Eloquent Filter

Eloquent Filter is a robust Laravel package providing an intuitive way to filter your Eloquent models using query strings. Perfect for crafting responsive APIs and complex data sets, this package seamlessly integrates with Laravel's existing Eloquent models, adding powerful and dynamic filtering capabilities with minimal setup.

Features:

• Support for complex query structures
• Easy to override conditions for custom behavior
• Harmonious integration with Laravel and Eloquent, including query builders
• Full control over filter execution and customization

We've tailored Eloquent Filter to be as flexible as you need—whether your queries are straightforward or complex. With an extensive feature set, you can implement specific functionalities unique to your application with ease.

Note We considered what predictable features you wanted to implement no matter simple or complex, although we have a lot of features to make able you to implement your specific something else.

Requirements

• PHP 8.0,8.1,8.2,8.3
• Laravel 8.x,9.x,10.x,11.x

Version information

The Eloquent Filter has reached more than 100,000 installations recently, so I made a decision to release version 4.0 with 2 new features.

The current version supports:

• Support query builder along with eloquent
• Set a specific name for custom methods

Major Version	Versions	Status	PHP Version	Laravel Version
^4.0	4.2.0 - 4.x.x	Active support	>= 8.2	>= 11.x
^4.0	4.0.x - 4.1.5	Active support	>= 8.0	>= 9.x - <= 10.x
^3.0	3.2.x - 3.4.x	End of life	>= 8.0	>= 9.x
^3.0	3.0.0 - 3.0.5	End of life	>= 7.4.0	>= 5.6.x - <= 8.x
^2.0	2.0.0 - 2.6.7	End of life	<= 7.4.0	>= 5.x - <= 5.4

Introduction

Conceivably, you would face challenges if you've done a task as an end-point in which there are some queries with many advanced options.

Let's say we want to make an advanced search page with multiple filter options.

A simple implementation without Eloquent Filter

The Resource URI would be look like: /users/index?age_more_than=25&gender=male&created_at=25-09-2019

And a simple implementation in the Controller would look like :

<?php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use App\User;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;

class UserController extends Controller
{
    public function index(Request $request)
    {
        $users = User::where('is_active', true);

        if ($request->has('age_more_than')) {
            $users->where('age', '>', $request->age_more_than);
        }

        if ($request->has('gender')) {
            $users->where('gender', $request->gender);
        }

        if ($request->has('created_at')) {
            $users->where('created_at','>=', $request->created_at);
        }

        return json_encode($users->get());
    }
}

This solution is simple and that works well but not for an enterprise project. But you'd have to add a condition for each filter you need. Especially if you would make more complex filtering, your code can become a monster quickly! :boom:

Hence, Eloquent Filter is ready for to you get rid of complexity in addition to saving time.

A simple implementation with Eloquent Filter

Eloquent Filter can help you to fix that ``problem. Just you will set query string to work with that. It would make your own query automatically and systematically while you can control them.

Right After installing Eloquent Filter, the request URI would be like this: /users/list?age_more_than[operator]=>&age[value]=35&gender=male&created_at[operator]==>&created_at[value]=25-09-2019

And in the Controller, You just need that one line:

/**
 * Class UsersController.
 */

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use App\User;

class UsersController
{
    public function list()
    {
        return User::filter()->get();
    }
}

By Eloquent filter implementation, you can use all the documented filters!

Installation

1- Run the following command in your project directory to add the Eloquent Filter as a dependency

$ composer require mehdi-fathi/eloquent-filter

• Note for Laravel versions older than 5.8 you should install version 2.2.5

    $ composer require mehdi-fathi/eloquent-filter:2.2.5

• Note We support auto-discovery but you can check them.

2- Add eloquentFilter\ServiceProvider::class to provider app.php

'providers' => [
  /*
   * Package Service Providers...
   */
    eloquentFilter\ServiceProvider::class
]

3- Add Facade 'EloquentFilter' => eloquentFilter\Facade\EloquentFilter::class to aliases app.php

'alias' => [
  /*
   * Facade alias...
   */
    'EloquentFilter' => eloquentFilter\Facade\EloquentFilter::class,
],

That's it enjoy!

Basic Usage

Config Model and set whitelist

Add the Filterable trait to yourself models and set fields in the whitelist array in which you will want to use of filter . You can override this method in your models as well.

use eloquentFilter\QueryFilter\ModelFilters\Filterable;

class User extends Model
{
    use Filterable;

    private static $whiteListFilter =[
        'id',
        'username',
        'email',
        'created_at',
        'updated_at',
    ];
}

• You can set * char for that filter in all fields aslike below example:

private static $whiteListFilter = ['*'];

You able add or set $whiteListFilter on the fly in your method. For example:

Set array to WhiteListFilter

• Note This method override $whiteListFilter array

User::setWhiteListFilter(['name']);

Add new field to WhiteListFilter

User::addWhiteListFilter('name');

Use in Controller

Change your code the controller of the laravel project as like below example:

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

/**
 * Class UsersController.
 */
class UsersController
{

    public function list()
    {
          if (!empty(request()->get('username'))) {

              $users = User::ignoreRequest('perpage')
                        ->filter()
                        ->with('posts')
                        ->orderByDesc('id')
                        ->paginate(request()->get('perpage'),['*'],'page');

          } else {
              $users = User::filter(
                ['username' => ['mehdi','ali']]
                )->with('posts')
                ->orderByDesc('id')
                ->paginate(10,['*'],'page');
          }
    }
}

-Note The Eloquent Filter config by default uses the query string to make queries in Laravel. Although, you can set the collection data in the filter method Model for making your own custom condition without query string.

-Note Therefore you must unset yourself param as perpage. Just you can set page param for paginate this param ignore from the filter.

• You can ignore some request params via use of the bellow code.

User::ignoreRequest(['perpage'])
            ->filter()
            ->paginate(request()->get('perpage'), ['*'], 'page');

Call ignoreRequest that will ignore some requests that you don't want to use in conditions of eloquent filter. e.g: the perpage param will never be in the conditions eloquent filter. it's related to the paginate method. page param ignore by default in Eloquent Filter of Laravel.

• You can filter some request params as acceptable filter.

User::AcceptRequest(['username','id'])
            ->filter()
            ->paginate(request()->get('perpage'), ['*'], 'page');

Call AcceptRequest will accept requests in which you want to use in conditions Eloquent Filter. e.g: username and id key will be in the conditions eloquent filter.

-Note Just in case, you must set $whiteListFilter in Models. Aim of the method avert to manipulation query string by a bad user.

Conditions Guidance Table

To better understand this, I provided a table of all conditions and samples. It represents how eloquent filter detect params and each param what query would make.

Condition Name	Eloquent Method	Param	Example	Eloquent	DB
WhereCustomCondition			Declared custom method of Model	✅	❌
SpecialCondition		f_params[limit]=10	Support f_params, e.g., limit and order	✅	✅
WhereBetweenCondition	whereBetween	created_at[start]=2016/05/01 & created_at[end]=2017/10/01	whereBetween('created_at', [{start}, {end}])	✅	✅
WhereByOptCondition	where	count_posts[operator]=> & count_posts[value]=35	where('column', ">", $value)	✅	✅
WhereLikeCondition	where	first_name[like]=John	where('column', 'like', $value)	✅	✅
WhereInCondition	whereIn	username[]=David & username[]=John12	whereIn('column', $value)	✅	✅
WhereOrCondition	orWhere	username=Bill & or[username]=James	orWhere('column', $value)	✅	✅
WhereHas	WhereHas	posts[title]=sport one	whereHas('posts', function ($q) {$q->where('title', $value)});	✅	❌
WhereDoesntHaveCondition	whereDoesntHave	doesnt_have=category	doesntHave($value)	✅	✅
WhereDateCondition	whereDate	created_at=2024-09-01	whereDate('column', $value)	✅	✅
WhereCondition	where	username=Mehdi	where('column', $value)	✅	✅

Simple Examples

You just pass data form as query string. For example:

Simple Where

/users/list?email=mehdifathi.developer@gmail.com

SELECT ... WHERE ... email = 'mehdifathi.developer@gmail.com'

/users/list?first_name=mehdi&last_name=fathi

SELECT ... WHERE ... first_name = 'mehdi' AND last_name = 'fathi'

• If you send date format Y-m-d we will work like WhereDate() method Laravel.

Where In

This example make method whereIn.

/users/list?username[]=ali&username[]=ali22&family=ahmadi

SELECT ... WHERE ... username in ('ali','ali22') AND family = 'ahmadi'

OrWhere

This example make method orWhere().

/users/list?name=mehdi&username=fathi&or[username]=ali

SELECT ... WHERE ... name = 'mehdi' AND username = 'fathi' or username = 'ali'

Where like

If you are going to make a query by like conditions. You can do that by this example.

/users/list?first_name[like]=%John%

SELECT ... WHERE ... first_name LIKE '%John%'

Where by operator

You can set any operator mysql in the queries string.

/users/list?count_posts[operator]=>&count_posts[value]=35

SELECT ... WHERE ... count_posts > 35

/users/list?username[operator]=!=&username[value]=ali

SELECT ... WHERE ... username != 'ali'

/users/list?count_posts[operator]=<&count_posts[value]=25

SELECT ... WHERE ... count_posts < 25

Where the nested relations Model

You can set all nested relations in the query string just via the array of query string. imagine, the user model has a relation with posts. And posts table has a relation with orders table.

You can make query conditions by set posts[count_post] and posts[orders][name] in the query string.

• Just be careful you must set posts.count_post and posts.orders.name in the User model.

use eloquentFilter\QueryFilter\ModelFilters\Filterable;

class User extends Model
{
    use Filterable;

    private static $whiteListFilter =[
        'username',
        'posts.count_post',
        'posts.category',
        'posts.orders.name',
    ];

    /**
     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\belongsTo
     */
    public function posts()
    {
        return $this->belongsTo('Models\Post');
    }

}

/users/list?posts[count_post]=876&username=mehdi

select * from "users" where exists
         (select * from "posts" where "posts"."user_id" = "users"."id"
         and "posts"."count_post" = 876)
         and "username" = "mehdi"

• The above example is the same code that you used without the eloquent filter. Check it under code. It's not amazing?

$builder = (new User())->with('posts');
        $builder->whereHas('posts', function ($q) {
            $q->where('count_post', 876);
        })->where('username','mehdi');

Doesnthave Where (new feature)

• To fetching those data that doesn't have any relationship with the model as the same `Doesnthave` method worked.

/tags/list?doesnt_have=category

select * from "tags" where not exists (select * from "categories" where "tags"."foo_id" = "categories"."id")'

Where array the nested relation Model

You can pass array to make whereIn condition.

/users/list?posts[category][]=php&posts[category][]=laravel&posts[category][]=jquery&username=mehdi

select * from "users" where exists
         (select * from "posts" where
         "posts"."category" in ('php','laravel','jquery') )
         and "username" = "mehdi"

Special Params

You can set special params limit and orderBy in the query string to make a query by that.

/users/list?f_params[limit]=1

SELECT ... WHERE ... order by `id` desc limit 1 offset 0

/users/list?f_params[orderBy][field]=id&f_params[orderBy][type]=ASC

SELECT ... WHERE ... order by `id` asc

/users/list?f_params[orderBy][field]=id,count_posts&f_params[orderBy][type]=ASC

SELECT ... WHERE ...  order by `id` asc, `count_posts` asc

Where between

If you are going to make a query based on date, You must fill keys, start, and end in the query string. Hence You can set it as a query string. These params are used for the filter by date.

/users/list?created_at[start]=2016/05/01&created_at[end]=2017/10/01

SELECT ... WHERE ... created_at BETWEEN '2016/05/01' AND '2017/10/01'

Advanced Where

/users/list?count_posts[operator]=>&count_posts[value]=10&username[]=ali&
    username[]=mehdi&family=ahmadi&
    created_at[start]=2016/05/01&created_at[end]=2020/10/01
&f_params[orderBy][field]=id&f_params[orderBy][type]=ASC

select * from `users` where `count_posts` > 10
    and `username` in ('ali', 'mehdi') and
`family` = ahmadi and `created_at` between '2016/05/01' and '2020/10/01'
    order by 'id' asc limit 10 offset 0

Therefore, fields of query string are same rows table database in $whiteListFilter in your model or declare the method in your model as override method. The overridden method can be considered a custom query filter.

Custom Query Filter

Eloquent Filter doesn't support all the conditions by default. For this situation, you can make an overridden method. If you are going to make yourself a query filter, you can do it easily. You should take care of using filterCustom before method name in new version.

You should run the command to make a trait and use it on the model:

php artisan eloquentFilter:filter users

namespace App\ModelFilters;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;

/**
 * Trait UsersFilter.
 */
trait UsersFilter
{
    /**
     * This is a sample custom query
     * @param \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder $builder
     * @param                                       $value
     *
     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder
     */
    public function filterCustomSample_like(Builder $builder, $value)
    {
        return $builder->where('username', 'like', '%'.$value.'%');
    }
}

-Note These fields of query string are the same methods of the trait. Use trait in your model:

/users/list?sample_like=a

select * from `users` where `username` like %a%
order by `id` desc limit 10 offset 0

use App\ModelFilters\UsersFilter;

class User extends Model
{
    use UsersFilter,Filterable;

    protected $table = 'users';
    protected $guarded = [];
    private static $whiteListFilter =[
        'id',
        'username',
        'email',
        'created_at',
        'updated_at',
    ];

}

Some Filter methods

User::filter()->paginate();

• EloquentFilter::filterRequests() : get all params that used by the Eloquent Filter. You can set key to get specific index. For example EloquentFilter::filterRequests('username') it's getting username index.

• EloquentFilter::getAcceptedRequest() : get all params that set by the AcceptRequest method.

• EloquentFilter::getIgnoredRequest() : get all ignored params that set by the getIgnoreRequest method.

Request encoded

In particular projects, We don't want to share our request filters with all users. It means every single user should have a unique valid url for duplicated search then It works just for the same user.

• EloquentFilter::getRequestEncoded() : get passed request as encoded request based on default.

• EloquentFilter::setRequestEncoded() : set request encoded with a selective salt.

You just need to pass `hashed_filters` as key to detect hashed_filter and encode them in the core. Every single user has a unique url per user. In addition, nobody can manipulate parameters in order to get specific data.

    /users/list?hashed_filters=MXsidGl0bGUiOiJzcG9ydCJ9

    SELECT ... WHERE ... name = 'mehdi'
    

You make sure adjust `request_salt` in config.php. You'd better set a unique value like user_id or ip. For this purpose, You had better have an end-point to set and get request encoded then pass it to your main end-point for result.

Custom Detection Conditions

Sometimes you want to make your custom condition to make a new query that Eloquent Filter doesn't support by default. The good news is you would make a custom condition in the eloquent filter from now on.

You can make conditions to generate a new query after checking by that. For example:

We must have two classes. The First detects conditions second class generates the query.

• Step 1: Create a class to detect some conditions

use eloquentFilter\QueryFilter\Detection\Contract\DetectorConditionsContract;

/**
 * Class WhereRelationLikeCondition.
 */
class WhereRelationLikeCondition implements DetectorConditionsContract
{
    /**
     * @param $field
     * @param $params
     * @param $is_override_method
     *
     * @return string|null
     */
    public static function detect($field, $params, $is_override_method = false)
    : ?string
    {
        if (!empty($params['value']) && !empty($params['limit'])
            && !empty($params['email'])) {
            $method = WhereRelationLikeConditionQuery::class;
        }

        return $method ?? null;
    }
}

• Step 2:Right after, create a class to generate a query. In this example we make WhereRelationLikeConditionQuery class:

use eloquentFilter\QueryFilter\Queries\BaseClause;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;

/**
 * Class WhereRelationLikeConditionQuery.
 */
class WhereRelationLikeConditionQuery extends BaseClause
{
    /**
     * @param $query
     *
     * @return Builder
     */
    public function apply($query): Builder
    {
        return $query
            ->whereHas('posts', function ($q) {
                $q->where('comment', 'like', "%" .
                $this->values['like_relation_value'] . "%");
            })
            ->where("$this->filter", '<>', $this->values['value'])
            ->where('email', 'like', "%" . $this->values['email'] . "%")
            ->limit($this->values['limit']);
    }
}

• Step 3: You make the method EloquentFilterCustomDetection for return array detections of the condition in the model.

use eloquentFilter\QueryFilter\ModelFilters\Filterable;

class User extends Model
{
    use Filterable;

    private static $whiteListFilter =[
        'username',
        'posts.count_post',
        'posts.category',
        'posts.orders.name',
    ];

    /**
     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\belongsTo
     */
    public function posts()
    {
        return $this->belongsTo('Models\Post');
    }

    public function EloquentFilterCustomDetection(): array
    {
        return [
            WhereRelationLikeCondition::class
        ];
    }

}

• Each of the query params is used to detect in WhereRelationLikeCondition for the first time after that check by default detection eloquent filter.

Make method EloquentFilterCustomDetection in the above example and return array conditions class.

/users/list?username[value]=mehdi&username[limit]=10
            &username[email]=mehdifathi&
            username[like_relation_value]=mehdi&count_posts=10

select * from "users"
 where exists (select * from "posts" where
"users"."post_id" = "posts"."id"
and "comment" like ?) and "username" <> ? and "email" like ? and "count_posts" = ?
    limit 10

You just run code User::filter(); for see result.

• Model::setLoadInjectedDetection(false) : You can deactivate custom detection conditions on the fly.

-Note as well, you can set custom detection on the fly by use of the method SetCustomDetection. For example :

$users = User::SetCustomDetection([WhereRelationLikeCondition::class])->filter();

-Note You can disable EloquentFilterCustomDetection on the fly by this code :

 User::SetLoadDefaultDetection(false)->filter();

-Note You can set many detection conditions. e.g:

class User extends Model
{
    use Filterable;
    public function EloquentFilterCustomDetection(): array
    {
        return [
            WhereRelationLikeCondition::class,
            WhereRelationLikeVersion2Condition::class,
            WhereRelationLikeVersion3Condition::class,
        ];
    }
}

• EloquentFilter::getInjectedDetections() gets all of your customs injected detection.

-Note Every custom detection will run before any detections by default eloquent filter.

Configuring

You can publish the configuration file to customize the package further:

Publish Config

php artisan vendor:publish --provider="eloquentFilter\ServiceProvider"

Config

• You can disable/enable Eloquent Filter in the config file (eloquentFilter.php).

    'enabled' => env('EloquentFilter_ENABLED', true),

• Eloquent Filter recognizes every param of the queries string. Maybe you have a query string that you don't want to recognize by Eloquent Filter. You can use ignoreRequest for his purpose. But we have a clean solution to this problem. You can set param request_filter_key in the config file. Therefore, every query string will recognize by the request_filter_key param.

    'request_filter_key' => '', // filter

For example, if you set 'request_filter_key' => 'filter', that Eloquent Filter recognizes filter query string.

/users/list?filter[email]=mehdifathi.developer@gmail.com

• You can disable/enable all the custom detection of Eloquent Filter in the config file (eloquentFilter.php).

    'enabled_custom_detection' =>
      env('EloquentFilter_Custom_Detection_ENABLED', true),

• You should set an index array ignore_request to ignore all filters.

    'ignore_request' => [] //[ 'show_query','new_trend' ],

• You had better keep max_limit. It's a limitation for preventing making awful queries mistakenly by the developer or intentionally by a villain user.

    'max_limit' => 20 

• From now on , we have the ability to record logs by logger instance. Since queries is made dynamically somehow , the need of feature keeping queries with their time is required. So we added it in this version with some other options to better management.

    'log' => [
    'has_keeping_query' => false,
    'max_time_query' => null,
    'type' => 'eloquentFilter.query']

  It's disable by default you enable by has_keeping_query, type is type log ,and max_time_query is a value for keeping queries with high time-executed.

Alias

Sometimes you may want to change some parameters in the URL while those mention a field of the model. e.g. name of the input form is not similar to the model ,or you want to change them for other reasons so the alias as a new feature can be useful.

    class Stat extends Model
    {
        use Filterable;
        /**
         * @var array
         */
        private static $whiteListFilter = [
            'type',
            'national_code',
        ];

        /**
         * @var array
         */
        private $aliasListFilter = [
            'national_code' => 'code',
        ];
    }

Then you should send the code param in the URL for making a query with the national code field of the model readily.

Query Builder Introduction

Great news!

Some people asked me a lot to add new feature to support Laravel query builder. It needed a lot of energy and devoting time , so I decided to implement it. It's quite tough however finally it's almost done now.

We are supporting query builder along with eloquent from now on. Not only you would use query builder ,but also you can use eloquent at the same time.

It's a new feature ,and I'm snowed under the code to fix issues. Anyway this feature is up right now with just some limitation. We don't support WhereCustomCondition and WhereHas for query builder at the moment but other conditions were ready to use. in addition, we don't have any kind of whitelist , blacklist , custom detectioon or alias. currently , It's just a simple feature.

 DB::table('users')->filter();

Magic Methods

Magic methods are a collection of methods that you can use as a wrapper in the Eloquent Filter. For example, serialize data before filtering or changing data in response and others. Now Eloquent Filter have serializeRequestFilter,ResponseFilter.

Request Filter

Eloquent Filter has a magic method for just change requests injected before handling by eloquent filter. This method is SerializeRequestFilter. You just implement SerializeRequestFilter method in your Model. For example

class User extends Model
{
    use Filterable;
    public function serializeRequestFilter($request)
    {
       $request['username'] = trim($request['username']);
       return $request;
    }
}

As above code, you can modify every query params of the Model in the method serializeRequestFilter before running by Eloquent Filter. That is a practical method when you want to set user_id or convert date or remove space and others.

Request Field Cast Filter

Eloquent Filter requires a bunch of specific methods for each of the fields before going on filter process. This feature has been implemented recently. By thisfilterSet + field method in your model, You will be able to add some change for that particular field.

class Category extends Model
{
    use Filterable;

    private static $whiteListFilter =[
        'desc'
    ];

    public function filterSetDesc($value)
    {
        return trim($value);
    }
}

Response Filter

Response Filter is an overriding method for changing response right after handle by Eloquent Filter. The method called getResponseFilter and You could implement the method getResponseFilter in your Model. e.g:

class User extends Model
{
    use Filterable;
    public function getResponseFilter($response)
    {
        $data['data'] = $response;
        return $data;
    }
}

You are capable of passing a callback function to `getResponseFilter` method to change the response. We only have this feature in query builder DB.

$categories = DB::table('categories')->filter()->getResponseFilter(function ($out) {

    $data['data'] = $out;

    return $data;
});

Black List Detections

Obviously, you never want all users who are able to get data by manipulating requests. As a result, we'd better have an eloquent control feature. Although we have this ability on request side, we need this feature on Eloquent side as well.

We would set a blacklist detection to prevent making conditions by using it. Therefore, that list has been disabled in making conditions. for example:

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

/**
 * Class UsersController.
 */
class UsersController
{

    public function list()
    {
              $users = User::setBlackListDetection(
                  [
                      'WhereCondition',
                  ]
                )->filter()
                ->orderByDesc('id')
                ->paginate();
    }
}

• You are able to set on Model layer as well. black_list_detections array is used for this purpose.

<?php

namespace Tests\Models;

use eloquentFilter\QueryFilter\ModelFilters\Filterable;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Car extends Model
{
    use Filterable;

    private static $whiteListFilter = '*';

    protected $black_list_detections = [
        'WhereCondition',
    ];
}

Macro Methods

-isUsedEloquentFilter is a macro method for builder to check either query used eloquent-filter.

-getDetectionsInjected is a macro method to get list array of injected objects.

e.g:

$users = User::SetCustomDetection([WhereRelationLikeCondition::class])->filter();
echo $users->isUsedEloquentFilter(); // will true
echo $users->getDetectionsInjected();
// will showing a list array of injected objects

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute to Eloquent Filter, please fork the repository and create a pull request. We welcome contributions of all kinds, including bug fixes, new features, and documentation improvements.

License

Eloquent Filter is open-source software licensed under the MIT license.

Contact

If you have any questions or feedback about Eloquent Filter, please feel free to contact us at mehdifathi.developer@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you!

Acknowledgements

We'd like to thank the Laravel community for their support and contributions to this project.