.stub files should be published but NOT used, whilst .php files should be published AND used

[Sophist-UK]

This is an issue with config, migration and routes files.

In each case these files are allowed to be named as either *.php or *.php.stub files, and currently all files named in the relevant has... method are both published and used.

However, in my opinion (and I know this does create backwards compatability) there should be a difference between these two file types whereby *.php.stub files are only for publishing, whereas *.php files are both published and used (i.e. config files are merged, migrations are loaded for running and routes are loaded).

So for example:

• /config/mypackage.php should be both published and merged.
• /config/mypackage.php.stub should only be published.
• /database/migrations/mypackage.php then it should be published and if runMigrations() is called it should also be loaded for running (if the user is running php artisan migrate).
• /database/migrations/mypackage.php.stub should only be published.
• /routes/mypackage.php then it should be published and also loaded so that the routes works if the user has not actually published them.
• /routes/mypackage.php.stub should only be published.

As I say, this would create backwards compatibility and should therefore only be changed in a new major version.