How do I use Eloquent relationships with Illuminate Database outside Laravel?

After configuring Capsule and booting Eloquent, define model classes with relationship methods just like in Laravel. Refer to Laravel's Eloquent documentation for syntax, but ensure all required packages like illuminate/events are installed for full functionality.

Illuminate Database or Doctrine: which is better for a new PHP project?

Choose Illuminate Database if you prefer ActiveRecord pattern and Laravel's expressive syntax; it's ideal for rapid development. Doctrine is better for complex domain models with Data Mapper pattern and more advanced query capabilities, but has a steeper learning curve.

How to handle database migrations without Laravel's migration runner?

Use the schema builder to programmatically create or alter tables in custom scripts. While the standalone version lacks Laravel's migration commands, you can replicate the process by executing schema changes manually or building a simple migration system.

Does Illuminate Database support transactions and connection pooling?

Yes, it supports transactions through methods like beginTransaction and rollback. Connection pooling depends on the underlying PDO driver configuration, as Illuminate Database uses PDO for database connections, so you need to manage it at the driver level.

Can I integrate Illuminate Database with Symfony or CodeIgniter?

Yes, by setting up the Capsule manager independently in your application's bootstrap. It works in any PHP environment, but you may need to manually integrate it with the framework's service container or configuration for optimal use.

How to set up multiple database connections with Illuminate Database?

Configure each connection using addConnection on the Capsule instance, then specify the connection name in queries or model classes. This allows seamless switching between databases, similar to Laravel's multi-database support.

Open-Awesome

Laravel Eloquent

MITPHP

A full database toolkit for PHP with expressive query builder, Eloquent ORM, and schema builder, extracted from Laravel.

GitHub

2.8k stars606 forks0 contributors

What is Laravel Eloquent?

Illuminate Database is a standalone database toolkit for PHP that provides an expressive query builder, Eloquent ORM, and schema builder. It solves the problem of database interaction complexity by offering a fluent, intuitive API for working with multiple database systems. Originally extracted from the Laravel framework, it brings Laravel's database features to any PHP application.

Target Audience

PHP developers building applications that need robust database interaction outside of the Laravel framework, or those who want to use Laravel's database components in other PHP projects.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Illuminate Database for its elegant, expressive syntax that reduces boilerplate code, its proven reliability as part of Laravel, and its ability to bring Laravel's powerful database tools to any PHP project without the full framework overhead.

Overview

[READ ONLY] Subtree split of the Illuminate Database component (see laravel/framework)

Use Cases

Best For

Adding Laravel-style database interaction to non-Laravel PHP projects
Building applications with ActiveRecord pattern in PHP
Managing database schemas programmatically across multiple database systems
Writing complex database queries with fluent, chainable methods
Using Eloquent ORM features like relationships and mutators outside Laravel
Creating database-agnostic PHP applications that support multiple database backends

Not Ideal For

Applications requiring a minimal database layer with no ORM overhead for performance-critical operations
Projects already deeply integrated with Doctrine or another Data Mapper ORM
Teams that prefer strict separation of database and domain logic over ActiveRecord's active record pattern
Environments where database interactions are primarily raw SQL with lightweight abstraction libraries

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fluent Query Builder

Offers an expressive, chainable interface for building queries, as shown in the example `Capsule::table('users')->where('votes', '>', 100)->get();`, reducing SQL boilerplate and improving code readability.

Eloquent ORM Standalone

Provides ActiveRecord ORM with relationships, mutators, and events, usable outside Laravel via the Capsule manager, enhancing developer productivity with familiar Laravel syntax.

Cross-Database Schema Builder

Allows programmatic table creation and modifications for MySQL, Postgres, SQL Server, and SQLite through a unified API, enabling database-agnostic application development.

Easy Non-Laravel Integration

Capsule manager simplifies setup with static access, as demonstrated in the configuration code, making it straightforward to adopt in any PHP project without full framework overhead.

Cons

External Documentation Dependency

Relies on Laravel framework documentation for guidance, which may not fully address standalone usage nuances, forcing developers to extrapolate or seek community help.

Additional Dependencies for Features

Requires installing the illuminate/events package to use Eloquent observers, adding extra components and complexity to the project setup, as noted in the README.

Configuration Verbosity

Setting up Capsule with optional event dispatcher and global access can be overly verbose for simple applications that only need basic database queries, increasing initial setup time.

Frequently Asked Questions

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