The difference between fresh() and refresh() in Laravel Eloquent

Here's a quick blog post explaining the differences between fresh() and refresh() on Eloquent models.

Let's assume we have a Team model in hand represented by the $team variable.

In Laravel, both $team->fresh() and $team->refresh() are used to reload the data associated with a model from the database. However, there is a subtle difference between them in terms of how they are used:

• $team->fresh():

  • $team->fresh() is a more explicit way to reload the model's data from the database.
  • It returns a new instance of the model with the data from the database, leaving the original model unchanged.
  • It's useful when you want to obtain a fresh instance of the model without modifying the existing one.

Example:

   $freshTeam = $team->fresh();
   // $team remains unchanged, and $freshTeam
   // contains the refreshed data

• $team->refresh():

  • $team->refresh() is a method that directly refreshes the data of the existing model in-place.
  • It modifies the current instance of the model, updating its attributes with the data from the database.
  • This can be useful when you want to refresh the data of the current model without creating a new instance.

Example:

   $team->refresh();
   // $team is updated with the refreshed data

In summary, the key difference is that $team->fresh() returns a new instance with fresh data, while $team->refresh() updates the existing instance in-place. The choice between them depends on whether you want to work with a new copy of the model or update the existing one.