0024-deleting.md

Deleting models

To delete a model, call the delete method on model instance

$post = BlogPost::findOrFail($id);
$post->delete();

Alternatively, without loading the model first

BlogPost::destroy($id);

Or to delete a collection of models at once

BlogPost::delete([1, 2, 3]);

Soft deleting

You may optionally opt to keep the original record in database, and just mark it with deleted_at field.

To enable it easily, use the SoftDeletes trait on the model

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\SoftDeletes;

class BlogPost extends Model
{
    use SoftDeletes;

    protected $dates = ['deleted_at'];
}

You need to remember to add the deleted_at column to the Model

Schema::table('blog_posts', function (Blueprint $table) {
    $table->softDeletes();
});

To determine if a particular model instance was deleted use trashed method.

$isDeleted = $post->trashed();

Now when you query for models, the soft deleted models are automatically exlcuded from results.

// This will never include models that were "soft deleted"
$posts = BlogPost::all();

To include also the "soft deleted" models

BlogPost::withTrashed()->get();

To fetch only trashed models

BlogPost::onlyTrashed()->get();

To restore a soft deleted model

$post->restore();

If a model is "soft deleteable" and you wish to permanently remove it

$post->forceDelete();