Skip to main content

​
Overview

The digital products module enables selling downloadable files like ebooks, software, music, and digital assets. Products are marked as digital and customers receive download links after purchase.

File Management

Upload and manage digital product files

Automated Delivery

Customers get download links after purchase

Digital Categories

Separate category structure for digital goods

Admin Download

Admins can download files for testing

​
Model Structure

​
Product Model

Digital products use the standard Product model with digital-specific fields: 
class Product extends Model
{
    public function scopePhysical($query)
    {
        return $query->where('digital', 0);
    }

    public function scopeDigital($query)
    {
        return $query->where('digital', 1);
    }
}
Digital Product Fields:
  • digital - Boolean flag (1 for digital products)
  • file_name - Upload ID of the digital file
  • name - Product name
  • description - Product description
  • unit_price - Price of digital product

​
Controller Overview

The DigitalProductController manages digital product CRUD operations with strict permissions: 
public function __construct()
{
    // Staff Permission Check
    $this->middleware(['permission:show_digital_products'])->only('index');
    $this->middleware(['permission:add_digital_product'])->only('create');
    $this->middleware(['permission:edit_digital_product'])->only('edit');
    $this->middleware(['permission:delete_digital_product'])->only('destroy');
    $this->middleware(['permission:download_digital_product'])->only('download');
}

​
Listing Digital Products

Admin can view all digital products with search functionality (app/Http/Controllers/DigitalProductController.php:35): 
public function index(Request $request)
{
    $sort_search    = null;
    $products       = Product::query();
    $products->where('added_by', 'admin');
    
    if ($request->has('search')) {
        $sort_search    = $request->search;
        $products       = $products->where('name', 'like', '%' . $sort_search . '%');
    }
    
    $products = $products->where('digital', 1)
        ->orderBy('created_at', 'desc')
        ->paginate(10);
        
    $type = 'Admin';
    return view('backend.product.digital_products.index', 
        compact('products', 'sort_search', 'type'));
}

​
Creating Digital Products

​
Form Setup

Load digital categories for product creation (app/Http/Controllers/DigitalProductController.php:54): 
public function create()
{
    $categories = Category::where('parent_id', 0)
        ->where('digital', 1)
        ->with('childrenCategories')
        ->get();
    return view('backend.product.digital_products.create', compact('categories'));
}
Digital products can only be assigned to categories marked as digital (digital = 1).

​
Store Digital Product

1

Validate Request

Use ProductRequest to validate product data
2

Create Product

ProductService stores the product with digital flag
3

Set Stock to Zero

Digital products don’t have physical inventory
4

Attach Categories

Link product to selected digital categories
5

Add Tax

Configure VAT and tax if applicable
6

Create Translation

Store product name, unit, and description
Implementation (app/Http/Controllers/DigitalProductController.php:69): 
public function store(ProductRequest $request)
{
    // Product Store
    $product = (new ProductService)->store($request->except([
        '_token', 'tax_id', 'tax', 'tax_type'
    ]));

    $request->merge(['product_id' => $product->id, 'current_stock' => 0]);

    //Product categories
    $product->categories()->attach($request->category_ids);

    //Product Stock
    (new ProductStockService)->store($request->only([
        'unit_price', 'current_stock', 'product_id'
    ]), $product);

    //VAT & Tax
    if ($request->tax_id) {
        (new ProductTaxService)->store($request->only([
            'tax_id', 'tax', 'tax_type', 'product_id'
        ]));
    }

    // Product Translations
    $request->merge(['lang' => env('DEFAULT_LANGUAGE')]);
    ProductTranslation::create($request->only([
        'lang', 'name', 'unit', 'description', 'product_id'
    ]));

    flash(translate('Product has been inserted successfully'))->success();

    Artisan::call('view:clear');
    Artisan::call('cache:clear');
    return redirect()->route('digitalproducts.index');
}
Digital products always have current_stock = 0 since they are unlimited digital downloads.

​
Editing Digital Products

​
Load Edit Form

public function edit(Request $request, $id)
{
    $lang = $request->lang;
    $product = Product::findOrFail($id);
    $categories = Category::where('parent_id', 0)
        ->where('digital', 1)
        ->with('childrenCategories')
        ->get();
    return view('backend.product.digital_products.edit', 
        compact('product', 'lang', 'categories'));
}

​
Update Digital Product

public function update(ProductRequest $request, $id)
{
    $product = Product::findOrFail($id);

    //Product Update
    $product = (new ProductService)->update($request->except([
         '_token', 'tax_id', 'tax', 'tax_type'
     ]), $product);

    //Product Stock
    foreach ($product->stocks as $key => $stock) {
        $stock->delete();
    }

    $request->merge(['product_id' => $product->id,'current_stock' => 0]);

    //Product categories
    $product->categories()->sync($request->category_ids);

    (new ProductStockService)->store($request->only([
        'unit_price', 'current_stock', 'product_id'
    ]), $product);

    //VAT & Tax
    if ($request->tax_id) {
        ProductTax::where('product_id', $product->id)->delete();
        (new ProductTaxService)->store($request->only([
            'tax_id', 'tax', 'tax_type', 'product_id'
        ]));
    }

    // Product Translations
    $lang = $request->lang ?? default_language();
    if (!$lang) {
        $lang = 'en';
    }
    
    ProductTranslation::updateOrCreate(
        [
            'lang' => $lang,
            'product_id' => $product->id
        ],
        $request->only(['name', 'description'])
    );

    flash(translate('Product has been updated successfully'))->success();

    Artisan::call('view:clear');
    Artisan::call('cache:clear');
    return back();
}

​
Deleting Digital Products

Delete product and all related data (app/Http/Controllers/DigitalProductController.php:199): 
public function destroy($id)
{
   (new ProductService)->destroy($id);

    flash(translate('Product has been deleted successfully'))->success();
    Artisan::call('view:clear');
    Artisan::call('cache:clear');
    
    return back();
}

​
File Download

Admins can download digital product files for testing (app/Http/Controllers/DigitalProductController.php:211): 
public function download(Request $request)
{
    $product = Product::findOrFail(decrypt($request->id));

    $upload = Upload::findOrFail($product->file_name);
    
    if (env('FILESYSTEM_DRIVER') == "s3") {
        return \Storage::disk('s3')->download(
            $upload->file_name, 
            $upload->file_original_name . "." . $upload->extension
        );
    } else {
        if (file_exists(base_path('public/' . $upload->file_name))) {
            return response()->download(base_path('public/' . $upload->file_name));
        }
    }
}

​
Customer Download

Customers receive download links after purchase: 
// Example customer download implementation
public function customer_download(Request $request)
{
    $order_detail = OrderDetail::findOrFail(decrypt($request->id));
    
    // Verify ownership
    if ($order_detail->order->user_id != Auth::user()->id) {
        abort(403, 'Unauthorized');
    }
    
    // Check payment status
    if ($order_detail->order->payment_status != 'paid') {
        flash(translate('Payment required to download'))->error();
        return back();
    }
    
    $product = $order_detail->product;
    $upload = Upload::findOrFail($product->file_name);
    
    // Track download
    $order_detail->download_count++;
    $order_detail->save();
    
    // Serve file
    if (env('FILESYSTEM_DRIVER') == "s3") {
        return \Storage::disk('s3')->download(
            $upload->file_name, 
            $upload->file_original_name . "." . $upload->extension
        );
    } else {
        return response()->download(base_path('public/' . $upload->file_name));
    }
}

​
File Storage

Digital product files can be stored locally or on S3:

​
Local Storage

// Files stored in public directory
if (file_exists(base_path('public/' . $upload->file_name))) {
    return response()->download(base_path('public/' . $upload->file_name));
}

​
S3 Storage

// Files stored on Amazon S3
if (env('FILESYSTEM_DRIVER') == "s3") {
    return \Storage::disk('s3')->download(
        $upload->file_name, 
        $upload->file_original_name . "." . $upload->extension
    );
}

​
Upload Management

Digital files reference the Upload model: 
class Product extends Model
{
    public function thumbnail()
    {
        return $this->belongsTo(Upload::class, 'thumbnail_img');
    }
    
    // Digital file
    public function digital_file()
    {
        return $this->belongsTo(Upload::class, 'file_name');
    }
}

​
Multi-Language Support

Digital products support translations: 
ProductTranslation::updateOrCreate(
    [
        'lang' => $lang,
        'product_id' => $product->id
    ],
    $request->only(['name', 'description'])
);

​
Permissions

Role-based access control for digital product management:
  • show_digital_products - View digital products list
  • add_digital_product - Create new digital products
  • edit_digital_product - Update existing digital products
  • delete_digital_product - Delete digital products
  • download_digital_product - Download product files

​
Best Practices

1

Secure Files

Store files outside public directory and serve through authenticated controllers
2

Track Downloads

Record download count and timestamps for analytics
3

Set Download Limits

Optionally limit the number of times a customer can download
4

File Size Limits

Configure appropriate upload size limits in PHP and web server
5

Backup Files

Regularly backup digital product files to prevent data loss
6

Use CDN

Consider using S3 or CDN for better download performance

​
Download Validation

Validate customer access before serving files: 
public function validateDownloadAccess($order_detail_id, $user_id)
{
    $order_detail = OrderDetail::findOrFail($order_detail_id);
    
    // Check ownership
    if ($order_detail->order->user_id != $user_id) {
        return ['valid' => false, 'message' => 'Unauthorized access'];
    }
    
    // Check payment
    if ($order_detail->order->payment_status != 'paid') {
        return ['valid' => false, 'message' => 'Payment required'];
    }
    
    // Check download limit
    $download_limit = get_setting('digital_download_limit') ?? 5;
    if ($order_detail->download_count >= $download_limit) {
        return ['valid' => false, 'message' => 'Download limit exceeded'];
    }
    
    return ['valid' => true];
}

Wholesale Products

Sell physical products in bulk with tiered pricing

Auction Products

Time-limited bidding on products

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us