject($entryId);

// Query entries
$pending = Waitlist::for('beta')->getPending();
$invited = Waitlist::for('beta')->getInvited();
$all = Waitlist::for('beta')->getAll();
$entry = Waitlist::for('beta')->getByEmail('john@example.com');

// Check existence
if (Waitlist::for('beta')->exists('john@example.com')) {
    // User is on the beta waitlist
}

// Get statistics
$total = Waitlist::for('beta')->count();
$pending = Waitlist::for('beta')->countPending();
$invited = Waitlist::for('beta')->countInvited();

// Manage waitlist status
$beta->activate();
$beta->deactivate();
$beta->isActive(); // true/false

Using the Model

You can also work directly with the WaitlistEntry model:

use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Models\WaitlistEntry;

// Create an entry
$entry = WaitlistEntry::create([
    'name' => 'Jane Doe',
    'email' => 'jane@example.com',
    'metadata' => ['source' => 'landing-page'],
]);

// Check status
if ($entry->isPending()) {
    // Entry is pending
}

if ($entry->isInvited()) {
    // Entry has been invited
}

if ($entry->isRejected()) {
    // Entry was rejected
}

// Update status
$entry->markAsInvited();
$entry->markAsRejected();

// Query entries
$pending = WaitlistEntry::where('status', 'pending')->get();
$recent = WaitlistEntry::latest()->take(10)->get();

Creating Your Own Controller

Since this package doesn't include controllers, you can create your own to fit your needs:

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Facades\Waitlist;

class WaitlistController extends Controller
{
    public function store(Request $request)
    {
        $validated = $request->validate([
            'name' => 'required|string|max:255',
            'email' => 'required|email|unique:waitlist_entries,email',
        ]);

        $entry = Waitlist::add(
            $validated['name'],
            $validated['email']
        );

        return response()->json([
            'message' => 'Successfully added to waitlist!',
            'data' => $entry,
        ], 201);
    }

    public function stats()
    {
        return response()->json([
            'total' => Waitlist::count(),
            'pending' => Waitlist::countPending(),
            'invited' => Waitlist::countInvited(),
        ]);
    }
}

Creating Your Own Livewire Component

Example Livewire component for a waitlist form:

namespace App\Livewire;

use Livewire\Component;
use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Facades\Waitlist;

class WaitlistForm extends Component
{
    public $name = '';
    public $email = '';
    public $success = false;

    public function submit()
    {
        $this->validate([
            'name' => 'required|string|max:255',
            'email' => 'required|email|unique:waitlist_entries,email',
        ]);

        Waitlist::add($this->name, $this->email);

        $this->success = true;
        $this->reset(['name', 'email']);
    }

    public function render()
    {
        return view('livewire.waitlist-form');
    }
}

Customizing the Notification

Publish the config file and change the notification class:

// config/waitlist.php
'notification' => \App\Notifications\CustomWaitlistInvited::class,

Create your custom notification:

namespace App\Notifications;

use Illuminate\Notifications\Messages\MailMessage;
use Illuminate\Notifications\Notification;
use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Models\WaitlistEntry;

class CustomWaitlistInvited extends Notification
{
    public function __construct(public WaitlistEntry $entry) {}

    public function via($notifiable): array
    {
        return ['mail'];
    }

    public function toMail($notifiable): MailMessage
    {
        return (new MailMessage)
            ->subject('Welcome to Our Platform!')
            ->greeting("Hi {$this->entry->name}!")
            ->line('Great news! Your wait is over.')
            ->action('Get Started', url('/register'))
            ->line('We can\'t wait to see what you build!');
    }
}

Disabling Auto-Notifications

If you want to send invitations manually:

// config/waitlist.php
'auto_send_invitation' => false,

Then send notifications manually:

use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Notifications\WaitlistInvited;

$entry = Waitlist::getByEmail('john@example.com');
$entry->notify(new WaitlistInvited($entry));

Using Metadata

Store custom data with waitlist entries:

Waitlist::add('John Doe', 'john@example.com', [
    'referral_source' => 'Product Hunt',
    'plan_interest' => 'Enterprise',
    'company_size' => '50-100',
    'use_case' => 'Marketing automation',
]);

// Access metadata
$entry = Waitlist::getByEmail('john@example.com');
$source = $entry->metadata['referral_source'];

// Query by metadata
$enterpriseInterest = WaitlistEntry::whereJsonContains('metadata->plan_interest', 'Enterprise')->get();

Email Verification

Optionally require users to verify their email before they can be invited:

// config/waitlist.php
'verification' => [
    'enabled' => true,  // Enable email verification
    'require_before_invite' => true,  // Block invites until verified
],

Or via environment variables:

WAITLIST_VERIFICATION_ENABLED=true
WAITLIST_REQUIRE_VERIFICATION=true

When verification is enabled:

use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Facades\Waitlist;

// Adding an entry automatically sends a verification email
$entry = Waitlist::add('John Doe', 'john@example.com');

// Check verification status
$entry->isVerified();           // false initially
$entry->isPendingVerification(); // true after verification email sent

// Manually send/resend verification email
Waitlist::sendVerification($entry);

// Verify programmatically (normally handled by the verification route)
Waitlist::verify($token);

// Attempting to invite an unverified entry throws an exception
// when require_before_invite is true
try {
    Waitlist::invite($entry);
} catch (\OffloadProject\Waitlist\Exceptions\UnverifiedEntryException $e) {
    // Handle unverified entry
}

The package provides a verification route at /waitlist/verify/{token} by default. Configure the routes in your config:

// config/waitlist.php
'routes' => [
    'enabled' => true,        // Set to false to define your own routes
    'prefix' => 'waitlist',   // URL prefix
    'middleware' => ['web'],  // Middleware to apply
],

Custom Verification Notification

Create your own verification notification:

// config/waitlist.php
'verification' => [
    'enabled' => true,
    'require_before_invite' => true,
    'notification' => \App\Notifications\CustomVerifyEmail::class,
],

namespace App\Notifications;

use Illuminate\Notifications\Messages\MailMessage;
use Illuminate\Notifications\Notification;
use OffloadProject\Waitlist\Models\WaitlistEntry;

class CustomVerifyEmail extends Notification
{
    public function __construct(public WaitlistEntry $entry) {}

    public function via($notifiable): array
    {
        return ['mail'];
    }

    public function toMail($notifiable): MailMessage
    {
        $url = route('waitlist.verify', ['token' => $this->entry->verification_token]);

        return (new MailMessage)
            ->subject('Confirm your spot on the waitlist')
            ->greeting("Hi {$this->entry->name}!")
            ->line('Please verify your email to secure your place.')
            ->action('Verify Email', $url);
    }
}

Configuration

return [
    // The model class used for waitlist entries
    'model' => \OffloadProject\Waitlist\Models\WaitlistEntry::class,

    // Database table name
    'table' => 'waitlist_entries',

    // Auto-send invitation notifications
    'auto_send_invitation' => true,

    // Notification class for invitations
    'notification' => \OffloadProject\Waitlist\Notifications\WaitlistInvited::class,

    // Email verification settings
    'verification' => [
        'enabled' => false,  // Enable/disable email verification
        'require_before_invite' => true,  // Require verification before inviting
        'notification' => \OffloadProject\Waitlist\Notifications\VerifyWaitlistEmail::class,
    ],

    // Route configuration
    'routes' => [
        'enabled' => true,  // Enable package routes
        'prefix' => 'waitlist',  // URL prefix
        'middleware' => ['web'],  // Middleware
    ],
];

Database Schema

waitlists table

• id - Primary key
• name - Waitlist name
• slug - Unique identifier for referencing the waitlist
• description - Optional description
• is_active - Whether the waitlist is active (default: true)
• settings - JSON field for custom settings
• created_at and updated_at - Laravel timestamps

Indexed fields: slug, is_active

waitlist_entries table

• id - Primary key
• waitlist_id - Foreign key to the waitlist (nullable for default waitlist)
• name - User's name
• email - User's email (unique per waitlist)
• status - Status: pending, invited, or rejected
• invited_at - Timestamp when invited
• metadata - JSON field for custom data
• verification_token - Token for email verification (nullable)
• verified_at - Timestamp when email was verified (nullable)
• created_at and updated_at - Laravel timestamps

Indexed fields: status, created_at, verification_token Unique constraint: ['waitlist_id', 'email'] (same email can join multiple waitlists)

API Reference

Facade Methods

// Managing waitlists
Waitlist::create(string $name, string $slug, ?string $description = null, bool $isActive = true): Waitlist
Waitlist::find(string $slug): ?Waitlist
Waitlist::for(string|int|Waitlist $waitlist): self  // Set waitlist context
Waitlist::getDefault(): Waitlist

// Adding entries (uses current waitlist context or default)
Waitlist::add(string $name, string $email, array $metadata = []): WaitlistEntry

// Managing status
Waitlist::invite(int|WaitlistEntry $entry): WaitlistEntry
Waitlist::reject(int|WaitlistEntry $entry): WaitlistEntry

// Email verification
Waitlist::sendVerification(int|WaitlistEntry $entry): WaitlistEntry
Waitlist::verify(string $token): ?WaitlistEntry

// Retrieving entries (uses current waitlist context or default)
Waitlist::getPending(): Collection
Waitlist::getInvited(): Collection
Waitlist::getAll(): Collection
Waitlist::getByEmail(string $email): ?WaitlistEntry

// Checking existence
Waitlist::exists(string $email): bool

// Counting
Waitlist::count(): int
Waitlist::countPending(): int
Waitlist::countInvited(): int

Waitlist Model Methods

// Relationships
$waitlist->entries(): HasMany

// Status checks
$waitlist->isActive(): bool

// Status updates
$waitlist->activate(): self
$waitlist->deactivate(): self

WaitlistEntry Model Methods

// Status checks
$entry->isPending(): bool
$entry->isInvited(): bool
$entry->isRejected(): bool

// Verification checks
$entry->isVerified(): bool
$entry->isPendingVerification(): bool

// Status updates
$entry->markAsInvited(): self
$entry->markAsRejected(): self
$entry->markAsVerified(): self
$entry->generateVerificationToken(): self

Testing

composer test

Code Quality

# Run code style fixer
composer pint

# Run static analysis
composer analyse

Example Use Cases

Multiple Product Launches

// Different waitlists for different products
Waitlist::create('Product A', 'product-a');
Waitlist::create('Product B', 'product-b');

Waitlist::for('product-a')->add($name, $email);
Waitlist::for('product-b')->add($name, $email);

Tiered Access Programs

// Different tiers of access
Waitlist::create('Free Tier', 'free');
Waitlist::create('Pro Tier', 'pro');
Waitlist::create('Enterprise', 'enterprise');

// Users can be on multiple tiers
Waitlist::for('free')->add($name, $email);
Waitlist::for('pro')->add($name, $email);

Feature-Specific Waitlists

// Individual features
Waitlist::create('AI Assistant', 'ai-assistant');
Waitlist::create('Advanced Analytics', 'analytics');
Waitlist::create('API Access', 'api');

// Track interest per feature
Waitlist::for('ai-assistant')->add($name, $email);

Regional Launches

// Different regions
Waitlist::create('North America', 'na');
Waitlist::create('Europe', 'eu');
Waitlist::create('Asia Pacific', 'apac');

Waitlist::for('na')->add($name, $email);

Beta Programs

// Different beta phases
Waitlist::create('Alpha Testers', 'alpha');
Waitlist::create('Beta Testers', 'beta');
Waitlist::create('Early Access', 'early-access');

License

The MIT License (MIT). Please see License File for more information.