Domain models

New adopted models live in App\Domain\<Capability>\Models. Eloquent entities are the default; do not split persistence models from domain entities without a concrete need. Extending an existing legacy model does not authorize relocating it.

Put behavior on the entity that owns its rules. Mutate state in the model; let the Action persist it:

public function cancel(): void
{
    if ($this->status !== 'pending') {
        throw new OrderCannotBeCancelled();
    }

    $this->status = 'cancelled';
}

Here OrderCannotBeCancelled belongs to App\Domain\Orders\Exceptions. Use the project's existing enum/cast when applicable. No save(), HTTP response, abort(), policy invocation, or Infrastructure call belongs in this method. An Action calling it must explicitly save.

Domain may produce or record an event describing a transition; Application coordinates dispatch. Do not add an event collector or base aggregate solely for DDD.

Models may collaborate across capabilities in the same bounded context. Eloquent remains usable; repositories are not required for normal queries or persistence.

Preserve Laravel behavior

When a model move is explicitly in scope:

• Keep factories in database/factories. Map the model to its factory with UseFactory or newFactory() when required, and map the factory back using its $model property or the installed version's equivalent.
• Keep policies in app/Policies; register them with Gate::policy() in a service provider when discovery no longer matches. Do not attach an outer policy dependency to a Domain model.
• Update and verify relationships, model imports, route binding, auth configuration if relevant, and persisted polymorphic type mappings if a stored class name changes.
• Verify factory creation, authorization, and affected behavior. Do not migrate unrelated models.

For the full sequence, see order cancellation.