Handling API requests from website, mobile, and third-party apps (public)

I'm looking to separate my frontend and backend CRM application.

I plan to have 3 entry points: web (Laravel + Livewire), mobile (iOS/Android), and third-party apps (Zapier integrations or direct).

I need to consider that my third-party apps and mobile app entry points will not have access to all API endpoints, like billing & subscriptions. This will need to be managed via website only.

Should I use Laravel Passport for all 3 entry points, or should I use Passport for just third-party apps and Sanctum for web & mobile?

Should I have a single API server that handles all three entry points based on routes and scopes like this:

Route::middleware(['auth:sanctum', 'scope:web'])->group(function () {}
Route::middleware(['auth:sanctum', 'scope:mob'])->group(function () {}
Route::middleware(['auth:api', 'scope:public'])->group(function () {}

or have web & mobile separate from third-party apps? If the later, should each entry point have its own API server?

vincent15000

9 months ago

Level 63

You have 3 entry points :

Laravel / Livewire
iOS / Android
Zappier

I would have said that you have a Laravel Livewire application for which you need to let external applications like a mobile one or Zappier access to the datas via an API.

Laravel / Livewire doesn't need any API, so you have a specific code for Livewire.

Then you need another code for the API. And you protect the API with Sanctum. In several cases, Sanctum is sufficient.

In such cases, I proceed like this :

develop a backend in API mode
develop a frontend for the website (with VueJS for example)
develop a mobile application

So the website and the mobile application and other third party applications have access to the API. The advantage is that you don't need to have a Livewire code AND an API code for the backend.

Then you need for example to give access to billing only for the website entry. You can do that via a middleware, it's a good idea.

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