Database seeding is used in Laravel to quickly fill test or initial data. The seeder class combined with the model factory can efficiently generate structured data. 1. Use php artisan make:seeder to create the seeder class and insert data in the run() method; 2. It is recommended to use Eloquent's create() or batch insert() method to operate the data; 3. Use php artisan make:factory to create the factory class and generate dynamic test data through Faker; 4. Call other seeder classes in the main DatabaseSeeder.php file to execute uniformly; 5. Use php artisan db:seed command to run the seeder, which can be quickly reset and fill in data in combination with migrate:fresh --seed, but be aware that this command will clear the existing tables and use foreign key constraints in the production environment with caution.
Seeding a database in Laravel is one of those tasks that seem simple until you run into issues like duplicate entries, foreign key constraints, or just plain messy test data. The good news is, once you understand how Laravel's seeder system works and organize your approach, it becomes a breeze.
What Is Database Seeding?
Database seeing is the process of populating your tables with initial or sample data. This is especially useful during development and testing. Laravel makes this easy by allowing you to write seed classes that can be run using Artisan commands.
You don't want to manually insert test data every time you reset your database, right? That's where seeing comes in handy.
Laravel uses model factories and seed classes to help generate realistic test data quickly. You can either create a single seeder for each table or use a database seeder to orchestrate multiple ones.
Setting Up a Seeder
First, you need to create a seeder class. Laravel provides a command for that:
php artisan make:seeder UsersTableSeeder
This will create a new file under database/seeders/ . Inside the run() method, you can start inserting records. Here's a basic example:
public function run()
{
DB::table('users')->insert([
'name' => 'John Doe',
'email' => 'john@example.com',
'password' => bcrypt('password'),
]);
}But if you're using Eloquent models, a cleaner way is:
User::create([
'name' => 'Jane Doe',
'email' => 'jane@example.com',
'password' => bcrypt('password'),
]); You can also insert multiple records by looping through an array or using the insert() method with an array of data.
- If you're dealing with large datasets, consider using
insert()instead of creating models one by one. - Avoid hardcoded values when possible — use Faker or factories instead.
Using Model Factory for Dynamic Data
Factoryes are a more powerful and scalable way to see your database. Laravel ships with the Faker library, which lets you generate realistic fake data easily.
To create a factory, run:
php artisan make:factory UserFactory --model=User
Then define the fields in your factory class:
$factory->define(User::class, function (Faker $faker) {
Return [
'name' => $faker->name,
'email' => $faker->unique()->safeEmail,
'password' => bcrypt('password'),
];
});Once your factory is set up, go back to your seeder and use it like this:
public function run()
{
User::factory(10)->create();
}This creates 10 users with random but valid data.
- Factory work well with relationships too — try
User::factory()->hasPosts(3)if you have a related Post model. - Make sure to import the correct Faker namespace in your factory files.
Running Seeders
After writing your seeders, you'll need to call them from the main DatabaseSeeder.php file. Otherwise, Laravel won't know to run them.
In database/seeders/DatabaseSeeder.php , do something like:
public function run()
{
$this->call([
UsersTableSeeder::class,
PostsTableSeeder::class,
]);
}Then run the seeder via Artisan:
php artisan db:seed
If you only want to run a specific seeder:
php artisan db:seed --class=UsersTableSeeder
Also, if you're resetting your database and re-seeding often (like during development), you might find this combo helpful:
php artisan migrate:fresh --seed
That resets your tables and runs all seeders again.
- Use
migrate:fresh --seedcarefully — it wipes your database first. - Always check your foreign key constraints before running seeders in production-like environments.
Basically that's it.
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