Retrieve only necessary data - json

Question

Here is my store function
public function store(Request $request)
{
$post = new Post();
$post->author()->associate(auth()->user());
$post->fill($request->all());
$post->save();
return response()->json($post);
}
As a response i get:
I don't want all the data so I tried to take only the data I have defined like this:
$post = $post->only([
'id',
'title',
'content',
'published_at',
'author'
]);
And response now is:
Much better, but not completely. I can not define post author data in this way.
The only way is by creating a creepy relationship where you select only necessary data or like this:
$post = [
'id' => $post->id,
'title' => $post->title,
'content' => $post->content,
'published_at' => $post->published_at->toDateTimeString(),
'author' => [
'id' => $post->author->id,
'name' => $post->author->name,
'email' => $post->author->email,
]
];
So my question is... maybe there is more elegant way to achieve this.
Thank you very much!

Answer 1

The simplest way would probably be to just use only with the author as well:
return $post->only('id', 'title', 'content') + [
'author' => $post->author->only('id', 'name', 'email'),
];
If it was going to get any more complicated or reused somewhere else then I would suggest using something like Eloquent Resources

Answer 2

I would add a function to your Post model
public function jsonOutput()
{
$array['id'] = $this->id;
$array['title'] = $this->title;
$array['content'] = $this->content;
$array['author'] = [
'id' => $this->author->id,
'name' => $this->author->id
];
return $array;
}
and then call it like this
return response()->json($post->jsonOutput());