AngularJS API call not returning data in Laravel 5.1 RESTful setup

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1

I’m stuck trying to get data from my API using AngularJS. The backend is a Laravel 5.1 RESTful API running on a local Vagrant setup. When I hit the API directly in the browser, I get the expected JSON response. But when I try to fetch it through my Angular app, nothing shows up in the view.

I’ve tried using both $http and Restangular to make the API call, but no luck. Here’s a simplified version of my Angular controller:

angular.module('MyApp', [])
  .controller('MainCtrl', function($scope, Restangular) {
    $scope.user = 'Test User';

    var api = Restangular.allUrl('items', 'http://myapi.local:8000');

    api.getList().then(function(response) {
      $scope.items = response;
    });
  });

In my view, I’m trying to display the items like this:

<div ng-repeat=\"item in items\">
  <h3>{{ item.name }}</h3>
  <p>{{ item.description }}</p>
</div>

But nothing shows up. Other $scope variables work fine. I’ve double-checked my API endpoint and it’s correct. Any ideas what could be going wrong? I’m pulling my hair out over this!

2

I encountered a similar issue when setting up a Laravel API with Angular. Have you verified that your API is properly handling OPTIONS requests? Sometimes, the preflight request can cause silent failures. Also, ensure your API is returning the correct Content-Type header (application/json). If those check out, try debugging the Angular side by adding a .catch() to your promise chain and logging any errors. This helped me pinpoint where things were breaking down. Lastly, consider using a tool like Postman to test your API endpoints independently of your Angular app to isolate whether the issue is on the front-end or back-end.

3

Ran into this exact problem a while back. Turns out it was a timing issue with Angular’s digest cycle. Try wrapping your API call in a $timeout:

$timeout(function() {
  api.getList().then(function(response) {
    $scope.items = response;
  });
});

This forces Angular to run another digest cycle after the API call completes, ensuring your view updates properly. Also, make sure you’re injecting $timeout into your controller.

If that doesn’t work, check your browser console for any error messages. Sometimes there are CORS issues or other errors that don’t show up obviously but prevent the data from loading.

Lastly, verify your API is returning the data in the exact format your Angular code expects. Even small discrepancies can cause silent failures.

4

hey, had similar issue. check ur network tab in browser dev tools. might be CORS problem. try adding headers to ur laravel routes or middleware. also, double-check ur api url - sometimes local setups can be tricky. good luck!