Defining Models: Eloquent Model Conventions

Eloquent Model Conventions

<?php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Flight extends Model
{
    //
}

Table Names

<?php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Flight extends Model
{
    /**
     * The table associated with the model.
     *
     * @var string
     */
    protected $table = 'my_flights';
}

By convention, the "snake case", plural name of the class will be used as the table name unless another name is explicitly specified.

Primary Keys

Is an incrementing integer value, which means that by default the primary key will be cast to an int automatically.

Timestamps

<?php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Flight extends Model
{
    /**
     * Indicates if the model should be timestamped.
     *
     * @var bool
     */
    public $timestamps = false;
}

<?php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Flight extends Model
{
    /**
     * The storage format of the model's date columns.
     *
     * @var string
     */
    protected $dateFormat = 'U';
}

<?php

class Flight extends Model
{
    const CREATED_AT = 'creation_date';
    const UPDATED_AT = 'last_update';
}

Database Connection

<?php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Flight extends Model
{
    /**
     * The connection name for the model.
     *
     * @var string
     */
    protected $connection = 'connection-name';
}

Related concepts

→

Eloquent Model Conventions

→