What are the differences between Laravel Eloquent and Query Builder?

What are the differences between Laravel Eloquent and Query Builder?

Laravel Eloquent is an ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) that provides a more expressive syntax for database interactions, while Query Builder offers a more direct way to build SQL queries without the overhead of an ORM.

Can you give me an example of how to use both?

Sure! For Eloquent, you might use User::where('active', 1)->get(); to retrieve active users. With Query Builder, it would look like DB::table('users')->where('active', 1)->get();.

Which one is better for performance?

Query Builder is generally faster for simple queries since it doesn't have the overhead of Eloquent's features. However, Eloquent provides more convenience and readability, which can speed up development time.

When should I use Eloquent over Query Builder?

Use Eloquent when you need to work with complex relationships and want to leverage its features like eager loading. Query Builder is better for simpler, performance-critical queries.