What is Route Model Binding in Laravel?
Why Interviewers Ask This
This question tests conceptual clarity. Interviewers want to hear a precise, confident definition before moving to more complex Laravel topics. It also reveals how well you can explain technical ideas to non-experts.
Answer
Route Model Binding automatically injects model instances into route handlers based on route parameters. Instead of manually fetching a model: $user = User::findOrFail($id), type-hint the model in the controller method: public function show(User $user). Laravel automatically resolves the User model by matching the route parameter ({user}) to the model's primary key. If no record exists, a 404 response is returned automatically. You can customize the resolution column: Route::get("/users/{user:slug}", ...) resolves by the slug column. Custom resolution logic can be added in the model's resolveRouteBinding() method. This eliminates repetitive findOrFail boilerplate.
Pro Tip
Demonstrate both theoretical understanding and practical experience. Say what it is, then give an example of how you actually used it in a Laravel codebase.