> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kawax.biz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Views
> Learn how to create Laravel views, return them from routes and controllers, and pass data to them.
## Introduction
Returning entire HTML documents as strings directly from routes and controllers is impractical.
Views allow you to place all of your HTML in separate files.
Views separate your controller / application logic from your presentation logic and are stored in the `resources/views` directory.
In Laravel, views are typically written using the [Blade templating language](/en/blade).
```blade theme={null}
Hello, {{ $name }}
```
This view is stored at `resources/views/greeting.blade.php` and can be returned using the global `view` helper.
```php theme={null}
Route::get('/', function () {
return view('greeting', ['name' => 'Taro']);
});
```
## Creating views
To create a view, place a file with the `.blade.php` extension in the `resources/views` directory, or use an Artisan command.
```shell theme={null}
php artisan make:view greeting
```
The `.blade.php` extension tells the framework that the file contains a [Blade template](/en/blade).
## Returning views
Once a view is created, you can return it from a route or controller using the global `view` helper.
```php theme={null}
Route::get('/', function () {
return view('greeting', ['name' => 'Taro']);
});
```
You can also return it using the `View` facade:
```php theme={null}
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\View;
return View::make('greeting', ['name' => 'Taro']);
```
The first argument to the `view` helper corresponds to the name of the view file in the `resources/views` directory.
The second argument is an array of data that should be made available to the view.
### Nested view directories
Views may be nested within subdirectories of `resources/views`.
"Dot" notation is used to reference nested views.
For example, if your view is stored at `resources/views/admin/profile.blade.php`, you can return it like so:
```php theme={null}
return view('admin.profile', $data);
```
View directory names should not contain the `.` character.
### Returning the first available view
Using the `first` method of the `View` facade, you can return the first view that exists from a given array of views.
```php theme={null}
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\View;
return View::first(['custom.admin', 'admin'], $data);
```
### Checking if a view exists
To check if a view exists, use the `exists` method on the `View` facade.
```php theme={null}
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\View;
if (View::exists('admin.profile')) {
// ...
}
```
## Passing data to views
As you saw in the previous examples, you can pass an array of data to views and use that data within the view.
```php theme={null}
return view('greetings', ['name' => 'Hanako']);
```
When passing data in this way, it must be an array of key/value pairs.
Inside the view, you can access each value using its key.
You can also add data individually using the `with` method.
The `with` method returns an instance of the view object, so you can chain method calls.
```php theme={null}
return view('greeting')
->with('name', 'Hanako')
->with('occupation', 'Engineer');
```
## Sharing data with all views
If you want to share data with every view, use the `share` method on the `View` facade.
You typically place this in the `boot` method of a service provider.
```php theme={null}
Learn how to use Blade syntax to build dynamic views.
## Related topics
- [Laravel Package Development](/en/advanced/package-development.md)
- [HTTP Tests](/en/http-tests.md)
- [Blade templates](/en/blade.md)
- [Responses](/en/responses.md)
- [Laravel Fortify and Starter Kits](/en/advanced/fortify.md)