Difference between Eloquent\Model::get() and all()
Stefan Izdrail
Founder & Senior Architect · 2026-06-29
Title: Difference between Eloquent\Model::get() and all()
Introduction: Knowing the subtle differences in the usage of Eloquent methods can significantly impact the performance of your application. In this blog post, we will compare two popular querying functions - `User::all()` and `User::get()`. We'll discuss their features, best practices for each method, and how they differ in terms of performance and query execution.
Body:
1. Understanding Eloquent Query Methods
Eloquent is Laravel's Object Relational Mapper (ORM) that simplifies database interactions by providing higher-level abstractions for interacting with data. It supports all the popular database management systems, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.
2. The Difference between Eloquent\Model::get() and all():
`Eloquent\Model` is an abstract representation of a database table that enables manipulation, organization, validation, and retrieval of its data. On the other hand, `Eloquent\Builder` is a query builder class that takes care of structuring the SQL queries required to perform operations on the model.
3. User::all()
The method `User::all()`, as mentioned in Laravel's documentation, belongs to Eloquent models and returns all users from the database by executing a single query. This approach retrieves data in bulk, making it suitable for scenarios when you need to process multiple records at once or retrieve all the related columns for each user. By default, `all()` fetches all existing users concurrently with an SQL query and returns them as an instance of a collection object.
4. User::get($id)
The method `User::get($id)`, on the other hand, belongs to Eloquent builders and can be used to retrieve a single user by ID. This function executes selective queries per ID instead of querying all users at once like in the case of `all()`. It returns the queried model instance as an object rather than a collection.
5. Performance Considerations:
The performance difference between these two functions depends on various factors, including the number of records and the query type used. In general, `all()` typically requires fewer queries because it retrieves all users in one go; however, it could lead to increased memory consumption if you have a large number of users or need only a few details for each user. On the other hand, `get()` might be more efficient regarding memory usage since it returns single objects instead of full collections with multiple users.
Conclusion:
The choice between using `User::all()` and `User::get($id)` depends on your application's specific requirements and performance needs. Familiarize yourself with the nuances of each query method to make informed decisions. As a rule of thumb, use `all()` if you need all users or require multiple related details for each user, and opt for `get()` when dealing with individual users by ID or retrieving specific data points from your models. Always ensure that you leverage the power of Eloquent's query builders to optimize performance and make your API more efficient.