Performing Eager Loading to Solve N 1 Problem in Laravel Eloquent?
Jul 10, 2025 pm 12:46 PMEager loading solves N 1 query problem by preloading the association model to reduce the number of database round trips. Use User::with('profile') to obtain user and its data information, and only two queries are required; multiple relationships such as with(['relation1', 'relation2']) and nested relationships such as with('posts.comments'); they should be applied when it is circulating through associated data to avoid overloading; relationships can be filtered through whereHas() and custom loading such as latest()->limit(1) can be achieved through constrained closures, thereby effectively optimizing performance.
When you're working with Laravel Eloquent and dealing with relationships, the N 1 query problem can seriously slow things down. The solution? Eager loading. It's not just a performance tweak—it's essential for keeping your app fast when handling relational data.

Here's how to use eager loading effectively in Laravel.

What is the N 1 Problem?
The N 1 issue pops up when you retrieve a list of models and then loop through them to access a related model. For example:
$users = User::all(); foreach ($users as $user) { echo $user->profile->bio; }
In this case:

- First, it fetches all users (that's the 1).
- Then, for each user, it runs a separate query to get their profile (that's the N).
If you have 100 users, that becomes 101 queries. That's not scalable.
How Eager Loading Helps
Eager loading pulls related models upfront, reducing multiple queries into just a few. You do this using with()
in your query:
$users = User::with('profile')->get();
Now, Laravel grabs all users and their related profiles in two queries—no matter how many users there are. That's efficient.
You can also eager load nested relationships:
User::with('profile.address')->get();
This works great if a profile has its own address relationship.
Some common patterns:
-
with(['relation1', 'relation2'])
– for multiple relationships - Nested relations like
with('posts.comments')
– for deeper structures
When to Use Eager Loading
Use eager loading whenever you know you'll be accessing related data inside a loop . If you're fetching a list and then accessing a relationship on each item, eager loading is the way to go.
But don't overdo it:
- Only load what you need.
- Don't eager load for every possible relationship "just in case"—it defeats the purpose.
Also, consider conditional eager loading:
User::when($needsProfile, function ($query) { return $query->with('profile'); })->get();
This helps avoid unnecessary database hits when certain relationships aren't always needed.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
One mistake people make is forgetting that with()
doesn't filter results by the relationship. If you want to filter based on a relationship, use whereHas()
:
// Get users who have at least one post $users = User::whereHas('posts')->get();
Another trap: trying to eager load dynamic or computed properties that aren't actual relationships. Those won't work with()
. You might need to use append()
or accessors instead.
Also, remember that eager loads all related records. If you only need one, like the latest post per user, you might want to define a custom constrained eager load:
User::with(['posts' => function ($query) { $query->latest()->limit(1); }])->get();
Keep in mind that limit()
in this context may behave differently depending on your database setup. It's not always foolproof across all drivers.
Wrap-Up
Eager loading is a core part of optimizing Laravel Eloquent queries. It cuts down on the number of round trips to the database and keeps your application snappy, especially when looping through large datasets.
Use with()
wisely, understand when to filter using whereHas()
, and don't fall into the trap of loading more than necessary.
It's not magic—but it makes a big difference once you get used to watching for those extra queries.
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