Cloud Storage Integration

Overview

Ecom supports multiple storage drivers for managing uploaded files including product images, user avatars, and digital downloads. Choose between local storage or cloud storage providers for scalability and reliability.

Supported Storage Drivers

Local: Store files on your server
AWS S3: Amazon Simple Storage Service
Backblaze B2: Cost-effective S3-compatible storage
Public: Laravel’s public disk

Configuration

Config File Location

config/filesystems.php

Filesystem Configuration

config/filesystems.php

return [
    'default' => env('FILESYSTEM_DRIVER', 'local'),
    
    'cloud' => env('FILESYSTEM_CLOUD', 's3'),
    
    'disks' => [
        'local' => [
            'driver' => 'local',
            'root' => public_path(),
        ],

        'public' => [
            'driver' => 'local',
            'root' => storage_path('app/public'),
            'url' => env('APP_URL').'/storage',
            'visibility' => 'public',
        ],

        'aws' => [
            'driver'    => 's3',
            'key'       => env('AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID'),
            'secret'    => env('AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY'),
            'region'    => env('AWS_DEFAULT_REGION'),
            'bucket'    => env('AWS_BUCKET'),
            'url'       => env('AWS_URL'),
        ],

        'backblaze' => [
            'driver'    => 's3',
            'key'       => env('BACKBLAZE_ACCESS_KEY_ID'),
            'secret'    => env('BACKBLAZE_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY'),
            'region'    => env('BACKBLAZE_DEFAULT_REGION'),
            'bucket'    => env('BACKBLAZE_BUCKET'),
            'url'       => env('BACKBLAZE_URL'),
            'endpoint'  => env('BACKBLAZE_ENDPOINT'),
        ],
    ],
];

Local Storage

Configuration

Default configuration stores files in public directory:

.env

FILESYSTEM_DRIVER=local

Benefits

No additional costs
Simple setup
Fast access
Full control

Limitations

Limited scalability
No automatic backups
Server disk space constraints
No CDN integration
Not suitable for multiple servers

Usage

// Store file locally
$path = $request->file('image')->store('uploads', 'local');

// Access file
$url = asset('uploads/' . $filename);

AWS S3 Configuration

Amazon S3 is the industry-standard cloud storage solution.

Step 1: Create AWS Account

Go to AWS Console and create account

Create IAM User

Navigate to IAM → Users → Add User

User name: ecom-storage
Access type: Programmatic access

Attach Policy

Attach AmazonS3FullAccess policy or create custom policy:

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": ["s3:*"],
      "Resource": [
        "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name",
        "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name/*"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Save Credentials

Download CSV with Access Key ID and Secret Access Key

Create S3 Bucket

Navigate to S3 → Create bucket

Bucket name: your-unique-bucket-name
Region: Select closest to your users
Unblock public access (for public files)

Configure CORS

Add CORS configuration to bucket:

[
  {
    "AllowedHeaders": ["*"],
    "AllowedMethods": ["GET", "PUT", "POST", "DELETE"],
    "AllowedOrigins": ["*"],
    "ExposeHeaders": []
  }
]

Step 2: Configure Environment

.env

# AWS S3 Configuration
FILESYSTEM_DRIVER=s3
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=AKIA...
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...
AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=us-east-1
AWS_BUCKET=your-bucket-name
AWS_URL=https://your-bucket-name.s3.amazonaws.com

Step 3: Install AWS SDK

AWS SDK is already included:

composer.json

"require": {
    "league/flysystem-aws-s3-v3": "^3.12"
}

If not installed:

composer require league/flysystem-aws-s3-v3

S3 Regions

Common AWS regions:

Region Code	Region Name
us-east-1	US East (N. Virginia)
us-west-2	US West (Oregon)
eu-west-1	Europe (Ireland)
eu-central-1	Europe (Frankfurt)
ap-south-1	Asia Pacific (Mumbai)
ap-southeast-1	Asia Pacific (Singapore)

Usage Example

// Upload to S3
$path = Storage::disk('s3')->put('products', $request->file('image'));

// Get URL
$url = Storage::disk('s3')->url($path);

// Delete from S3
Storage::disk('s3')->delete($path);

Backblaze B2 Configuration

Backblaze B2 is a cost-effective alternative to AWS S3 with S3-compatible API.

Pricing Comparison

Storage	AWS S3	Backblaze B2
Storage	$0.023/GB	$0.005/GB
Download	$0.09/GB	$0.01/GB (free first 3x storage)
API Calls	Varies	2,500 free daily

Step 1: Create Backblaze Account

Go to Backblaze B2

Create Bucket

Navigate to B2 Cloud Storage → Create a Bucket

Bucket name: your-bucket-name
Files in Bucket: Public
Encryption: Disable (or enable if needed)

Create Application Key

Go to App Keys → Add a New Application Key

Key Name: ecom-storage
Allow access to: your-bucket-name
Permissions: Read and Write

Save Credentials

Copy:

keyID (Access Key)
applicationKey (Secret Key)
Endpoint URL

Step 2: Configure Environment

.env

# Backblaze B2 Configuration
FILESYSTEM_DRIVER=backblaze
BACKBLAZE_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your_key_id
BACKBLAZE_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your_application_key
BACKBLAZE_DEFAULT_REGION=us-west-002
BACKBLAZE_BUCKET=your-bucket-name
BACKBLAZE_URL=https://f002.backblazeb2.com/file/your-bucket-name
BACKBLAZE_ENDPOINT=https://s3.us-west-002.backblazeb2.com

Backblaze Regions

Region Code	Region Name
us-west-001	US West
us-west-002	US West 2
eu-central-003	Europe

Usage Example

// Upload to Backblaze
$path = Storage::disk('backblaze')->put('products', $request->file('image'));

// Get URL
$url = Storage::disk('backblaze')->url($path);

// Delete from Backblaze
Storage::disk('backblaze')->delete($path);

File Upload Implementation

Upload Helper Function

Ecom includes upload helper in:

app/Http/Helpers.php

Example Upload Controller

public function uploadImage(Request $request)
{
    $request->validate([
        'image' => 'required|image|max:2048', // 2MB max
    ]);

    // Get configured disk
    $disk = env('FILESYSTEM_DRIVER', 'local');

    if ($disk == 's3' || $disk == 'backblaze') {
        // Upload to cloud storage
        $path = Storage::disk($disk)->put('uploads/products', $request->file('image'));
        $url = Storage::disk($disk)->url($path);
    } else {
        // Upload to local storage
        $path = $request->file('image')->store('uploads/products', 'local');
        $url = asset($path);
    }

    // Save to database
    $upload = new Upload;
    $upload->file_name = $path;
    $upload->file_original_name = $request->file('image')->getClientOriginalName();
    $upload->file_size = $request->file('image')->getSize();
    $upload->extension = $request->file('image')->getClientOriginalExtension();
    $upload->type = $request->file('image')->getMimeType();
    $upload->user_id = auth()->id();
    $upload->save();

    return response()->json([
        'success' => true,
        'path' => $path,
        'url' => $url
    ]);
}

Account Deletion with Storage

When deleting user accounts, clean up storage:

app/Http/Controllers/Auth/LoginController.php

public function account_deletion(Request $request)
{
    $auth_user = auth()->user();

    // Delete user images from storage
    $uploads = $auth_user->uploads;
    if ($uploads) {
        foreach ($uploads as $upload) {
            if (env('FILESYSTEM_DRIVER') == 's3') {
                Storage::disk('s3')->delete($upload->file_name);
                
                // Also delete local cache if exists
                if (file_exists(public_path() . '/' . $upload->file_name)) {
                    unlink(public_path() . '/' . $upload->file_name);
                }
                
                $upload->delete();
            } else {
                // Delete from local storage
                unlink(public_path() . '/' . $upload->file_name);
                $upload->delete();
            }
        }
    }

    // Delete user account
    User::destroy(auth()->user()->id);
    auth()->guard()->logout();
    $request->session()->invalidate();

    flash(translate("Your account deletion successfully done."))->success();
    return redirect()->route('home');
}

File Types and Limits

Image Upload Validation

$request->validate([
    'image' => 'required|image|mimes:jpeg,png,jpg,gif,svg|max:2048',
]);

Document Upload Validation

$request->validate([
    'document' => 'required|mimes:pdf,doc,docx|max:5120', // 5MB
]);

Video Upload Validation

$request->validate([
    'video' => 'required|mimes:mp4,mov,avi|max:51200', // 50MB
]);

CDN Integration

CloudFront with S3

For better performance, use CloudFront CDN:

Create CloudFront Distribution

In AWS Console, go to CloudFront → Create Distribution

Set Origin

Origin Domain: your-bucket-name.s3.amazonaws.com

Configure Settings

Viewer Protocol Policy: Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
Allowed HTTP Methods: GET, HEAD, OPTIONS, PUT, POST, PATCH, DELETE
Cache Policy: CachingOptimized

Update AWS_URL

.env

AWS_URL=https://your-distribution-id.cloudfront.net

Image Optimization

Intervention Image

Ecom uses Intervention Image for manipulation:

composer.json

"require": {
    "intervention/image": "^2.5"
}

Resize Before Upload

use Intervention\Image\Facades\Image;

public function uploadAndResize(Request $request)
{
    $image = $request->file('image');
    
    // Resize image
    $resized = Image::make($image)
        ->resize(1200, null, function ($constraint) {
            $constraint->aspectRatio();
            $constraint->upsize();
        })
        ->encode('jpg', 85);
    
    // Upload to storage
    $filename = time() . '.jpg';
    Storage::disk('s3')->put('products/' . $filename, $resized->__toString());
}

Backup Strategy

Automated Backups

For local storage, implement backups:

# Add to cron
0 2 * * * php /path/to/artisan backup:run

For cloud storage, enable versioning:

S3: Enable versioning in bucket settings
Backblaze: B2 automatically keeps file versions

Security Best Practices

Storage Security Guidelines

Never commit credentials to version control
Use IAM policies with minimum required permissions
Enable bucket versioning for recovery
Implement file type validation
Scan uploads for malware
Set appropriate file size limits
Use signed URLs for private files
Enable bucket logging for audit trail
Regularly review access permissions
Use HTTPS for all file transfers

Private Files

Generating Signed URLs

For private downloads:

// S3 temporary URL (expires in 1 hour)
$url = Storage::disk('s3')->temporaryUrl(
    'private/document.pdf', 
    now()->addHours(1)
);

// Or use presigned URLs
$s3 = Storage::disk('s3')->getDriver()->getAdapter()->getClient();
$command = $s3->getCommand('GetObject', [
    'Bucket' => env('AWS_BUCKET'),
    'Key' => 'private/document.pdf'
]);

$request = $s3->createPresignedRequest($command, '+20 minutes');
$url = (string) $request->getUri();

Cost Optimization

S3 Storage Classes

Standard: Frequent access
Intelligent-Tiering: Automatic cost optimization
Glacier: Archive (slower retrieval)

Lifecycle Policies

Automate file archival:

{
  "Rules": [
    {
      "Status": "Enabled",
      "Transitions": [
        {
          "Days": 30,
          "StorageClass": "STANDARD_IA"
        },
        {
          "Days": 90,
          "StorageClass": "GLACIER"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Troubleshooting

Access Denied Error

Cause: Incorrect IAM permissions or credentialsSolution:

Verify AWS credentials in .env
Check IAM user has S3 permissions
Ensure bucket policy allows access
Verify region is correct

Files Not Accessible

Cause: Bucket is private or CORS not configuredSolution:

Make bucket public or use signed URLs
Configure CORS policy
Check CloudFront settings if using CDN

Upload Timeout

Cause: Large file or slow connectionSolution:

Increase PHP max_execution_time
Increase upload_max_filesize and post_max_size
Use chunked uploads for large files
Optimize file before upload

High Storage Costs

Cause: Many large files or frequent accessSolution:

Implement image optimization
Use lifecycle policies for archival
Delete unused files
Consider switching to Backblaze B2
Enable compression

Migration Between Storage Providers

Local to S3 Migration

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;

public function migrateToS3()
{
    $uploads = Upload::all();
    
    foreach ($uploads as $upload) {
        $localPath = public_path($upload->file_name);
        
        if (file_exists($localPath)) {
            // Upload to S3
            $s3Path = Storage::disk('s3')->putFileAs(
                dirname($upload->file_name),
                new \Illuminate\Http\File($localPath),
                basename($upload->file_name)
            );
            
            // Update database
            $upload->file_name = $s3Path;
            $upload->save();
            
            // Optionally delete local file
            // unlink($localPath);
        }
    }
}

Performance Optimization

Use CDN for static assets
Enable browser caching
Compress images before upload
Use lazy loading for images
Implement progressive image loading
Cache file URLs

Media Management

Managing uploaded files

Product Images

Product image handling

Payment Gateways

Shipping & Delivery

External Services

​Overview

​Supported Storage Drivers

​Configuration

​Config File Location

​Filesystem Configuration

​Local Storage

​Configuration

​Benefits

​Limitations

​Usage

​AWS S3 Configuration

​Step 1: Create AWS Account

​Step 2: Configure Environment

​Step 3: Install AWS SDK

​S3 Regions

​Usage Example

​Backblaze B2 Configuration

​Pricing Comparison

​Step 1: Create Backblaze Account

​Step 2: Configure Environment

​Backblaze Regions

​Usage Example

​File Upload Implementation

​Upload Helper Function

​Example Upload Controller

​Account Deletion with Storage

​File Types and Limits

​Image Upload Validation

​Document Upload Validation

​Video Upload Validation

​CDN Integration

​CloudFront with S3

​Image Optimization

​Intervention Image

​Resize Before Upload

​Backup Strategy

​Automated Backups

​Security Best Practices

​Private Files

​Generating Signed URLs

​Cost Optimization

​S3 Storage Classes

​Lifecycle Policies

​Troubleshooting

​Migration Between Storage Providers

​Local to S3 Migration

​Performance Optimization

​Related Documentation

Media Management

Product Images

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Supported Storage Drivers

Configuration

Config File Location

Filesystem Configuration

Local Storage

Configuration

Benefits

Limitations

Usage

AWS S3 Configuration

Step 1: Create AWS Account

Step 2: Configure Environment

Step 3: Install AWS SDK

S3 Regions

Usage Example

Backblaze B2 Configuration

Pricing Comparison

Step 1: Create Backblaze Account

Step 2: Configure Environment

Backblaze Regions

Usage Example

File Upload Implementation

Upload Helper Function

Example Upload Controller

Account Deletion with Storage

File Types and Limits

Image Upload Validation

Document Upload Validation

Video Upload Validation

CDN Integration

CloudFront with S3

Image Optimization

Intervention Image

Resize Before Upload

Backup Strategy

Automated Backups

Security Best Practices

Private Files

Generating Signed URLs

Cost Optimization

S3 Storage Classes

Lifecycle Policies

Troubleshooting

Migration Between Storage Providers

Local to S3 Migration

Performance Optimization

Related Documentation