How to Create and Check Custom Header with Middleware for REST API in Laravel?

In Laravel 5 REST API project sometime we need to create create our own custom header for security. like : 'X-hardik':'123456'. this was example, that means in your current project your every request with pass your own custom header like i give you example.this custom header can improve your security. we can also check your header is right or wrong.example :

Your Jquery or AngularJS Request

    $.ajax({  
         type: 'POST',  
         dataType: 'json',  
         url: 'http://test.hd/api/login',  
         headers: { 'X-hardik': '123456'},  
         data: {'email':'savanihd@gmail.com','password':'123456'}  
    }).done(function(data){  
        alert('Login Successfully');  
    }).fail(function(jqXHR, ajaxOptions, thrownError){  
         alert(jqXHR.responseText);  
    });  

This is your normal Jquery request with custom header 'X-hardik' and password '123456'.

Now How to check this request in your laravel project.

first fire this command and create middleware.

php artisan make:middleware checkHeader

Ok, now you can check in your project path : app/Http/Middleware/checkHeader.php file

add content on that file.

namespace App\Http\Middleware;  
  
use Closure;  
use Illuminate\Contracts\Auth\Guard;  
use Response;  
  
class checkHeader  
{  
    /** 
     * The Guard implementation. 
     * 
     * @var Guard 
     */  
  
    /** 
     * Handle an incoming request. 
     * 
     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request 
     * @param  \Closure  $next 
     * @return mixed 
     */  
    public function handle($request, Closure $next)  
    {  
        if(!isset($_SERVER['HTTP_X_HARDIK'])){  
            return Response::json(array('error'=-->'Please set custom header'));  
        }  
  
        if($_SERVER['HTTP_X_HARDIK'] != '123456'){  
            return Response::json(array('error'=>'wrong custom header'));  
        }  
  
        return $next($request);  
    }  
}

Now you have to add in app/Http/Kernel.php file for assign middleware name.

namespace App\Http;  
  
use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\Kernel as HttpKernel;  
  
class Kernel extends HttpKernel  
{  
    /** 
     * The application's global HTTP middleware stack. 
     * 
     * @var array 
     */  
    protected $middleware = [  
        \Illuminate\Foundation\Http\Middleware\CheckForMaintenanceMode::class,  
        \App\Http\Middleware\EncryptCookies::class,  
        \Illuminate\Cookie\Middleware\AddQueuedCookiesToResponse::class,  
        \Illuminate\Session\Middleware\StartSession::class,  
        \Illuminate\View\Middleware\ShareErrorsFromSession::class,  
        \App\Http\Middleware\VerifyCsrfToken::class,  
    ];  
  
    /** 
     * The application's route middleware. 
     * 
     * @var array 
     */  
    protected $routeMiddleware = [  
        'auth' =--> \App\Http\Middleware\Authenticate::class,  
        'auth.basic' => \Illuminate\Auth\Middleware\AuthenticateWithBasicAuth::class,  
        'guest' => \App\Http\Middleware\RedirectIfAuthenticated::class,  
        'checkHeader' => \App\Http\Middleware\checkHeader::class,  
    ];  
}  

Ok now you can use in your route like this way :

Route::post('api/login', array('uses' => 'APIAuthController@login','middleware' => ['checkHeader']));

Try this...