feat: add sub category deep link

app/Http/Controllers/CategoryController.php

@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ public function publicShow($id)
     public function grouped($id)
     {
         $category = Category::with(['subcategories' => function ($q) {
-            $q->orderBy('name')->with(['media' => function ($m) {
+            $q->where('is_deeplink_only', false)->orderBy('name')->with(['media' => function ($m) {
                 // Deep-link-only media stays out of the normal category screen.
                 $m->where('is_deeplink_only', false)
                   ->with(['image', 'detailImage', 'tags'])->latest();

app/Http/Controllers/SubCategoryController.php

@@ -7,12 +7,21 @@
 
 class SubCategoryController extends Controller
 {
+    // Admin listing of deep-link (hidden) subcategories: ?deeplink_only=1 returns
+    // only the hidden records so the admin can manage their links. The normal
+    // listing hides deeplink-only subcategories.
     public function index(Request $request, $categoryId = null)
     {
         $query = SubCategory::with('category')->withCount(['media' => fn ($q) => $q->where('is_deeplink_only', false)]);
 
         $categoryId = $categoryId ?? $request->input('category_id');
 
+        if ($request->boolean('deeplink_only')) {
+            $query->where('is_deeplink_only', true);
+        } else {
+            $query->where('is_deeplink_only', false);
+        }
+
         if ($categoryId) {
             $query->where('category_id', $categoryId);
         }
@@ -28,6 +37,7 @@ public function store(Request $request)
             'category_id' => 'required|exists:categories,id',
             'name' => 'required|string|max:255',
             'description' => 'nullable|string',
+            'is_deeplink_only' => 'nullable|boolean',
         ]);
 
         $existing = SubCategory::where('category_id', $data['category_id'])
@@ -41,6 +51,8 @@ public function store(Request $request)
             ], 422);
         }
 
+        $data['is_deeplink_only'] = $data['is_deeplink_only'] ?? false;
+
         $subCategory = SubCategory::create($data);
 
         return response()->json([
@@ -56,6 +68,38 @@ public function show($id)
         return response()->json($subCategory);
     }
 
+    // Public (no auth) deep link lookup by ID. Serves any subcategory — hidden
+    // (deeplink-only) ones included — so https://aramejan.com/subcategory/{id}
+    // resolves for every shareable subcategory. A visible subcategory only lists
+    // its visible media; inside a hidden one everything is shown, since the deep
+    // link is the only way in.
+    public function publicShow($id)
+    {
+        $subCategory = SubCategory::with('category')->findOrFail($id);
+        $includeHiddenMedia = (bool) $subCategory->is_deeplink_only;
+
+        $mediaQuery = $subCategory->media()
+            ->with(['image', 'detailImage', 'tags'])
+            ->latest();
+
+        if (! $includeHiddenMedia) {
+            $mediaQuery->where('is_deeplink_only', false);
+        }
+
+        return response()->json([
+            'sub_category' => [
+                'id' => $subCategory->id,
+                'name' => $subCategory->name,
+                'description' => $subCategory->description,
+                'category_id' => $subCategory->category_id,
+                'category' => $subCategory->category,
+                'is_deeplink_only' => $subCategory->is_deeplink_only,
+                'deep_link' => $subCategory->deep_link,
+            ],
+            'medias' => $mediaQuery->get(),
+        ]);
+    }
+
     public function update(Request $request, $id)
     {
         $subCategory = SubCategory::findOrFail($id);
@@ -64,6 +108,7 @@ public function update(Request $request, $id)
             'category_id' => 'sometimes|exists:categories,id',
             'name' => 'sometimes|string|max:255',
             'description' => 'nullable|string',
+            'is_deeplink_only' => 'nullable|boolean',
         ]);
 
         $categoryId = $data['category_id'] ?? $subCategory->category_id;
@@ -81,6 +126,10 @@ public function update(Request $request, $id)
             ], 422);
         }
 
+        if (array_key_exists('is_deeplink_only', $data)) {
+            $subCategory->is_deeplink_only = $data['is_deeplink_only'];
+        }
+
         $subCategory->update($data);
 
         return response()->json([

app/Models/SubCategory.php

@@ -10,7 +10,24 @@ class SubCategory extends Model
 {
     protected $table = 'sub_categories';
 
-    protected $fillable = ['category_id', 'name', 'description'];
+    protected $fillable = ['category_id', 'name', 'description', 'is_deeplink_only'];
+
+    protected $casts = [
+        'is_deeplink_only' => 'boolean',
+    ];
+
+    protected $appends = ['deep_link'];
+
+    public function getDeepLinkAttribute(): ?string
+    {
+        $canonical = config('deeplinks.subcategory_pattern');
+
+        if ($canonical) {
+            return rtrim(str_replace('{id}', $this->id, $canonical), '/');
+        }
+
+        return url('/subcategory/' . $this->id);
+    }
 
     public function category(): BelongsTo
     {

config/deeplinks.php

@@ -15,4 +15,7 @@
 
     // Pattern used for category deep links.
     'category_pattern' => env('DEEPLINK_CATEGORY_PATTERN', $base . '/category/{id}'),
+
+    // Pattern used for subcategory deep links.
+    'subcategory_pattern' => env('DEEPLINK_SUBCATEGORY_PATTERN', $base . '/subcategory/{id}'),
 ];

database/migrations/2026_09_02_100200_add_deeplink_columns_to_sub_categories_table.php

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+return new class extends Migration
+{
+    /**
+     * Run the migrations.
+     */
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        Schema::table('sub_categories', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            // When true the subcategory is hidden from list/search but still
+            // reachable through its deep link (https://aramejan.com/subcategory/{id}).
+            $table->boolean('is_deeplink_only')->default(false)->after('description');
+        });
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reverse the migrations.
+     */
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        Schema::table('sub_categories', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            $table->dropColumn('is_deeplink_only');
+        });
+    }
+};

routes/api.php

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 // fetched without authentication when reached via their share link.
 Route::get('public/media/{id}', [MediaController::class, 'publicShow']);
 Route::get('public/categories/{id}', [CategoryController::class, 'publicShow']);
+Route::get('public/sub-categories/{id}', [SubCategoryController::class, 'publicShow']);
 
 Route::prefix('auth')->controller(UserController::class)->group(function () {
     Route::post('login-with-approo-v2', [UserController::class, 'loginV2']);