Bypassing email = unique:users in laravel - php

Question

I am using Laravel 5.2, and I am trying to create a dashboard where the user can update his information, but I am facing one problem which is bypassing unique:users in validator.
if the user wants to keep same email, validator gives an error of 'The email has already been taken', also user should not change email to another email which is reserved by another user.
How can I avoid this validation in case if this user is the only user has this email.
my controller function:
public function update(Request $request)
{
$validator = Validator::make($request->all(), [
'name' => 'required|max:255',
'email' => 'required|email|max:255|unique:users',
'password' => 'required|min:6|confirmed',
]);
// if fails, return response with errors
if($validator->fails())
return back()->withErrors($validator)->withInput();
$user = Auth::user();
$user->name = $request->input('name');
$user->email = $request->input('email');
$user->password = bcrypt($request->input('password'));
$user->update();
return back()->withInput();
}

Answer 1

Laravel's unique validator can take additional parameters that can help you exclude given ID from the unique check.
The syntax is:
unique:<table>,<column>,<id_to_exclude>
In your case, you'll need the follwing validation rule:
'email' => 'required|email|max:255|unique:users,email,'.$id

Answer 2

Just change your code to:
public function update(Request $request)
{
$id = Auth::user()->id;
$validator = Validator::make($request->all(), [
'name' => 'required|max:255',
'email' => 'required|email|max:255|unique:users'.$id,
'password' => 'required|min:6|confirmed',
]);
// if fails, return response with errors
if($validator->fails())
return back()->withErrors($validator)->withInput();
$user = Auth::user();
$user->name = $request->input('name');
$user->email = $request->input('email');
$user->password = bcrypt($request->input('password'));
$user->update();
return back()->withInput();
}
Why this works? Well the laravel Unique validation searches for the unique value in the table specified. So unique:users searches if the email exists in db. The user id here works as a way to exclude the check for this user.
Also, if you want that email should not be edited, then just exclude it from the request.
$input = $request->excpet(['email']); check docs