All ways to SELECT data from a MySQL database in Laravel

Explore various methods to select data from a MySQL database in Laravel, including using Eloquent ORM and Query Builder.

In this article, you will learn about the different ways to query and retrieve data from a MySQL database in Laravel. We will look at methods using Eloquent ORM and Query Builder, as well as options for executing complex queries.

Method 1: Using Eloquent ORM

Eloquent is a powerful ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) provided by Laravel, allowing you to query data easily using models.

use App\Models\Student;

// Retrieve all records
$students = Student::all();

// Retrieve a record by condition
$student = Student::where('id', 1)->first();

Method 2: Using Query Builder

Query Builder offers a flexible and straightforward approach to building SQL queries.

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;

// Retrieve all records from the students table
$students = DB::table('students')->get();

// Retrieve a record by condition
$student = DB::table('students')->where('id', 1)->first();

Method 3: Using complex queries

You can combine multiple conditions in a query using both Eloquent and Query Builder.

// Using Eloquent with multiple conditions
$students = Student::where('age', '>', 18)->where('grade', 'A')->get();

// Using Query Builder with multiple conditions
$students = DB::table('students')->where('age', '>', 18)->where('grade', 'A')->get();

System Requirements:

• PHP 7.3 or higher
• Laravel 8.x or 9.x
• MySQL

How to install Laravel:

To install Laravel, you can use Composer:

composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel project_name

Tips:

• Leverage Eloquent to take advantage of ORM features, making database interactions easier.
• Use Query Builder when you need to create complex queries or when you don't require ORM features.
• Ensure you have the correct database configuration set up in the .env file.

---