Poor whereHas performance in Laravel

Question

I want to apply a where condition to relation. Here's what I do:

Replay::whereHas('players', function ($query) {
    $query->where('battletag_name', 'test');
})->limit(100);

It generates the following query:

select * from `replays` 
where exists (
    select * from `players` 
    where `replays`.`id` = `players`.`replay_id` 
      and `battletag_name` = 'test') 
order by `id` asc 
limit 100;

Which executes in 70 seconds. If I manually rewrite query like this:

select * from `replays` 
where id in (
    select replay_id from `players` 
    where `battletag_name` = 'test') 
order by `id` asc 
limit 100;

It executes in 0.4 seconds. Why where exists is the default behavior if it's so slow? Is there a way to generate the correct where in query with query builder or do I need to inject raw SQL? Maybe I'm doing something wrong altogether?

replays table has 4M rows, players has 40M rows, all relevant columns are indexed, dataset doesn't fit into MySQL server memory.

Update: found that the correct query can be generated as:

Replay::whereIn('id', function ($query) {
    $query->select('replay_id')->from('players')->where('battletag_name', 'test');
})->limit(100);

Still have a question why exists performs so poorly and why it is the default behavior

Answer 1

Try this:

• mpyw/eloquent-has-by-non-dependent-subquery: Convert has() and whereHas() constraints to non-dependent subqueries.
• mpyw/eloquent-has-by-join: Convert has() and whereHas() constraints to join() ones for single-result relations.

Replay::hasByNonDependentSubquery('players', function ($query) {
    $query->where('battletag_name', 'test');
})->limit(100);

That's all. Happy Eloquent Life!

Answer 2

This is related to the mysql not to the laravel. You can perform the same thing you wanted from the above with the both options, joins and the subqueries . Subqueries are generally much slower than joins .

Subqueries are:

• less complicated
• elegant
• easier to understand
• easier to write
• logic separation

and the above facts are why ORMs like eloquent are using suquries. but there are slower! Especially when you have many rows in the database.

Join version of your query is something like this :

select * from `replays`
join `players` on `replays`.`id` = `players`.`replay_id` 
and `battletag_name` = 'test'
order by `id` asc 
limit 100;

but now you must change select and add group by and be careful on many other things, but why is this so it is beyond that answer. New query would be :

select replays.* from `replays`
join `players` on `replays`.`id` = `players`.`replay_id` 
and `battletag_name` = 'test'
order by `id` asc 
group by replays.id
limit 100;

So that are the reasons why join in more complicated.

You can write raw query in laravel, but eloquent support for join queries are not well supported, also there are no much packages that can help you with that, this one is for example : https://github.com/fico7489/laravel-eloquent-join

Answer 3

WhereHas() query is really as slow as lazy turtle, so I created and still using a trait that I glue to any laravel model which required a simple join requests. This trait make a scope function whereJoin(). You can just pass there a joined model class name, where clause params and enjoy. This trait take care of table names and related details in query. Well, it's for my personal use and ofc feel free to modify this monstruosity.

<?php
namespace App\Traits;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;
use Illuminate\Database\Query\JoinClause;

/** @mixin Model */
trait ModelJoinTrait
{
    /**
     * @param string|\Countable|array $on
     * @param $column
     * @param $whereOperator
     * @param $value
     * @param Model $exemplar
     * @return array
     */
    function _modelJoinTraitJoinPreset($on, $column, $whereOperator, $value, $exemplar){
        $foreignTable = $exemplar->getTable();
        $foreignId = $exemplar->getKeyName();

        $localTable = $this->getTable();
        $localId = $this->getKeyName();

        //set up default join and condition parameters
        $joinOn =[
            'local' => $localTable.'.'.$localId,
            'foreign'=> $foreignTable.'.'.$foreignId,
            'operator' => '=',
            'type'=>'inner',
            'alias'=>'_joint_id',
            'column'=>$column,
            'where_operator'=>$whereOperator,
            'value'=>$value
        ];

        //config join parameters based on input
        if(is_string($on)){
            //if $on is string it treated as foreign key column name for join clause
            $joinOn['foreign'] = $foreignTable.'.'.$on;
        } elseif (is_countable($on)){
            //if $is array or collection there can be join parameters
            if(isset($on['local']) && $on['local'])
                $joinOn['local'] = $localTable.'.'.$on['local'];
            if(isset($on['foreign']) && $on['foreign'])
                $joinOn['foreign'] = $localTable.'.'.$on['foreign'];
            if(isset($on['operator']) && $on['operator'])
                $joinOn['operator'] = $on['operator'];
            if(isset($on['alias']) && $on['alias'])
                $joinOn['alias'] = $on['alias'];
        }

        //define join type
        $joinTypeArray = ['inner', 'left', 'right', 'cross'];
        if(is_countable($on) && isset($on['type']) && in_array($on['type'], $joinTypeArray))
            $joinOn = $on['type'];
        return $joinOn;
    }

    /**
     * @param Model $exemplar
     * @param string|array|\Countable $joinedColumns
     * @param string|array|\Countable $ownColumns
     * @param string $jointIdAlias
     * @return array
     */
    function _modelJoinTraitSetColumns($exemplar, $joinedColumns, $ownColumns, $jointIdAlias = '_joint_id')
    {

        $foreignTable = $exemplar->getTable();
        $foreignId = $exemplar->getKeyName();

        $localTable = $this->getTable();
        $localId = $this->getKeyName();

        if(is_string($joinedColumns))
            $foreignColumn = ["$foreignTable.$joinedColumns"];
        else if(is_countable($joinedColumns)) {
            $foreignColumn = array_map(function ($el) use ($foreignTable) {
                return "$foreignTable.$el";
            }, $joinedColumns);
        } else {
            $foreignColumn = ["$foreignTable.*"];
        }

        if(is_string($ownColumns))
            $ownColumns = ["$localTable.$ownColumns"];
        elseif(is_countable($ownColumns)) {
            $ownColumns = array_map(function ($el) use ($localTable) {
                return "$localTable.$el";
            }, $ownColumns);
        }  else {
            $ownColumns = ["$localTable.*"];
        }


        $columns = array_merge($foreignColumn, $ownColumns);
        if($foreignId == $localId){
            $columns = array_merge(["$foreignTable.$foreignId as $jointIdAlias"], $columns);
        }
        return $columns;
    }


    /**
     * @param Builder $query
     * @param string|array|\Countable $on
     * @param Model $exemplar
     */
    function _modelJoinTraitJoinPerform($query, $on, $exemplar){
        $funcTable = ['left'=>'leftJoin', 'right'=>'rightJoin', 'cross'=>'crossJoin', 'inner'=>'join'];
        $query->{$funcTable[$on['type']]}($exemplar->getTable(),
            function(JoinClause $join) use ($exemplar, $on){
                $this->_modelJoinTraitJoinCallback($join, $on);
            }
        );
    }
    function _modelJoinTraitJoinCallback(JoinClause $join, $on){
        $query = $this->_modelJoinTraitJoinOn($join, $on);

        $column = $on['column'];
        $operator = $on['where_operator'];
        $value = $on['value'];

        if(is_string($column))
            $query->where($column, $operator, $value);
        else if(is_callable($column))
            $query->where($column);
    }
    /**
     * @param JoinClause $join
     * @param array|\Countable $on
     * @return JoinClause
     */
    function _modelJoinTraitJoinOn(JoinClause $join, $on){
        //execute join query on given parameters
        return $join->on($on['local'], $on['operator'], $on['foreign']);
    }


    /**
     * A scope function used on Eloquent models for inner join of another model. After connecting trait in target class
     * just use it as ModelClass::query()->whereJoin(...). This query function forces a select() function with
     * parameters $joinedColumns and $ownColumns for preventing overwrite primary key on resulting model.
     * Columns of base and joined models with same name will be overwritten by base model
     *
     * @param Builder $query Query given by Eloquent mechanism. It's not exists in
     * ModelClass::query()->whereJoin(...) function.
     * @param string $class Fully-qualified class name of joined model. Should be descendant of
     * Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model class.
     * @param string|array|\Countable $on Parameter that have join parameters. If it is string, it should be foreign
     * key in $class model. If it's an array or Eloquent collection, it can have five elements: 'local' - local key
     * in base model, 'foreign' - foreign key in joined $class model (default values - names of respective primary keys),
     * 'operator' = comparison operator ('=' by default), 'type' - 'inner', 'left', 'right' and 'cross'
     * ('inner' by default) and 'alias' - alias for primary key from joined model if key name is same with key name in
     * base model (by default '_joint_id')
     * @param Closure|string $column Default Eloquent model::where(...) parameter that will be applied to joined model.
     * @param null $operator Default Eloquent model::where(...) parameter that will be applied to joined model.
     * @param null $value Default Eloquent model::where(...) parameter that will be applied to joined model.
     * @param string[] $joinedColumns Columns from joined model that will be joined to resulting model
     * @param string[] $ownColumns Columns from base model that will be included in resulting model
     * @return Builder
     * @throws \Exception
     */
    public function scopeWhereJoin($query, $class, $on, $column, $operator = null, $value=null,
                                   $joinedColumns=['*'], $ownColumns=['*']){

        //try to get a fake model of class to get table name and primary key name
        /** @var Model $exemplar */
        try {
            $exemplar = new $class;
        } catch (\Exception $ex){
            throw new \Exception("Cannot take out data of '$class'");
        }

        //preset join parameters and conditions
        $joinOnArray = $this->_modelJoinTraitJoinPreset($on, $column, $operator, $value, $exemplar);

        //set joined and base model columns
        $selectedColumns = $this->_modelJoinTraitSetColumns($exemplar, $joinedColumns, $ownColumns, $joinOnArray['alias']);
        $query->select($selectedColumns);

        //perform join with set parameters;
        $this->_modelJoinTraitJoinPerform($query, $joinOnArray, $exemplar);
        return $query;
    }
}

You can use it like this (Model Goods in example have a dedicated extended data model GoodsData with hasOne relationship between them):

$q = Goods::query();

$q->whereJoin(GoodsData::class, 'goods_id', 
    function ($q){     //where clause callback
        $q->where('recommend', 1);
    }
);

//same as previous exmple
$q->whereJoin(GoodsData::class, 'goods_id', 
    'recommend', 1);   //where clause params


// there we have sorted columns from GoodsData model
$q->whereJoin(GoodsData::class, 'goods_id', 
    'recommend', 1, null, //where clause params
    ['recommend', 'discount']); //selected columns

//and there - sorted columns from Goods model
$q->whereJoin(GoodsData::class, 'goods_id', 
    'recommend', '=', 1,                           //where clause params
    ['id', 'recommend'], ['id', 'name', 'price']); //selected columns from
                                                   //joined and base model

//a bit more complex example but still same. Table names is resolved 
//by trait from relevant models
$joinData = [
    'type'=>'inner'          //  inner join `goods_data` on
    'local'=>'id',           //      `goods`.`id`
    'operator'=>'='          //      =
    'foreign'=>'goods_id',   //      `goods_data`.`goods_id`
];
$q->whereJoin(GoodsData::class, $joinData, 
    'recommend', '=', 1,                           //where clause params
    ['id', 'recommend'], ['id', 'name', 'price']); //selected columns

return $q->get();

Resulting SQL query will be like this

select 
    `goods_data`.`id` as `_joint_id`, `goods_data`.`id`, `goods_data`.`recommend`, 
    `goods`.`id`, `goods`.`name`, `goods`.`price` from `goods` 
inner join 
    `goods_data` 
on 
    `goods`.`id` = `goods_data`.`goods_id` 
and
    -- If callback used then this block will be a nested where clause 
    -- enclosed in parenthesis
    (`recommend` = ? )
    -- If used scalar parameters result will be like this
    `recommend` = ? 
    -- so if you have complex queries use a callback for convenience

In your case there should be like this

$q = Replay::query();
$q->whereJoin(Player::class, 'replay_id', 'battletag_name', 'test');
//or
$q->whereJoin(Player::class, 'replay_id', 
    function ($q){     
        $q->where('battletag_name', 'test');
    }
);
$q->limit(100);

To use it more efficiently, you can go like this:

// Goods.php
class Goods extends Model {
    use ModelJoinTrait;
    // 
    public function scopeWhereData($query, $column, $operator = null, 
        $value = null, $joinedColumns = ['*'], $ownColumns = ['*'])
    {
        return $query->whereJoin(
            GoodsData::class, 'goods_id', 
            $column, $operator, $value, 
            $joinedColumns, $ownColumns);
    }
}

// -------
// any.php

$query = Goods::whereData('goods_data_column', 1)->get();

PS I dont run any automated tests for this so be careful in use. It works just fine in my case, but there may be unexpected behaviour in yours.

Answer 4

The reason for laravel has(whereHas) sometimes slowly is that implemented with where exists syntax.

For example:

// User hasMany Post
Users::has('posts')->get();
// Sql: select * from `users` where exists (select * from `posts` where `users`.`id`=`posts`.`user_id`)

The 'exists' syntax is a loop to the external table, and then queries the internal table (subQuery) every time.

However, there will be performance problems when the users table has a large amount of data, because above sql select * from 'users' where exists... unable to use index.

It can use where in instead of where exists here without damaging the structure.

// select * from `users` where exists (select * from `posts` where `users`.`id`=`posts`.`user_id`)
// =>
// select * from `users` where `id` in (select `posts`.`user_id` from `posts`)

This will greatly improve performance!

You can take a look at this package hasin , hasin just only use where in syntax instead of where exists compared with the framework has , but everywhere else is the same, such as parameters and call mode even the code implementation, and can be used safely.

Answer 5

I think performance does not depend on whereHas only it depends on how many records you have selected

Plus try to optimize your mysql server

https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/optimize-overview.html

and also Optimize your php server

and if you have faster query why don't you use raw query object from larval

$replay = DB::select('select * from replays where id in (
select replay_id from players where battletag_name = ?) 
order by id asc limit 100', ['test']
); 

Answer 6

You can use left join

$replies = Replay::orderBy('replays.id')
            ->leftJoin('players', function ($join) {
                $join->on('replays.id', '=', 'players.replay_id');
            })
            ->take(100)
            ->get();

Answer 7

whereHas performance is poor on tables without index, put index on it and be happy!

    Schema::table('category_product', function (Blueprint $table) {
        $table->index(['category_id', 'product_id']);
    });