- What is jawira/entity-draw used for?
- jawira/entity-draw is a PHP package for generating entity-relationship diagrams from application entities and their relationships. In Laravel projects it helps visualize Eloquent models and schema structure as PlantUML-compatible diagram source. It is intended for development-time documentation, onboarding, reviews, and schema analysis rather than production runtime use.
- How do I install jawira/entity-draw in a Laravel project?
- Install it with Composer as a development dependency, typically using composer require --dev jawira/entity-draw. Keep it out of production bootstrapping and run its command-line workflow locally or in a dedicated CI/docs job. For v2, confirm your project meets the PHP and Laravel compatibility requirements before upgrading.
- Does jawira/entity-draw v2 require PHP 8.2 and which Laravel versions are supported?
- The v2.0.0 assessment identifies PHP 8.2+ as a hard compatibility constraint because the release moves code to PHP 8.2 features. Laravel 11+ with PHP 8.2+ is described as the best fit, while older Laravel or PHP stacks should stay on v1 or defer the upgrade. Always validate the exact supported versions against the package documentation and your Composer constraints.
- Should jawira/entity-draw be installed in require or require-dev?
- Use require-dev. The package is best treated as a development-time and documentation tool, not a runtime application dependency. Running it in local tooling or a dedicated CI job keeps diagram generation isolated from production request paths.
- How does jawira/entity-draw generate ER diagrams from Eloquent models?
- It turns application entities and their relationships into diagram source that can be rendered with PlantUML. For Laravel teams, that means using the package to visualize Eloquent model structure and relationships instead of maintaining schema diagrams by hand. The generated output should be reviewed and diffed as models evolve.
- What output format does jawira/entity-draw produce?
- It produces PlantUML-compatible output, which can then be rendered as entity-relationship diagrams. This makes the generated source suitable for documentation pipelines and artifact storage. Teams should keep the generated files under version control or CI artifacts so changes are visible over time.
- What changed in jawira/entity-draw v2.0.0?
- v2.0.0 is a major release that updates contracts to v2, bumps dependencies, moves code to PHP 8.2 features, and adds include filter support. Because it is a major version, validate CLI, API, and diagram output changes in a branch or CI job before adoption. Plan a rollback path by keeping v1 pinned until the upgrade is proven.
- How do include filters work in jawira/entity-draw v2?
- v2 adds include filter support, which can help limit diagram scope instead of generating everything in a large schema. The filters need functional validation, especially for large codebases and stable output. Check the updated documentation and test filters against your own models before relying on them in CI.
- Can I run jawira/entity-draw in CI and diff the generated diagrams?
- Yes, it fits a dedicated CI or local documentation job rather than application bootstrapping. To make diffs useful, preserve prior generated artifacts and compare diagram output before and after upgrades or model changes. Benchmark CI duration and output size on large codebases, and consider artifact caching if generation becomes noisy or slow.
- What are alternatives to jawira/entity-draw and what is its maintenance and license posture?
- The provided assessment does not name specific alternatives; teams typically compare other code- or migration-based ER diagram generators for Laravel. jawira/entity-draw is likely community-supported rather than vendor-supported, so assign an internal owner for upgrades and CI failures. Check the repository license and maintenance activity before adopting it, especially for long-lived projects.