Understanding the move and the storeAs methods for saving/uploading files to the filesystem

store() stores a file with a hash of the file name vs storeAs() allows you to control the file name. Both are on the UploadedFile object (which lives in your /tmp folder or wherever PHP tells temporary files to live). Using these methods takes a file from its temporary location and stores it in your App's "storage" system of choice (by default, the storage/app folder)

move() is for existing files within your Storage system to move from wherever it is now to wherever you want it, preserving the file name.

So, use storeAs() or store() when you are working with a file that has been uploaded (i.e. within a controller), and move() only when you've already got a file in the system to move it from one location to another.

I hope this helps. (Sorry for the man updates, trying to make it clear as possible)

@trcraig On your comment about the move method, that is part of my confusion why use this method when first uploading files. In fact Jeffrey uses the move method in the following two videos...

Min: 7:50 https://laracasts.com/lessons/file-uploads-101

Min: 18:30 https://laracasts.com/series/build-project-flyer-with-me/episodes/11

@fsdolphin A lot of stuff has changed since 2013 and even 2015 (when the videos were made).

If you're using 5.3, you may want to check out this video: https://laracasts.com/series/whats-new-in-laravel-5-3/episodes/12

@trcraig I also watched that video but for some reason I couldn't make it to save to the public directory so I assumed it was a helper for private uploads since it saves to the storage folder by default.

Quick question, do you how can I make it to save to the public directory? I rather use this method.

Route::post('routeName', function(){
    request()->file('fieldName')->store('public/images');
    return back();
});

https://laracasts.com/series/whats-new-in-laravel-5-3/episodes/12

I haven't done this, but I believe you can do something such as:

Route::post('routeName', function($request) {
    $file = $request->file('fieldName');
    $file->storePublicly('images');
});

See: \Illuminate\Http\UploadedFile::storePublicly()

I will give it try thanks.

I tried your code and it saves to the storage folder. I guess I will stick with the move method.

Route::post('routeName', function($request) {
        $file = $request->file('fieldName');
        $file->storePublicly('images');
});

it's all explained in the docs.

https://laravel.com/docs/5.4/filesystem

store will use your default disk, which you can set to be other than the storage folder, or, you can create a new disk in config and then specify that as the second parameter for the store command.