🧱 Building a Modular ERP System with Laravel 10

#laravel #backend #architecture #php

In a recent project, I refactored a custom ERP system that had grown over two years. It was time to clean up the monolithic structure and prepare it for scale. Here's how I redesigned the architecture using a modular approach with Laravel 10 and PHP 8.2.

🔄 Why Refactor?

As more features were added—purchase inquiries, document management, RFQ workflows, role permissions—the codebase started feeling heavy. Controllers became bloated. Files were scattered. We needed a better way to scale without chaos.

🧩 Solution: Modular Architecture

I used nWidart/laravel-modules, a well-maintained package that enables Laravel to support modular structure out of the box.

Each feature was moved into its own module:

Inquiry module – manages purchase requests and workflows
Document module – handles categorized file uploads (tech, inquiry, PO, etc.)
RFQ modules – separate for Sales and Procurement
User & Roles module – integrated with Spatie Permissions

🛠️ Key Tools & Techniques

Service-Repository Pattern for separation of concerns
Swagger/OpenAPI for documenting each module's API
Laravel Sanctum for secure authentication
Spatie MediaLibrary for handling file uploads
Custom Middleware for module-based permissions
Database migrations scoped per module

📈 What Changed?

After refactoring:

The codebase became easier to test and extend
Teams could work in parallel on isolated modules
Adding new features doesn’t require editing 10 unrelated files
CI/CD pipeline was adjusted to test modules independently

💬 Final Thoughts

If you’re building a long-term Laravel project with growing complexity, don’t wait too long to go modular. It’s an upfront effort, but it pays off as your system scales.

Let me know if you'd like me to share a sample structure or even turn this into a starter template. Always happy to contribute back to the community.