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Laravel Translatable Laravel Package
astrotomic/laravel-translatable
Laravel package for translatable Eloquent models. Store translations in the database and fetch or save multilingual attributes automatically, so you write less code when retrieving and storing localized model instances.
Astrotomic/laravel-translatable is a Laravel package for storing model translations in the database. By adding the Translatable trait and declaring $translatedAttributes, translations are automatically fetched and saved alongside your model—no extra queries or boilerplate in your controllers and views.
- Automatic translation handling on create, update, and delete
- Locale fallback with configurable fallback locales
getTranslation()/translate()helpers for accessing localized values- Translation model relation for querying and eager loading
- Configurable translation tables with per-model overrides
Frequently asked questions about Laravel Translatable
- How do I install and configure laravel-translatable in a Laravel app?
- Run composer require astrotomic/laravel-translatable, publish the translatable config, and define your locales. Then add the Translatable trait and a $translatedAttributes array to the model, along with a translation model and migration. A mid-level Laravel developer can realistically ship a first translated model in a day.
- Which Laravel and PHP versions does astrotomic/laravel-translatable support?
- The package versioning (v11.x) spans Laravel 5.6 through the claimed 13.x and is decoupled from Laravel's release cycle, so wide Composer constraints are convenient but not a compatibility guarantee. Your own CI matrix is the real gate. Laravel 9 through 13 on PHP 8.x is the idiomatic fit, but confirm exact versions before adopting.
- How does laravel-translatable store translations in the database?
- It uses the conventional side-table pattern: one row per entity and locale in a dedicated *_translations table, wired to the parent model through a Translatable trait and contract. The package deliberately does not take over routing, middleware, locale negotiation, caching, or admin UI. It is a primitive for storage and retrieval, not a localization platform.
- How do I read a translated attribute with a fallback locale?
- Use translate() for the current locale, translateOrDefault() to fall back to the default locale, and translateOrNew() when you need an instance to fill. hasTranslation() checks whether a translation exists. Fallback is resolved at runtime as object-level property resolution, not in SQL.
- Can I filter, sort, or search models by a translated column?
- Not automatically. Because fallback happens in PHP rather than SQL, any list view filtered or sorted by a translated column needs explicit joins, and fallback rows will not surface on their own. That is both a correctness risk and a performance risk for search, alphabetical indexes, and sitemaps.
- Is astrotomic/laravel-translatable still maintained and safe for production?
- It has a single active maintainer, issues-only support, and an optional non-mandatory Treeware funding model, so you should own an exit path. It is the maintained successor to dimsav/laravel-translatable, which is a reminder that succession happens. Verify adoption through Packagist stats and reverse-dependency searches rather than metadata such as dependent counts.
- How do I migrate from dimsav/laravel-translatable to this package?
- This is the maintained successor and the semantics are largely compatible, but diff the behavior before switching. For existing single-column data, use a two-phase cutover: add translation tables and backfill the default locale while dual-reading through the trait, then drop legacy columns a full release cycle later.
- How do I save or update translations for multiple locales at once?
- Use getTranslationsArray() for bulk reads, locale-keyed create and fill calls for writes, and the optional translations_wrapper for form payloads. Save through the parent model so the trait handles persistence. The package provides no per-locale publish state, authorship, or audit history.
- Does the package validate locale codes or support regional locales like es-MX?
- Locale configuration is free-form: the docs explicitly permit en, eng, el, or nested regional arrays such as es with MX and CO. Nothing validates incoming locale codes, which becomes silent data drift in a multi-team codebase. Decide whether you need regional locales or a flat list, and validate codes yourself.
- Will translated models cause N+1 queries or bloat my API responses?
- toArray() autoloads translations, which can inflate API payloads, and can invite N+1 queries if translations is not eager loaded. Eager load translations and shape output through API Resources. Also scope any read-cache keys by locale.
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