How to change the response in API - laravel

Question

I want to change my response in an API. I get the user object in response but i want there the object of join like that here is the code of my Activity Profile Controller in which I get user object.
Currently i get this response.
"user": {
"id": 1,
"facebook_id": null,
"name": "umar",
"surname": "javed",
"email": "uj1#gmail.com",
"username": null,
"date_of_birth": "1993-01-18",
"profile_picture": null,
"occupation": null,
"gender": null,
"city": "lahore",
"country": null,
"course": null,
"university": null,
"discription": null,
"visible_on_feeds": 1,
"visible_on_guestlists": 1,
"created_at": "2018-05-02 10:35:03",
"updated_at": "2019-01-15 14:32:54"
}
public function joinActivity(Activity $activity)
{
$authUser = JWTAuth::parseToken()->toUser();
$userAge = Carbon::parse($authUser->date_of_birth)->age;
if($activity->age_from <= $userAge && $activity->age_to >= $userAge)
{
$authUser->joinActivity($activity, $authUser);
if ($activity->user_id != $authUser->id) {
$user = User::where('id', $activity->user_id)->first();
$user->notify(new JoinedTheActivity($authUser, $activity));
}
$userFriendIds = $authUser->friendslist()->pluck('id')->toArray();
$joinedIds = $activity->joins()->pluck('user_id')->toArray();
$joinedUsers = User::whereIn('id', $joinedIds)->whereIn('id', $userFriendIds)
->where('id', '!=', $authUser->id)->get();
foreach ($joinedUsers as $joinedUser) {
$joinedUser->notify(new FriendJoinedSameActivity($authUser, $activity));
}
return response()->json(['user'=> $authUser], 200);
} else {
return response()->json(['message'=> 'Your are not under the age limit of this Activity']);
}
}
And Here is the code of my ActivityInterest trait:
public function joinActivity(Activity $activity, User $user)
{
if ( $this->isJoiningActivity($activity, $user))
{
$activity->interests()->update(['status'=> Status::JOINED]);
} else {
$joining = $activity->interests()->create([
'user_id' => $user->id,
'activity_id' => $activity->id,
'status' => Status::JOINED,
]);
return $joining->save();
}
}
But I want this response How i can do that Please help Me. Thanks in advance.
"joins": [
{
"id": 71,
"user_id": 1,
"activity_id": 7,
"status": 1,
"created_at": "2018-12-21 07:05:30",
"updated_at": "2018-12-21 07:05:30",
"user": {
"id": 1,
"facebook_id": null,
"name": "umar",
"surname": "javed",
"email": "uj1#gmail.com",
"username": null,
"date_of_birth": "1993-01-18",
"profile_picture": null,
"occupation": null,
"gender": null,
"city": "lahore",
"country": null,
"course": null,
"university": null,
"discription": null,
"visible_on_feeds": 1,
"visible_on_guestlists": 1,
"created_at": "2018-05-02 10:35:03",
"updated_at": "2019-01-15 14:32:54"
},
"activity": {
"id": 7,
"activity_type": "event",
"user_id": 1,
"category_id": 2,
"subcategory_id": 3,
"activity_privacy": "open",
"activity_privacy_visible": 1,
"activity_datetime_from": "2018-07-28 13:35:00",
"activity_datetime_to": "2018-12-12 04:10:12",
"activity_address": "lahore",
"company_id": 3,
"latitude": null,
"longitude": null,
"age_from": 16,
"age_to": 30,
"people_limit": "4",
"activity_picture": null,
"activity_title": "party",
"activity_description": "party bla bla",
"created_at": "2018-05-03 10:49:48",
"updated_at": "2018-09-29 07:57:10",
"user": {
"id": 1,
"facebook_id": null,
"name": "umar",
"surname": "javed",
"email": "uj1#gmail.com",
"username": null,
"date_of_birth": "1993-01-18",
"profile_picture": null,
"occupation": null,
"gender": null,
"city": "lahore",
"country": null,
"course": null,
"university": null,
"discription": null,
"visible_on_feeds": 1,
"visible_on_guestlists": 1,
"created_at": "2018-05-02 10:35:03",
"updated_at": "2019-01-15 14:32:54"
},
"subcategory": {
"id": 3,
"category_id": 2,
"subcategory_name": "party",
"subcategory_picture": "dds",
"created_at": null,
"updated_at": null,
"category": {
"id": 2,
"category_name": "nightlife",
"category_picture": "knk",
"category_color": "#992233",
"created_at": null,
"updated_at": "2018-08-09 11:21:23"
}
}
}
}
]

Answer 1

When you need to change a response in your api, you can create a resource. this is the correct way, and will help you returning the information the way you need it.
In example, php artisan make:resource UserCollection
More info here:
https://laravel.com/docs/5.7/eloquent-resources