usher-manage-stack/app/Models/ArticleCategory.php

<?php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Support\Str;

class ArticleCategory extends Model
{
    use HasFactory;

    protected $fillable = [
        'name',
        'slug',
        'description',
        'sort_order',
    ];

    protected $casts = [
        'sort_order' => 'integer',
    ];

    protected static function boot()
    {
        parent::boot();

        static::creating(function (ArticleCategory $category) {
            if (empty($category->slug)) {
                $slug = Str::slug($category->name);
                if (empty($slug)) {
                    $slug = 'category-'.time();
                }
                $originalSlug = $slug;
                $count = 1;
                while (static::where('slug', $slug)->exists()) {
                    $slug = $originalSlug.'-'.$count++;
                }
                $category->slug = $slug;
            }
        });
    }

    public function articles()
    {
        return $this->belongsToMany(Article::class, 'article_category', 'category_id', 'article_id');
    }
}