Laravel: Encode JSON responses in UTF-8

Question

I want to encode the JSON responses of my API to UTF-8, but every time I make a response I don't want to do this:

return response()->json($res,200,['Content-type'=>'application/json;charset=utf-8'],JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE);

So I thought about making a middleware for all API routes which handle(...) function would be this:

public function handle($request, Closure $next) {
    $response = $next($request);
    $response->header('Content-type','application/json; charset=utf-8');
    return $next($request);
}

The problem is that it doesn't work, the Content-type header of my responses is still application/json and not application/json; charset=utf-8; maybe because the json(...) function already sets a Content-type header and I cannot override it.

How should I do?

Thank you for your help.

You need to do it other way around, you want to use **after** [middleware](https://laravel.com/docs/5.6/middleware#defining-middleware). — Kyslik, Jun 06 '18 at 09:45
`$request->header('key', 'default')` is a getter in that line you are doing NOP (no operation). — Kyslik, Jun 06 '18 at 09:55
You're right. I added `$response = $next($request);` and replaced `$request` by `$response` but the header didn't change. — JacopoStanchi, Jun 06 '18 at 10:02

score 32 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 27 '22 at 05:57

Its right there in the documentation, you want to use after middleware (following code is from top of my head and it should work):

<?php

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Closure;

class AfterMiddleware
{
    public function handle($request, Closure $next)
    {

        /** @var array $data */ // you need to return array from controller
        $data = $next($request);

        return response()->json($data, 200, ['Content-Type' => 'application/json;charset=UTF-8', 'Charset' => 'utf-8'],
        JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE);
    }
}

With above approach we can spot two anti-patterns:

First, crafting response in middleware (you should do it in controller).
Also, maybe using un-escaped JSON response should be avoided, because Laravel creators made default the "escaping to plain-text" for a reason, but if all your Web-API's Client-Apps support UTF-8, then un-escaped improves performance.

Experience shows that most clients beside supporting it, they even assume UTF-8 if charset is missing from Content-Type header.

Removing middleware and using controller only

Put following code in app/Http/Controller.php

protected function jsonResponse($data, $code = 200)
{
    return response()->json($data, $code,
        ['Content-Type' => 'application/json;charset=UTF-8', 'Charset' => 'utf-8'], JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE);
}

in any of the controllers that are extended by base controller (app/Http/Controller.php) you can use $this->jsonResponse($data);

How pros do it

They use eloquent resources or if there is more going on fractal is the way to go (in Laravel use spatie wrapper - https://github.com/spatie/laravel-fractal).

Exactly! See you wanted to use the wrong tool. I am updating my answer hold tight. — Kyslik, Jun 06 '18 at 10:05

NicoHood · Answer 2 · 2022-06-06T18:00:02.517

In your JsonResource class just add:

/**
 * Customize the outgoing response for the resource.
 *
 * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request
 * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Response
 * @return void
 */
public function withResponse($request, $response)
{
    $charset = $request->header('Accept-Charset', 'utf-8');
    if ($charset === 'utf-8') {
        $response->header('Charset', 'utf-8');
        $response->header('Content-Type','application/json; charset=utf-8');
        $response->setEncodingOptions(JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE);
    }
    // Alternative: iso-8859-1 which will be encoded by default using json escaping.
}

I want to note that when using single resources and collections together you must implement this for both: JsonResource AND ResourceCollection. Using something like EventResource::collection($events->get()) does NOT work.

Source: Github

Laravel: Encode JSON responses in UTF-8

2 Answers2

Removing middleware and using controller only

How pros do it

Linked