Laravel redirect without return statment

helpers.php

<?php

//.....

if(!function_exists('freeRedirect')){
   
  function freeRedirect($to = '/'){
    
      throw new \Illuminate\Http\Exception\HttpResponseException(redirect($to));
  }
  
}
//.............



//usage

class AbcController extends Controller{
  
    public function aMethod(){
        freeRedirect('/to/another/route');
      
    }
  
}

Thanks for this. using this method you can also attach flash data i.e.
throw new HttpResponseException(redirect('/to/another/route/')->with('status', 'An error occurred.'));

Also HttpResponseException moved and now lives at Illuminate\Http\Exceptions\HttpResponseException

Thank you!

Very helpful! Not only redirect, you can return any kind of response.
I used this to return view as well.

if(!function_exists('abortToView')){  
  function abortToView($path){   
      throw new \Illuminate\Http\Exception\HttpResponseException(response(view($path)));
  } 
}

For laravel 8 users just change the namespace to Exceptions

if(!function_exists('abortToView')){  
  function abortToView($path){   
      throw new \Illuminate\Http\Exceptions\HttpResponseException(response(view($path)));
  } 
}