Laravel Schema Builder Part2

28 February 2014

Laravel Schema class have several methods that have varied uses. Let’s take a look at them.

The timestamps() method used to create created_at and updated_at columns which used to indicate when row created and updated .Here’s how to use this method.

Schema::create('clients',function($table){
  //table structure here
  $table->timestamps();
});

The unique() method used to make values of provided column unique.

Schema::create('clients',function($table){
  //table structure here
  $table->string('email','150')->unique();
});

Now the email column will accept only unique values.

Another interesting method is primary() which used to make column primary. This method could be used single or chained.

Schema::create('clients',function($table){
  //chained form
  $table->string('username')->primary();
  //single form
  $table->string('username');
  $table->primary('username');
});

index() method is like primary() method. here’s an example.

Schema::create('clients',function($table){
  $table->integer('id');
  $table->primary('id');
  $table->index('id');
});

Once you pass data to any table ,any column that don’t have value will use null as its value .So we always set our column to be nullable .With laravel you set nullable() method to false to prevent null values like that.

Schema::create('clients',function($table){
  $table->string('name')->nullable(false);
});

Also you can set default value for a column used if no value passed to this column like that.

Schema::create('clients',function($table){
  $table->string('name')->default('clivern');
});

We can use the unsigned() method on integer column to make it accept only positive integers. Here’s an example.

Schema::create('clients',function($table){
  $table->integer('visits')->unsigned();
});