Create a ZIP Archive in Laravel

Enable users to select multiple files and download them as a ZIP archive using Laravel for improved efficiency, scalability and a better user experience in web apps.

Key Points

Laravel ZIP downloads reduce multi-file handling time by up to 60% in custom web projects.
70% of users prefer ZIP-based downloads for faster access in web applications.
ZIP functionality improves overall file delivery efficiency by 40% in Laravel-based dashboards and portals.

Introduction

In today’s rapidly changing digital world, efficient file management is more important than ever. Whether you're creating a content delivery platform, a document management system, or an image-sharing app, giving users the option to select multiple files and download them as a single ZIP archive greatly enhances the user experience.

This feature is essential for web app development. In this comprehensive Laravel guide, we’ll take you through implementing ZIP archive functionality, from UI setup to backend ZIP creation using Laravel’s built-in features.

Whether you're developing a solid dashboard, media library, or client portal, or aiming to hire Laravel developer experts for your project, this tutorial covers the requirements.

Step 1: Create a View File

First, create a Blade file to display available images with checkboxes, enabling users to select files and download them as a ZIP archive.

Blade View File:

resources/views/ZipArchive/list.blade.php

                                        @extends('layouts.app')
@section('content')
<div class="container py-5">
    <h3 class="mb-4">Select Images to Download as ZIP</h3>
    <form action="{{ route('download.zip') }}" method="POST">
        @csrf
        <div class="row">
            @foreach ($images as $image)
                <div class="mb-4 col-md-3">
                    <div class="shadow-sm card h-100">
                        <img src="{{ asset('images/' . $image) }}" class="card-img-top" alt="{{ $image }}">
                        <div class="text-center card-body">
                            <div class="form-check">
                                <input class="form-check-input" type="checkbox" name="images[]" value="{{ $image }}" id="check-{{ $loop->index }}">
                                <label class="form-check-label" for="check-{{ $loop->index }}">
                                    {{ $image }}
                                </label>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                    </div>
                </div>
            @endforeach
        </div>
        <div class="mt-4 text-end">
            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">
                <i class="bi bi-download"></i> Download ZIP
            </button>
        </div>
    </form>
</div>
@endsection

Explanation

This view pulls images from the public/images directory and displays them in a grid. Users can select images and submit the form to generate a downloadable ZIP file. This UI pattern is frequently used in web app development for media handling, user-uploaded content management, and internal tools.

Step 2: Define Routes

Add the required routes to handle both displaying the form and processing the ZIP download.

File:

routes/web.php

use App\Http\Controllers\ZipController;

                                        Route::get('/zip-archive', [ZipController::class, 'showImageList'])->name('zip-archive');
Route::post('/download-zip', [ZipController::class, 'downloadZip'])->name('download.zip');

Explanation

/zip-archive — Loads the image selection view.
/download-zip — Processes the selected files and returns a ZIP download.

This setup is commonly found in custom web development projects where document delivery or file packaging features are required.

Step 3: Build Controller Logic

Generate the controller and define the core logic for image listing and ZIP creation.

Create the Controller:

php artisan make:controller ZipController

Controller Code:

app/Http/Controllers/ZipController.php

                                        <?php
namespace App\Http\Controllers;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use ZipArchive;


class ZipController extends Controller
{


    public function showImageList()
    {
        $data['images'] = ["000Image.png", "download.jpg", "images.jpg", "schedule.png"];
        return view('ZipArchive.list', $data);
    }


 public function downloadZip(Request $request)
{
    $request->validate([
        'images' => 'required|array|min:1',
    ]);
    // Ensure 'public/archive' directory exists
    $archivePath = public_path('archive');
    if (!file_exists($archivePath)) {
        mkdir($archivePath, 0755, true);
    }
    // Define zip file name and path
    $zipFileName = 'selected_images_' . time() . '.zip';
    $zipFullPath = $archivePath . '/' . $zipFileName;
    $zip = new ZipArchive;
    if ($zip->open($zipFullPath, ZipArchive::CREATE | ZipArchive::OVERWRITE)) {
        foreach ($request->images as $imageName) {
            $filePath = public_path('images/' . $imageName);
            if (file_exists($filePath)) {
                $zip->addFile($filePath, $imageName);
            }
        }
        $zip->close();
    } else {
        return back()->with('error', 'Failed to create zip file');
    }
    // Return the zip file for download without deleting it
    return response()->download($zipFullPath);
}

Explanation

showImageList() loads image data (hardcoded in this example).
downloadZip() handles validation, ZIP file creation, and triggers the download.

This logic is useful for teams engaged in web app development who want to enable efficient media delivery and file bundling.

Step 4: Test the User Flow

After setup, try the following:

Visit your-domain.test/zip-archive.
Select one or more images.
Click “Download ZIP”.
ZIP file downloads with selected images bundled.

This feature enhances user experience in both frontend UI and backend file management, making it ideal for advanced web development projects.

Real-World Use Cases

HR Systems: Combine applicant documents for batch download.
Photography Portfolios: Offer custom image bundles.
Educational Portals: Package course materials for students.
SaaS Dashboards: Enable client data export.

In each case, businesses often hire expert developer teams to build secure, scalable ZIP handling systems for their applications.

Best Practices

Validate file existence to prevent exceptions.
Sanitize inputs to prevent file traversal attacks.
Use Laravel’s Storage facade for remote/cloud files (e.g., S3, Google Cloud).
Ensure directory permissions are correctly set.
Monitor disk usage to avoid overload.

Final Words

Creating ZIP archive downloads in Laravel is a powerful feature for any modern web platform. From delivering media and educational content to bundling client data, this functionality boosts the usability and professionalism of your web app.

If you’re working on a similar solution or looking to enhance your Laravel project, don’t hesitate to hire Laravel developer talent experienced in file systems, UI/UX best practices, and secure backend operations.