Eloquent ORM Basics

Eloquent ORM is Laravel’s built-in Object Relational Mapping (ORM) system used to interact with databases using PHP objects instead of raw SQL queries.

It allows developers to work with database records in a clean, readable, and efficient way.

What is Eloquent ORM?

Eloquent ORM is an abstraction layer that represents database tables as PHP classes and rows as objects.

Each model in Laravel corresponds to a database table and provides methods for performing database operations.

Why Use Eloquent?

Eloquent simplifies database queries, reduces boilerplate code, and improves readability.

It also provides built-in support for relationships, query scopes, and data manipulation.

Creating an Eloquent Model

Models are created using Laravel’s Artisan command.

php artisan make:model Post

Basic Model Structure

A model represents a database table and is stored inside the app/Models directory.

<?php
 namespace App\Models;

 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

 class Post extends Model
 {
 }
?>

Retrieving All Records

Eloquent provides simple methods to fetch data from the database.

<?php
 use App\Models\Post;

 $posts = Post::all();
?>

Finding Records by ID

You can retrieve a single record using its primary key.

<?php
 $post = Post::find(1);
?>

Conditional Queries

Eloquent allows filtering data using expressive query methods.

<?php
 $posts = Post::where('status', 'published')->get();
?>

Creating Records

You can insert new records into the database using the create method.

<?php
 Post::create([
   'title' => 'First Post',
   'content' => 'This is a post content'
 ]);
?>

Mass Assignment Protection

Laravel protects against mass assignment vulnerabilities using the $fillable property.

<?php
 class Post extends Model
 {
   protected $fillable = ['title', 'content'];
 }
?>

Updating Records

Eloquent makes updating records straightforward using object methods.

<?php
 $post = Post::find(1);
 $post->title = 'Updated Title';
 $post->save();
?>

Deleting Records

Records can be deleted using the delete method.

<?php
 $post = Post::find(1);
 $post->delete();
?>

Eloquent Relationships

Eloquent supports relationships such as one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many.

One-to-Many Example

<?php
 class User extends Model
 {
   public function posts() {
     return $this->hasMany(Post::class);
   }
 }
?>

Inverse Relationship

<?php
 class Post extends Model
 {
   public function user() {
     return $this->belongsTo(User::class);
   }
 }
?>

Eager Loading

Eager loading helps reduce database queries by loading related models in advance.

<?php
 $users = User::with('posts')->get();
?>

Query Scopes

Query scopes allow reusable query logic inside models.

<?php
 public function scopeActive($query) {
   return $query->where('status', 'active');
 }
?>

Accessing Scopes

<?php
 $users = User::active()->get();
?>

Timestamps in Eloquent

Eloquent automatically manages created_at and updated_at timestamps.

This helps track when records are created or modified.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Beginners often forget to define fillable properties, leading to mass assignment errors.

Another mistake is overusing raw queries instead of Eloquent methods.

Best Practices

Use Eloquent relationships, scopes, and mass assignment protection properly.

Keep database logic inside models to maintain clean architecture.

Real-World Importance

Eloquent is widely used in real-world Laravel applications to simplify database operations.

It helps developers build scalable and maintainable applications faster.

Summary

Eloquent ORM simplifies database interaction by using PHP models instead of raw SQL queries.

Mastering Eloquent is essential for building modern Laravel applications efficiently.