resources/views/
├── layouts/
│   └── app.blade.php     ← shared shell + flash message
└── posts/
    ├── index.blade.php   ← list (this lesson)
    ├── show.blade.php    ← one post (this lesson)
    ├── create.blade.php  ← new form (this lesson)
    └── edit.blade.php    ← next lesson

1. A layout that shows flash messages

   A flash message is a value stored in the session for exactly one request. We'll set it after saving and read it here with session('status'), so every page can show it.

   
             <!doctype html>
             <html lang="en">
             <head>
                 <meta charset="utf-8">
                 <title>@yield('title', 'My Blog')</title>
             </head>
             <body>
                 @if (session('status'))
                     <div class="alert">{{ session('status') }}</div>
                 @endif
   
                 @yield('content')
             </body>
             </html>
           

2. index: list posts with pagination

   Fetch the newest posts, a page at a time. with('user') loads each post's author in one extra query instead of one per post.

   
             public function index()
             {
                 $posts = Post::with('user')->latest()->paginate(10);
   
                 return view('posts.index', compact('posts'));
             }
           

   
             @extends('layouts.app')
   
             @section('content')
                 <h1>Posts</h1>
                 <a href="{{ route('posts.create') }}">New post</a>
   
                 @forelse ($posts as $post)
                     <article>
                         <h2><a href="{{ route('posts.show', $post) }}">{{ $post->title }}</a></h2>
                         <p>by {{ $post->user->name }} · {{ $post->created_at->diffForHumans() }}</p>
                     </article>
                 @empty
                     <p>No posts yet. Write the first one!</p>
                 @endforelse
   
                 {{ $posts->links() }}
             @endsection
           

   Passing the whole $post to route('posts.show', $post) is fine: Laravel pulls out its id (or slug, if you changed the route key) automatically.

3. show: one post via route model binding

   The {post} URL segment becomes a Post object before your method runs. A bad id gives a 404, so there's no if needed.

   
             public function show(Post $post)
             {
                 $post->load('user', 'category', 'comments.user');
   
                 return view('posts.show', compact('post'));
             }
           

   
             @extends('layouts.app')
   
             @section('title', $post->title)
   
             @section('content')
                 <h1>{{ $post->title }}</h1>
                 <p>by {{ $post->user->name }} in {{ $post->category?->name ?? 'Uncategorised' }}</p>
   
                 <div>{{ $post->body }}</div>
   
                 <h2>Comments ({{ $post->comments->count() }})</h2>
                 @foreach ($post->comments as $comment)
                     <p><strong>{{ $comment->user->name }}:</strong> {{ $comment->body }}</p>
                 @endforeach
   
                 <a href="{{ route('posts.index') }}">← All posts</a>
             @endsection
           

4. create: show the form

   The form needs the categories for a dropdown. Note @csrf, old() and @error, all from the previous lesson.

   
             public function create()
             {
                 $categories = Category::orderBy('name')->get();
   
                 return view('posts.create', compact('categories'));
             }
           

   
             @extends('layouts.app')
   
             @section('content')
                 <form method="POST" action="{{ route('posts.store') }}">
                     @csrf
   
                     <label>Title <input name="title" value="{{ old('title') }}"></label>
                     @error('title') <p class="error">{{ $message }}</p> @enderror
   
                     <label>Category
                         <select name="category_id">
                             <option value="">None</option>
                             @foreach ($categories as $category)
                                 <option value="{{ $category->id }}" @selected(old('category_id') == $category->id)>
                                     {{ $category->name }}
                                 </option>
                             @endforeach
                         </select>
                     </label>
   
                     <label>Body <textarea name="body">{{ old('body') }}</textarea></label>
                     @error('body') <p class="error">{{ $message }}</p> @enderror
   
                     <button type="submit">Publish</button>
                 </form>
             @endsection
           

5. store: validate, save, redirect with a flash

   The Form Request validates first. We build the slug from the title, create the post through the logged-in user, then redirect with ->with('status', ...), which flashes the message for the next page. (Since we generate the slug here, remove the slug rule from StorePostRequest.)

   
             use App\Http\Requests\StorePostRequest;
             use Illuminate\Support\Str;
   
             public function store(StorePostRequest $request)
             {
                 $post = $request->user()->posts()->create([
                     ...$request->validated(),
                     'slug' => Str::slug($request->title) . '-' . Str::lower(Str::random(5)),
                 ]);
   
                 return redirect()
                     ->route('posts.show', $post)
                     ->with('status', 'Post created!');
             }
           

   ℹ️ Who is $request->user()?

   The logged-in user. Protect the create and store routes with the auth middleware so it's never null. Authentication arrives in Guards & Protecting Routes.

• index lists (paginate + eager load), show displays one, create shows a form, store saves.
• Route model binding turns {post} into a Post, with a free 404.
• Every form that changes data includes @csrf.
• Redirect after POST, and flash feedback with ->with('status', '...').
• Read flash messages in the layout with session('status').
• Print user content with {{ }}, never raw {!! !!}.