- What is illuminated/db-profiler used for in Laravel?
- It is a lightweight Laravel database profiler that captures SQL queries, bindings, and execution times. It is intended to help developers inspect query performance, spot slow or duplicate statements, and debug database behavior during development. The assessment positions it as a development and staging diagnostic tool, not a production APM or customer-facing capability.
- How do I install illuminated/db-profiler in a Laravel application?
- The evaluation describes it as likely Composer-installable with Laravel service-provider and configuration publishing. A safe approach is to add it as a Composer dev dependency on a branch, publish its configuration, and enable it only in local or staging. Verify the exact install and middleware or console setup against the repository README before rolling it out.
- Which Laravel and PHP versions does illuminated/db-profiler support?
- The provided assessment says explicit Laravel and PHP version support is undocumented, so compatibility should not be assumed. Test against the oldest and newest Laravel and PHP versions used in your organization. Confirm database driver and console kernel compatibility before adopting it more broadly.
- Can I use illuminated/db-profiler in production?
- The assessment positions it as a development and staging profiling tool, not a production APM or customer-facing capability. Do not make it a production runtime dependency without explicit approval and a security review. If it is used outside local development, gate it by environment, sample captures, and limit data retention.
- What overhead does illuminated/db-profiler add to query performance?
- The evaluation states that profiling overhead grows with query volume and captured payload size. Exact measured overhead on a representative workload is not documented, so benchmark it with realistic query volume and payload sizes. Use environment gating, sampling, and retention limits to keep overhead controlled.
- What data does illuminated/db-profiler capture, and can SQL bindings leak sensitive data?
- The package blurb says it captures SQL queries, bindings, and execution times. The assessment flags sensitive SQL capture as a risk because bindings can contain credentials or PII. Before piloting, confirm exactly what is stored and whether redaction, sampling, and disabled-by-default behavior are supported.
- Does illuminated/db-profiler work with console commands, queues, Octane, and multiple database connections?
- The package is described as a profiler for Laravel web and console applications. The assessment calls out possible gaps or conflicts with Octane, queue workers, multi-database setups, transactions, and middleware-heavy applications. Validate those paths explicitly in a proof of concept instead of assuming coverage.
- How does illuminated/db-profiler compare with Laravel Telescope, Debugbar, and Clockwork?
- The assessment recommends treating it as a complement to logging, tracing, APM, Telescope, Debugbar, or Clockwork rather than a replacement. It may be lighter or more query-focused, but the provided context does not include a feature-by-feature benchmark. Compare developer feedback and mean time to resolution against your existing tools during the pilot.
- Is illuminated/db-profiler actively maintained and safe for long-term use?
- Adoption signals are low: 169 stars, zero dependents, and a single-maintainer bus factor risk. The reported last release date is future-dated relative to the assessment, so verify release provenance and package ownership. The MIT license removes procurement friction but provides no vendor SLA, so assign an internal owner if you standardize it.
- How should a team pilot illuminated/db-profiler before standardizing it?
- Start with a Composer dev dependency on a branch and enable it only in local or staging. Validate web and console workflows, security exposure, and compatibility with your oldest and newest supported Laravel and PHP versions. Pilot with one or two feature teams, compare feedback and MTTR with existing tools, and keep rollback simple by removing the dependency and config.