RESTful Resource controller
A RESTful resource controller sets up some default routes for you and even names them.
Route::resource('users', 'UsersController');
Gives you these named routes:
Verb Path Action Route Name
GET /users index users.index
GET /users/create create users.create
POST /users store users.store
GET /users/{user} show users.show
GET /users/{user}/edit edit users.edit
PUT|PATCH /users/{user} update users.update
DELETE /users/{user} destroy users.destroy
And you would set up your controller something like this (actions = methods)
class UsersController extends BaseController {
public function index() {}
public function show($id) {}
public function store() {}
}
You can also choose what actions are included or excluded like this:
Route::resource('users', 'UsersController', [
'only' => ['index', 'show']
]);
Route::resource('monkeys', 'MonkeysController', [
'except' => ['edit', 'create']
]);
API Resource controller
Laravel 5.5 added another method for dealing with routes for resource controllers. API Resource Controller acts exactly like shown above, but does not register create and edit routes. It is meant to be used for ease of mapping routes used in RESTful APIs - where you typically do not have any kind of data located in create nor edit methods.
Route::apiResource('users', 'UsersController');
RESTful Resource Controller documentation
Implicit controller
An Implicit controller is more flexible. You get routed to your controller methods based on the HTTP request type and name. However, you don't have route names defined for you and it will catch all subfolders for the same route.
Route::controller('users', 'UserController');
Would lead you to set up the controller with a sort of RESTful naming scheme:
class UserController extends BaseController {
public function getIndex()
{
// GET request to index
}
public function getShow($id)
{
// get request to 'users/show/{id}'
}
public function postStore()
{
// POST request to 'users/store'
}
}
Implicit Controller documentation
It is good practice to use what you need, as per your preference. I personally don't like the Implicit controllers, because they can be messy, don't provide names and can be confusing when using php artisan routes. I typically use RESTful Resource controllers in combination with explicit routes.
