Laravel Data Seeding and Model Factories

Q: What is the difference between make() and create() ?

make() creates a model instance but does not save it to the database; it is used in scenarios where persistence is not required. create() creates the model instance and saves it to the database; it is used in scenarios where an ID and join queries are required.

Q: How do I generate Chinese test data?

Change the Faker language to fake('zh_CN')->name() , or use fake()->locale('zh_CN') in Factory. However, we recommend keeping the data in English for internationalization purposes.

Q: How do I use Factory in tests?

Call Factory directly within your test method: $shop = Shop::factory()->create() . Laravel automatically rolls back the database transaction after each test, so tests do not affect one another.

Seeder and Factory are Laravel's "data generators"—with just one command, you can generate thousands of realistic test data records, instantly transforming your development environment into a real-world scenario.

1. What You'll Learn

Model Factory Definition: Faker Data Generation and State Modification
Seeder code and call chain: $this->call()
Related Data Factory: When a user is created, an order and a product are created at the same time
Multi-tenant data isolation: TenantSeeder populates data on a per-tenant basis
Workflow for php artisan db:seed and migrate:fresh --seed

2. A True Story from a Tester

(1) Pain Point: Manually generating data is even slower than writing code

Every time Alice tests ShopMetrics, she has to manually create tenants, add stores, enter products, and place orders—it takes 30 minutes to generate 10 test records. Bob has it even worse; he needed to test the pagination feature, but after manually entering 100 records, his browser crashed and he lost all the data. Charlie tried writing an SQL script to populate the data, but the relationships were too complex (tenant → store → product → order → order line). He wrote 500 lines of SQL and still missed a foreign key.

(2) The Factory + Seeder Approach

Laravel Factories use Faker to automatically generate realistic data; Seeders orchestrate the population order, and relating data is done with just one line of code.

PHP

// Factory generates realistic data
$shop = Shop::factory()->create();
$shop->products()->createMany(
    Product::factory()->count(10)->make()->toArray()
);
// 1 shop + 10 products in 2 lines

(3) Revenue

After using Factory, Alice generated 1,000 test records (including all relationships) in 30 seconds, and testing pagination took just migrate:fresh --seed.

3. Model Factory

(1) Create a Factory

BASH

php artisan make:factory ShopFactory
# Or with model
php artisan make:factory ShopFactory --model=Shop

(2) Defining a Factory

PHP

// database/factories/ShopFactory.php
class ShopFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'name' => fake()->company(),
            'slug' => fake()->unique()->slug(),
            'description' => fake()->paragraph(),
            'status' => fake()->randomElement(['active', 'suspended', 'closed']),
            'revenue' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 100, 100000),
        ];
    }
}

(3) Faker's Common Strategies

Method	Sample Output	Description
`name()`	"Alice Johnson"	Name
`email()`	"alice@example.com"	Email
`company()`	"Acme Corp"	Company Name
`slug()`	"acme-corp"	URL slug
`paragraph()`	"Lorem ipsum..."	Paragraph text
`randomFloat(2, 0, 100)`	45.67	Decimal
`numberBetween(1, 100)`	42	Integer range
`randomElement([...])`	Select a random element from an array	Enumerate values
`dateTimeThisYear()`	"June 15, 2024"	Date
`imageUrl()`	"https://via.placeholder.com/640x480"	Image URL
`unique()`	Ensure Uniqueness	Modifier

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Core Factory Definition

PHP

// database/factories/TenantFactory.php
class TenantFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'name' => fake()->company(),
            'slug' => fake()->unique()->slug(),
            'domain' => fake()->unique()->domainName(),
            'status' => 'active',
        ];
    }
}

// database/factories/ProductFactory.php
class ProductFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'name' => fake()->words(3, true),
            'sku' => strtoupper(fake()->unique()->lexify('???-????')),
            'price' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 9.99, 999.99),
            'stock' => fake()->numberBetween(0, 500),
            'is_active' => true,
        ];
    }
}

// database/factories/OrderFactory.php
class OrderFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'order_number' => fake()->unique()->numerify('ORD-########'),
            'subtotal' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 10, 5000),
            'discount' => 0,
            'total' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 10, 5000),
            'status' => fake()->randomElement(['pending', 'processing', 'completed', 'cancelled']),
        ];
    }
}

Output:

TEXT

// Execution Successful

4. Factory State Modifiers

(1) Defining States

PHP

// database/factories/ShopFactory.php
class ShopFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'name' => fake()->company(),
            'slug' => fake()->unique()->slug(),
            'status' => 'active',
            'revenue' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 100, 50000),
        ];
    }

    public function suspended(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => [
            'status' => 'suspended',
            'revenue' => 0,
        ]);
    }

    public function highRevenue(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => [
            'revenue' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 50000, 500000),
        ]);
    }
}

(2) Usage Status

PHP

// Active shop (default)
$shop = Shop::factory()->create();

// Suspended shop
$shop = Shop::factory()->suspended()->create();

// High revenue shop
$shop = Shop::factory()->highRevenue()->create();

// Combine states
$shop = Shop::factory()->highRevenue()->suspended()->create();

Usage	Description
`factory()->create()`	Default state, stored in the DB
`factory()->make()`	Default state, not stored in the DB
`factory()->suspended()->create()`	Using the "suspended" status
`factory()->count(10)->create()`	Created 10 entries
`factory()->for(Tenant::factory())`	Associate with Parent Model

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Factory Status Combinations

PHP

// database/factories/OrderFactory.php
class OrderFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'order_number' => fake()->unique()->numerify('ORD-########'),
            'subtotal' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 10, 5000),
            'discount' => 0,
            'total' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 10, 5000),
            'status' => 'pending',
        ];
    }

    public function completed(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => [
            'status' => 'completed',
        ]);
    }

    public function cancelled(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => [
            'status' => 'cancelled',
            'total' => 0,
            'subtotal' => 0,
        ]);
    }

    public function highValue(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => [
            'subtotal' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 1000, 10000),
            'total' => fake()->randomFloat(2, 1000, 10000),
        ]);
    }
}

// Usage
$order = Order::factory()->completed()->highValue()->create();

Output:

TEXT

// Execution Successful

5. Linked Data Factory

(1) Create a relationship

PHP

// Create shop with products
$shop = Shop::factory()
    ->has(Product::factory()->count(10), 'products')
    ->create();

// Or using magic method
$shop = Shop::factory()
    ->hasProducts(10)
    ->create();

// Create order for a specific shop
$order = Order::factory()
    ->for($shop)
    ->create();

// Create user with tenant
$user = User::factory()
    ->for(Tenant::factory())
    ->create();

Method	Description	Example
`has()`	Create Sub-Association	`has(Product::factory()->count(5))`
`hasProducts(5)`	Shorthand for magic methods	Equivalent to `has(Product::factory()->count(5), 'products')`
`for()`	Associated Parent Model	`for($tenant)` or `for(Tenant::factory())`

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Data Integration Factory

PHP

// Create a complete tenant ecosystem
$tenant = Tenant::factory()
    ->has(User::factory()->count(3))
    ->has(Shop::factory()->count(5)->hasProducts(10))
    ->create();

// Create an order with items for a shop
$shop = Shop::factory()->create();
$products = Product::factory()->count(5)->for($shop)->create();

$order = Order::factory()
    ->for($shop->tenant)
    ->for($shop)
    ->for(User::factory()->for($shop->tenant))
    ->has(OrderItem::factory()->count(3)->state([
        'product_id' => $products->random()->id,
    ]), 'items')
    ->create();

Output:

TEXT

// Execution Successful

6. Seeder Orchestration

(1) Create a Seeder

BASH

php artisan make:seeder TenantSeeder
php artisan make:seeder ProductSeeder

(2) Writing a Seeder

PHP

// database/seeders/TenantSeeder.php
class TenantSeeder extends Seeder
{
    public function run(): void
    {
        Tenant::factory()
            ->count(10)
            ->has(User::factory()->count(3))
            ->has(Shop::factory()->count(5)->hasProducts(10))
            ->create();
    }
}

(3) Call Chain

PHP

// database/seeders/DatabaseSeeder.php
class DatabaseSeeder extends Seeder
{
    public function run(): void
    {
        $this->call([
            PlanSeeder::class,
            TenantSeeder::class,
            ProductSeeder::class,
            OrderSeeder::class,
        ]);
    }
}

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Complete DatabaseSeeder

PHP

// database/seeders/DatabaseSeeder.php
class DatabaseSeeder extends Seeder
{
    public function run(): void
    {
        // 1. Create plans
        Plan::factory()->createMany([
            ['name' => 'Starter', 'slug' => 'starter', 'price' => 29, 'shop_limit' => 5],
            ['name' => 'Pro', 'slug' => 'pro', 'price' => 79, 'shop_limit' => 25],
            ['name' => 'Enterprise', 'slug' => 'enterprise', 'price' => 199, 'shop_limit' => null],
        ]);

        // 2. Create tenants with full data
        Tenant::factory()
            ->count(20)
            ->has(User::factory()->count(5))
            ->has(Shop::factory()->count(3)->hasProducts(15))
            ->create();

        // 3. Create orders for each shop
        Shop::all()->each(function ($shop) {
            Order::factory()
                ->count(50)
                ->for($shop->tenant)
                ->for($shop)
                ->for($shop->tenant->users->random())
                ->create();
        });
    }
}

Output:

TEXT

// Execution Successful

7. Multi-tenant Data Isolation Population

(1) Subtenant Allocation

PHP

// database/seeders/TenantIsolatedSeeder.php
class TenantIsolatedSeeder extends Seeder
{
    public function run(): void
    {
        $tenants = Tenant::factory()->count(10)->create();

        foreach ($tenants as $tenant) {
            // Each tenant gets isolated data
            $users = User::factory()->count(5)->for($tenant)->create();
            $shops = Shop::factory()->count(3)->for($tenant)->create();

            foreach ($shops as $shop) {
                $products = Product::factory()->count(20)->for($shop)->create();

                // Create orders with items
                Order::factory()->count(30)->for($tenant)->for($shop)
                    ->for($users->random())
                    ->create()
                    ->each(function ($order) use ($products) {
                        $orderItems = $products->random(rand(1, 5));
                        foreach ($orderItems as $product) {
                            $order->items()->create([
                                'product_id' => $product->id,
                                'quantity' => rand(1, 3),
                                'price' => $product->price,
                            ]);
                        }
                        $order->update([
                            'subtotal' => $order->items->sum(fn ($i) => $i->price * $i->quantity),
                            'total' => $order->items->sum(fn ($i) => $i->price * $i->quantity),
                        ]);
                    });
            }
        }
    }
}

(2) Data Volume Planning

Entity	Per Tenant	Total for 10 Tenants	Notes
Users	5	50	including 1 owner
Shops	3	30	All active
Products	20/shop	600	Random active/inactive
Orders	30/shop	900	Various statuses
OrderItems	1-5 per order	~2,700	Random quantity

(1) ▶ Example: Running a Populate Workflow

BASH

# Fresh migrate + seed (development)
php artisan migrate:fresh --seed

# Run specific seeder
php artisan db:seed --class=TenantSeeder

# Run with custom amount
php artisan db:seed --class=OrderSeeder

# Production — never use migrate:fresh!
php artisan migrate --force
php artisan db:seed --force

Output:

TEXT

# Command executed successfully

8. Comprehensive Example: Complete Data Population for ShopMetrics

PHP

// ============================================
// Comprehensive: ShopMetrics Complete Seeder
// Covers: factories, states, relationships, tenant isolation
// ============================================

// database/seeders/ShopMetricsSeeder.php
class ShopMetricsSeeder extends Seeder
{
    public function run(): void
    {
        // Step 1: Plans
        $starter = Plan::create(['name' => 'Starter', 'slug' => 'starter', 'price' => 29, 'shop_limit' => 5, 'features' => ['basic_analytics']]);
        $pro = Plan::create(['name' => 'Pro', 'slug' => 'pro', 'price' => 79, 'shop_limit' => 25, 'features' => ['advanced_analytics', 'api_access']]);
        $enterprise = Plan::create(['name' => 'Enterprise', 'slug' => 'enterprise', 'price' => 199, 'shop_limit' => null, 'features' => ['custom_analytics', 'api_access', 'sso']]);

        // Step 2: Create super admin
        User::factory()->create(['email' => 'admin@shopmetrics.io', 'role' => 'super_admin']);

        // Step 3: Create tenants with isolated data
        Tenant::factory()->count(20)->create()->each(function ($tenant) use ($starter, $pro, $enterprise) {
            // Assign random plan
            $plan = fake()->randomElement([$starter, $pro, $enterprise]);
            Subscription::create(['tenant_id' => $tenant->id, 'plan_id' => $plan->id, 'status' => 'active']);

            // Create tenant owner
            $owner = User::factory()->for($tenant)->create(['role' => 'tenant_owner']);

            // Create analysts
            $analysts = User::factory()->count(3)->for($tenant)->create(['role' => 'analyst']);

            // Create shops with products
            $shopCount = min(fake()->numberBetween(2, 5), $plan->shop_limit ?? 99);
            Shop::factory()->count($shopCount)->for($tenant)->create()->each(function ($shop) use ($tenant, $owner, $analysts) {
                // Products per shop
                Product::factory()->count(fake()->numberBetween(10, 30))->for($shop)->create();

                // Orders per shop
                Order::factory()->count(fake()->numberBetween(20, 80))
                    ->for($tenant)
                    ->for($shop)
                    ->for(fake()->randomElement(array_merge([$owner], $analysts->all())))
                    ->create()
                    ->each(function ($order) use ($shop) {
                        $products = $shop->products()->inRandomOrder()->take(rand(1, 5))->get();
                        foreach ($products as $product) {
                            $qty = rand(1, 3);
                            $order->items()->create([
                                'product_id' => $product->id,
                                'quantity' => $qty,
                                'price' => $product->price,
                            ]);
                        }
                        $subtotal = $order->items->sum(fn ($i) => $i->price * $i->quantity);
                        $order->update(['subtotal' => $subtotal, 'total' => $subtotal]);
                    });
            });
        });
    }
}

❓ FAQ

Q What is the difference between a Factory and a Seeder?

A A Factory defines the rules for generating individual data records (like a mold), while a Seeder orchestrates the order and quantity of data generation (like an assembly line). A Factory can be used directly in tests, while a Seeder is run using the db:seed command.

Q What is the difference between make() and create()?

A make() creates a model instance but does not save it to the database; it is used in scenarios where persistence is not required. create() creates the model instance and saves it to the database; it is used in scenarios where an ID and join queries are required.

Q How do I generate Chinese test data?

A Change the Faker language to fake('zh_CN')->name(), or use fake()->locale('zh_CN') in Factory. However, we recommend keeping the data in English for internationalization purposes.

Q What should I do if Seeder is running slowly?

A Reduce the number of Factory calls and switch to batch inserts: DB::table('products')->insert($data). Disable model events: Product::withoutEvents(fn () => Product::factory()->count(1000)->create()).

Q Can Seeder be used in a production environment?

A Yes, but with caution. In a production environment, use Seeder only to add initial data (such as to the plans table); do not use Factory to generate dummy data. Be sure to verify the command when adding the --force flag.

Q How do I use Factory in tests?

A Call Factory directly within your test method: $shop = Shop::factory()->create(). Laravel automatically rolls back the database transaction after each test, so tests do not affect one another.

📖 Summary

Factory defines data generation rules; Faker provides realistic random data
State modification (state) defines different data scenarios for the same model
Use has() and for() to create associated data for associated factories; the hasProducts() magic method simplifies the syntax
The Seeder organizes the population order, and the DatabaseSeeder calls its child Seeders
For multi-tenant data, populate the data by tenant and ensure that the tenant_id is correctly associated.
Use migrate:fresh --seed in development; use only db:seed --force in production

📝 Exercises

Basic Exercise (⭐): Create a ShopFactory and a ProductFactory for ShopMetrics, use Tinker to generate 3 stores with 5 products each, and verify that the associated data is correct.
Advanced Exercise (⭐⭐): Write a TenantIsolatedSeeder that generates 5 tenants, each containing 2 stores, 10 products, and 20 orders, using factory association methods (has/for) to create the data.
Challenge (⭐⭐⭐): Implement a complete data seeding solution that takes state into account—add three states (active, suspended, and highRevenue) to ShopFactory, and three states (completed, canceled, and refunded) to OrderFactory, and distribute them proportionally in the Seeder (80% completed, 15% canceled, 5% refunded) .

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Laravel Data Seeding and Model Factories

1. What You'll Learn

2. A True Story from a Tester

(1) Pain Point: Manually generating data is even slower than writing code

(2) The Factory + Seeder Approach

(3) Revenue

3. Model Factory

(1) Create a Factory

(2) Defining a Factory

(3) Faker's Common Strategies

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Core Factory Definition

4. Factory State Modifiers

(1) Defining States

(2) Usage Status

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Factory Status Combinations

5. Linked Data Factory

(1) Create a relationship

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Data Integration Factory

6. Seeder Orchestration

(1) Create a Seeder

(2) Writing a Seeder

(3) Call Chain

(1) ▶ Example: ShopMetrics Complete DatabaseSeeder

7. Multi-tenant Data Isolation Population

(1) Subtenant Allocation

(2) Data Volume Planning

(1) ▶ Example: Running a Populate Workflow

8. Comprehensive Example: Complete Data Population for ShopMetrics

❓ FAQ

📖 Summary

📝 Exercises

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