How to do this in Laravel, subquery where in

Stefan Izdrail

Founder & Senior Architect · 2026-06-29

Laravel Company
Title: Achieving Subqueries with IN 'where' in Laravel: Efficient Methods for Complex Queries Introduction -------------------- In the world of web application development, efficient data management is crucial. Laravel provides robust database support with a set of helpful tools to handle complex queries in an organized manner. While Laravel supports joins and other methods, there are times when subqueries with IN 'where' come to the rescue. This blog post will explore various techniques to execute such tasks efficiently using Laravel. Subquery Basics -------------------- Subqueries are a powerful tool for manipulating data in SQL queries. They enable you to nest one query inside another, allowing you to extract multiple layers of information from your database tables. Subqueries can be either correlated or non-correlated. Correlated subqueries depend on the outer query's current values, while non-correlated subqueries are independent of the outer query. Example: The Given Query in Laravel --------------------
SELECT 
    `p`.`id`,
    `p`.`name`, 
    `p`.`img`, 
    `p`.`safe_name`,
    `p`.`sku`,
    `p`.`productstatusid`
FROM `products` p
WHERE `p`.`id` IN (
    SELECT 
        `product_id`
    FROM `product_category`
    WHERE `category_id` IN ('223', '15')
)
AND `p`.`active`=1
This query involves two tables: products and product\_category. The first table, "products", is the main focus with the fields mentioned in the output list. The second table, "product_category," contains information about which products belong to specific categories. The relationship between these tables is established through the `product_id` and `category_id`. With this in mind, let's analyze the given subquery. Firstly, we extract all product IDs from the 'product_category' table where the category ID is either 223 or 15. This step ensures that only products within these categories are included in our results. To obtain this list of product IDs, we use a non-correlated subquery with an INNER JOIN between the two tables. Next, we apply another filter to restrict the active field's value to 1 (true). This condition ensures that only products marked as active are considered. Laravel Implementation for Subqueries -------------------- Now, let us discuss how to approach this query in Laravel. Keeping our focus on subqueries with IN 'where', we can use the Query Builder to efficiently handle complex queries while maintaining performance and readability. Step 1: Define Your Base Query -------------------- Firstly, define your base query that will be used in the final step. In this case, you may have a collection of products where only active products are included:
$products = Product::where('active', true)->get();
Step 2: Perform Subqueries -------------------- Next, create separate subqueries to retrieve the product IDs associated with specific category IDs. This will require another collection for each category, ensuring you have only products within that category:
$category1 = Category::where('id', 223)->first()->products;
$category2 = Category::where('id', 15)->first()->products;
Step 3: Combine and Filter Results -------------------- Finally, add all product IDs from the subqueries to a single collection and apply a final filter for only active products. The results will be the desired output with your defined conditions applied:
$finalProducts = array_merge($category1->toArray(), $category2->toArray());
$filteredProducts = Product::whereIn('id', $finalProducts)->get();
Conclusion -------------------- Laravel provides a rich set of tools for handling complex queries efficiently. While joining tables can sometimes be an option, subqueries with IN 'where' may prove more suitable in certain scenarios. In this blog post, we explored how to approach the given query and showcased the steps involved in implementing it effectively using Laravel. By following best practices, you can enhance database management and deliver a high-performance web application for your users.