Columns

The Blueprint object has many column types available to construct your table schema. Additionally, you can modify the columns created with an additional set of methods and indexes.

bigIncrements

Create an auto-incrementing column using an unsigned BIGINT type. This column is also set as the primary key for the table.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

indexName

string

false

The name for the primary key index. If no name is passed in, the name will be dynamically created based off of the table name and column name.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.bigIncrements( "id" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `id` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    CONSTRAINT `pk_users_id` PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)

bigInteger

Create a column using a BIGINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.bigInteger( "salary" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `salary` BIGINT NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.bigInteger( "salary", 5 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `salary` BIGINT(5) NOT NULL
)

bit

Create a column using a BIT equivalent type for your database. The length can be specified as the second argument.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

length

numeric

false

The length for the column.

Example (default length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.bit( "is_active" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `is_active` BIT(1) NOT NULL
)

Example (custom length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.bit( "is_active", 2 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `is_active` BIT(2) NOT NULL
)

boolean

Create a column using a BOOLEAN equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.boolean( "is_subscribed" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `is_subscribed` TINYINT(1) NOT NULL
)

char

Create a column using a CHAR equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

length

numeric

false

The length for the column.

Example (default length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "students", function( table ) {
    table.char( "grade" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `students` (
    `grade` CHAR(1) NOT NULL
)

Example (custom length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.char( "tshirt_size", 4 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `tshirt_size` CHAR(4) NOT NULL
)

date

Create a column using a DATE equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.date( "birthday" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `birthday` DATE NOT NULL
)

datetime

Create a column using a DATETIME equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.datetime( "hire_date" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `hire_date` DATETIME NOT NULL
)

decimal

Create a column using a DECIMAL equivalent type for your database. The length and precision can be specified as the second and third arguments.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

length

numeric

false

The length of the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision of the column.

Example (with defaults):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "weather", function( table ) {
    table.decimal( "temperature" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `weather` (
    `temperature` DECIMAL(10,0) NOT NULL
)

Example (with length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "weather", function( table ) {
    table.decimal( "temperature", 4 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `weather` (
    `temperature` DECIMAL(4,0) NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "weather", function( table ) {
    table.decimal( name = "temperature", precision = 2 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `weather` (
    `temperature` DECIMAL(10,2) NOT NULL
)

enum

Create a column using a ENUM equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.enum( "tshirt_size", [ "S", "M", "L", "XL", "XXL" ] );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `tshirt_size` ENUM(`S`, `M`, `L`, `XL`, `XXL`) NOT NULL
)

float

Create a column using a FLOAT equivalent type for your database. The length and precision can be specified as the second and third arguments.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

length

numeric

false

The length of the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision of the column.

Example (with defaults):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "weather", function( table ) {
    table.float( "temperature" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `weather` (
    `temperature` FLOAT(10,0) NOT NULL
)

Example (with length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "weather", function( table ) {
    table.float( "temperature", 4 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `weather` (
    `temperature` FLOAT(4,0) NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "weather", function( table ) {
    table.float( name = "temperature", precision = 2 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `weather` (
    `temperature` FLOAT(10,2) NOT NULL
)

increments

Create an auto-incrementing column using an unsigned INTEGER type. This column is also set as the primary key for the table.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

indexName

string

false

The name for the primary key index. If no name is passed in, the name will be dynamically created based off of the table name and column name.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.increments( "id" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `id` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    CONSTRAINT `pk_users_id` PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)

integer

Create a column using a INTEGER equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.integer( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` INTEGER NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.integer( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` INTEGER(3) NOT NULL
)

json

Create a column using a JSON equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.json( "options" ).nullable();
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `options` JSON
)

longText

Create a column using a LONGTEXT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "posts", function( table ) {
    table.longText( "body" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `posts` (
    `body` LONGTEXT NOT NULL
)

mediumIncrements

Create an auto-incrementing column using an unsigned MEDIUMINT type. This column is also set as the primary key for the table.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

indexName

string

false

The name for the primary key index. If no name is passed in, the name will be dynamically created based off of the table name and column name.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.mediumIncrements( "id" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `id` MEDIUMINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    CONSTRAINT `pk_users_id` PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)

mediumInteger

Create a column using a MEDIUMINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.mediumInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` MEDIUMINT NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.mediumInteger( "score", 5 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` MEDIUMINT(5) NOT NULL
)

mediumText

Create a column using a MEDIUMTEXT equivalent type for your database. For databases that distinguish between unicode and non-unicode fields, creates a non-unicode field.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "posts", function( table ) {
    table.mediumText( "body" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `posts` (
    `body` MEDIUMTEXT NOT NULL
)

SQL (MSSQL)

CREATE TABLE `posts` (
    `body` VARCHAR(MAX) NOT NULL
)

morphs

Creates the necessary columns for a polymorphic relationship. It takes the name provided and creates an _id and an _type column.

If you want different names for your polymorphic relationship columns, feel free to call other schema builder methods individually.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The prefix for the polymorphic columns.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "tags", function( table ) {
    table.morphs( "taggable" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `tags` (
    `taggable_id` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
    `taggable_type` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    INDEX `taggable_index` (`taggable_id`, `taggable_type`)
)

nullableMorphs

Creates the necessary columns for a polymorphic relationship. It takes the name provided and creates an _id and an _type column. The only difference between this method and morphs is that the columns created here are nullable.

If you want different names for your polymorphic relationship columns, feel free to call other schema builder methods individually.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The prefix for the polymorphic columns.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "tags", function( table ) {
    table.nullableMorphs( "taggable" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `tags` (
    `taggable_id` INTEGER UNSIGNED,
    `taggable_type` VARCHAR(255),
    INDEX `taggable_index` (`taggable_id`, `taggable_type`)
)

raw

An escape hatch to directly insert any sql in to the statement.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

sql

string

true

The sql to insert directly into the statement.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.raw( "`profile_image` BLOB NOT NULL" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `profile_image` BLOB NOT NULL
)

smallIncrements

Create an auto-incrementing column using an unsigned SMALLINT type. This column is also set as the primary key for the table.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

indexName

string

false

The name for the primary key index. If no name is passed in, the name will be dynamically created based off of the table name and column name.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.smallIncrements( "id" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `id` SMALLINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    CONSTRAINT `pk_users_id` PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)

smallInteger

Create a column using a SMALLINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.smallInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` SMALLINT NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.smallInteger( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` SMALLINT(3) NOT NULL
)

string

Create a column using a VARCHAR equivalent type for your database. For databases that distinguish between unicode- and non-unicode string data types, this function will create a non-unicode string.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

length

numeric

false

255

The length of the column.

Example (with defaults):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.string( "username" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `username` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL
)

Example (with length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.string( "username", 50 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `username` VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL
)

text

Create a column using a TEXT equivalent type for your database. For databases that distinguish between unicode- and non-unicode string data types, this function will create a non-unicode text field.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "posts", function( table ) {
    table.text( "body" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `posts` (
    `body` TEXT NOT NULL
)

time

Create a column using a TIME equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "races", function( table ) {
    table.time( "finish_time" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `races` (
    `finish_time` TIME NOT NULL
)

timestamp

Create a column using a TIMESTAMP equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.timestamp( "created_at" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `created_at` TIMESTAMP NOT NULL
)

tinyIncrements

Create an auto-incrementing column using an unsigned TINYINT type. This column is also set as the primary key for the table.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

indexName

string

false

The name for the primary key index. If no name is passed in, the name will be dynamically created based off of the table name and column name.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.tinyIncrements( "id" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `id` TINYINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    CONSTRAINT `pk_users_id` PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)

tinyInteger

Create a column using a TINYINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.tinyInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` TINYINT NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.tinyInteger( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` TINYINT(3) NOT NULL
)

unicodeLongText

Create a column using a LONGTEXT equivalent type for your database. For databases that distinguish between unicode- and non-unicode string data types, this function will create a unicode text field.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "posts", function( table ) {
    table.longText( "body" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `posts` (
    `body` LONGTEXT NOT NULL
)

SQL (MSSQL)

CREATE TABLE [posts] (
    [body] NVARCHAR(MAX) NOT NULL
)

unicodeMediumText

Create a unicode-enabled column using a MEDIUMTEXT equivalent type for your database. For databases that distinguish between unicode- and non-unicode string data types, this function will create a unicode text field.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "posts", function( table ) {
    table.unicodeMediumText( "body" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `posts` (
    `body` MEDIUMTEXT NOT NULL
)

SQL (MSSQL)

CREATE TABLE [posts] (
    [body] NVARCHAR(MAX) NOT NULL
)

unicodeString

Create a column using a NVARCHAR equivalent type for your database. For databases that distinguish between unicode- and non-unicode string data types, this function will create a unicode string.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

length

numeric

false

255

The length of the column.

Example (with defaults):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.unicodeString( "username" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `username` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL
)

SQL (MSSQL)

CREATE TABLE [users] (
    [username] NVARCHAR(255) NOT NULL
)

Example (with length):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.unicodeString( "username", 50 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `users` (
    `username` VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL
)

SQL (MSSQL)

CREATE TABLE [users] (
    [username] NVARCHAR(50) NOT NULL
)

unicodeText

Create a column using a NTEXT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "posts", function( table ) {
    table.unicodeText( "body" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `posts` (
    `body` TEXT NOT NULL
)

SQL (MSSQL)

CREATE TABLE [posts] (
    [body] NVARCHAR(MAX) NOT NULL
)

unsignedBigInteger

Create a column using a UNSIGNED BIGINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedBigInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` BIGINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedBigInteger( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` BIGINT(3) UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

unsignedInteger

Create a column using a UNSIGNED INTEGER equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedInteger( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` INTEGER(3) UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

unsignedMediumInteger

Create a column using a UNSIGNED MEDIUMINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedMediumInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` MEDIUMINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedMediumInteger( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` MEDIUMINT(3) UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

unsignedSmallInteger

Create a column using a UNSIGNED SMALLINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedSmallInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` SMALLINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedSmallInteger( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` SMALLINT(3) UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

unsignedTinyInteger

Create a column using a UNSIGNED TINYINT equivalent type for your database.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

precision

numeric

false

The precision for the column.

Example (no precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedTinyInteger( "score" );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` TINYINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

Example (with precision):

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "games", function( table ) {
    table.unsignedTinyInteger( "score", 3 );
} );

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `score` TINYINT(3) UNSIGNED NOT NULL
)

uuid

SQL Server: Create a column using a uniqueidentifier.

MySQL and Others: Create a column using a CHAR equivalent type for your database and a length of 36. Used in conjunction with the CFML createUUID method.

Argument

Type

Required

Default

Description

name

string

true

The name for the column.

Example:

SchemaBuilder

schema.create( "users", function( table ) {
    table.uuid( "id" ).primaryKey();
} );

MySQL (SQL Server)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `id` uniqueidentifier NOT NULL,
    CONSTRAINT `pk_games_id` PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)

SQL (MySQL)

CREATE TABLE `games` (
    `id` VARCHAR(36) NOT NULL,
    CONSTRAINT `pk_games_id` PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
)

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Last updated 6 years ago