Transform Model Attributes with Eloquent Mutators and Accessors

// In app/Models/User.php
namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Casts\Attribute;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class User extends Model
{
    // ...

    /**
     * Get the user's first name. (Accessor)
     *
     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Casts\Attribute
     */
    protected function firstName(): Attribute
    {
        return Attribute::make(
            get: fn (string $value) => ucfirst($value),
            set: fn (string $value) => strtolower($value),
        );
    }

    /**
     * Get the user's full name. (Accessor only)
     *
     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Casts\Attribute
     */
    protected function fullName(): Attribute
    {
        return Attribute::make(
            get: fn () => $this->first_name . ' ' . $this->last_name,
        );
    }
}

// In a controller or service
use App\Models\User;

$user = User::find(1);

// Accessor: 'first_name' will be capitalized
echo "First Name (Accessor): " . $user->first_name . "
";

// Accessor: 'full_name' is dynamically generated
echo "Full Name (Accessor): " . $user->full_name . "
";

// Mutator: 'first_name' will be lowercased before saving
$user->first_name = 'JOHN';
$user->save();
// In database, first_name would be 'john'
echo "Saved First Name (via Mutator): " . $user->first_name . "
"; // Still capitalized when accessed after save due to accessor