1. What is Query Builder?
Query Builder is a simple, database-agnostic way to interact with your database using a fluent, chainable interface. It allows you to build and execute SQL queries without writing raw SQL.
- Key Features:
- Works with any database supported by Laravel (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, etc.).
- Allows for complex queries using methods like
where(), select(), join(), and more.
Example:
$users = DB::table('users')
->where('age', '>', 18)
->orderBy('name', 'asc')
->get();
2. What is Eloquent ORM?
Eloquent ORM is Laravel's ActiveRecord implementation, which provides an object-oriented interface for interacting with database records. It allows you to work with database rows as PHP objects, making CRUD operations and relationships easier to manage.
- Key Features:
- Models represent database tables and provide methods for interacting with them.
- Automatically handles relationships like one-to-many, many-to-many, etc.
- Provides methods like
create(), save(), update(), and delete().
Example:
$user = User::where('age', '>', 18)
->orderBy('name', 'asc')
->get();
3. Query Builder: When to Use?
- Use Query Builder for performance when you need to work with large datasets and complex queries.
- Ideal for read-only operations where you don’t need to worry about database relationships.
- Use when you don’t need the overhead of Eloquent features like automatic timestamps and relationships.
Example:
$users = DB::table('users')
->select('name', 'email')
->where('status', 'active')
->get();
4. Eloquent: When to Use?
- Use Eloquent ORM when working with models and database relationships (e.g., one-to-many, many-to-many).
- Ideal for smaller projects or applications where you prefer working with objects rather than arrays.
- Eloquent is great when you want to work with data as objects, simplifying operations like creating, updating, and deleting records.
Example:
$user = User::find(1); // Get user by primary key
$user->name = 'New Name'; // Modify user data
$user->save(); // Save changes
5. Query Builder vs Eloquent: Performance
- Query Builder: Faster for complex queries and larger datasets because it avoids the overhead of creating Eloquent model instances.
- Eloquent: Slightly slower due to the object-oriented nature of models and the need to handle relationships, but it simplifies coding for smaller to medium-sized projects.
6. Query Builder: Advantages
- Faster execution: More efficient when performing large or complex queries.
- Database-agnostic: Supports any supported database without needing to worry about the underlying SQL syntax.
- No need for models: Ideal for quick, simple database queries without the need to define models.
7. Eloquent: Advantages
- Simplicity and readability: Eloquent allows you to write more readable and expressive code.
- Automatic handling of relationships: You don’t need to manually join tables when using relationships (like
hasMany, belongsTo).
- Automatic timestamps: Eloquent models automatically handle
created_at and updated_at timestamps.
8. Comparison Table
| Feature |
Query Builder |
Eloquent ORM |
| Syntax |
Fluent query builder with method chaining |
Object-oriented with model instances |
| Performance |
Faster for complex queries and large datasets |
Slightly slower due to relationships and model overhead |
| Database Relationships |
Must manually join tables |
Automatically handles relationships |
| Use Cases |
Simple to complex queries without models |
Working with models and relationships |
| Example Usage |
DB::table('users')->where('status', 'active')->get(); |
User::where('status', 'active')->get(); |
Conclusion:
Query Builder and Eloquent ORM are both powerful tools for interacting with your Laravel database, but each has its strengths. Query Builder is ideal for more complex queries and better performance, especially when working with large datasets. On the other hand, Eloquent ORM is more intuitive and makes it easier to work with models and relationships, simplifying CRUD operations in your applications.
Choose Query Builder for high-performance queries and Eloquent when you want a more expressive, object-oriented way of handling database interactions.