Laravel Model Searching with nicolaslopezj/searchable

nicolaslopezj/searchable: A PHP Trait for Easy Laravel Model Searching

This package provides a convenient way to add search functionality to your Laravel models. By using the SearchableTrait, you can easily define searchable fields and perform simple or complex searches with minimal effort.

1. Installation

• Install via Composer:

Bash

composer require nicolaslopezj/searchable

2. Include the Trait

• In your model:

PHP

<?php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Nicolaslopezj\Searchable\SearchableTrait;

class User extends Model
{
    use SearchableTrait;

    protected $searchable = [
        'columns' => [
            'users.name' => 10, 
            'users.email' => 5, 
        ],
    ];
}

3. Usage

• Basic Search:

PHP

$users = User::search('John Doe')->get(); 

• With Pagination:

PHP

$users = User::search('John Doe')->paginate(15);

• Full Text Search:

PHP

$users = User::search('John Doe', null, true)->get(); 

Explanation

• $searchable: Defines the fields to search and their weights. Higher weight means higher priority in the search results.
  • Important: Include the table name (e.g., users.name) to ensure the correct columns are targeted.
• search() method:
  • Takes the search term as the first argument.
  • Optionally takes a $callback function for custom search logic.
  • The third argument ($fullTextSearch) enables full text search (e.g., searching for the entire phrase "John Doe" instead of individual words).

Example with Custom Callback

PHP

$users = User::search('John Doe', function ($query, $term) {
    // Add custom logic here, e.g., searching in a related table
    return $query->whereHas('posts', function ($q) use ($term) {
        $q->where('title', 'like', "%{$term}%");
    });
})->get();

Benefits of Using nicolaslopezj/searchable

• Simplified Search Implementation: Easily define searchable fields and create complex search queries with minimal code.
• Improved Code Readability: Encapsulates search logic within the model, making your code cleaner and more maintainable.  
• Flexible Search Customization:
  • Customize search weights for different fields.  
  • Modify search logic to suit specific requirements.
• Enhanced Performance: Efficiently handles search operations, especially with large datasets.
• Reduced Development Time: Streamlines the process of adding search functionality to your Laravel models

Key Points

• Simplicity: Easy to implement and use.
• Flexibility: Allows for customization of search logic and weights.
• Maintainability: Encapsulates search logic within the model.
• Security: Sanitize user input before using it in search queries to prevent SQL injection vulnerabilities.

Note:

• This package is designed for basic search functionality. For complex or high-volume searches, consider using dedicated search engines like Elasticsearch or Algolia.
• MySQL ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY:
  • If you encounter issues with the SearchableTrait and have ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY enabled in your MySQL configuration, you might need to temporarily disable it for this specific functionality.
  • Disabling ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY can have security and data integrity implications. It's crucial to understand the potential risks before making any changes to your MySQL configuration. Refer to the provided resource ([Laravel: Unleashing the Power of MySQL Strict Mode]) for guidance on disabling ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY in Laravel.

By following these steps and considering the potential drawbacks of disabling ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY, you can effectively use the nicolaslopezj/searchable trait for your Laravel search needs.