- What is mherrera05/data-dictionary used for?
- It is a Laravel package intended to generate a data dictionary for an application by documenting models, tables, columns, data types, and relationships. The goal is to give developers, analysts, and stakeholders a single reference for the database schema. Because the README is not available in the supplied context, confirm the exact output and supported features in the source before adopting it.
- How do I install mherrera05/data-dictionary?
- Installation is expected to be a standard Composer require followed by Laravel package auto-discovery, but you should confirm the service provider and any publishable config in the repository. Run composer require mherrera05/data-dictionary and check composer.json for the required PHP and Laravel versions. If the package publishes config or routes, review those files before enabling them outside local development.
- Which Laravel and PHP versions are supported?
- The supported Laravel and PHP ranges must be read from the package composer.json require block, because the supplied overview does not state them. Check that the constraints match your pinned Laravel and PHP versions before installation. If it only targets older Laravel majors, treat adoption as a fork-and-patch decision rather than a drop-in install.
- Does mherrera05/data-dictionary expose my database schema over an HTTP route?
- The exposure surface is not confirmed in the supplied context; it could be an HTTP route, an Artisan command, a generated file, or a combination. A schema dictionary reveals table names, columns, types, and foreign keys, which is valuable reconnaissance for an attacker. Verify route registration, make it conditional and auth-protected, and ensure it is absent from production routes.
- Which databases does the data dictionary support?
- Schema introspection is database-specific, so support for MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and SQL Server must be confirmed empirically rather than assumed from the package description. Look for driver-specific tests or documented limitations in the repository. Also check that your application database user has enough metadata visibility, because least-privilege grants can produce partial or empty output.
- How does this compare to Laravel Schema::getColumns() and getForeignKeys()?
- Laravel 10+ provides first-party schema introspection methods such as Schema::getColumns(), getIndexes(), and getForeignKeys(). Much of a basic data dictionary can be assembled from those APIs in a small amount of application code that you own outright. Evaluate whether the package's rendering, relationships, and export features justify the dependency.
- Does mherrera05/data-dictionary support multiple database connections?
- Whether the package enumerates all connections or only the default connection is not stated in the supplied information. This matters for multi-tenant and multi-connection applications, where a default-only dictionary can be misleading. Check the source and configuration for connection selection and non-default schema handling before relying on it.
- Is mherrera05/data-dictionary safe to use in production?
- A package that documents schema composition expands your attack surface by default, so production exposure should be gated by environment checks and authentication middleware. The package has no adoption signal in the supplied assessment, so code quality and security have not been independently validated. Prefer running it as a local or CI-only Artisan command or generated artifact rather than a public route.
- Is mherrera05/data-dictionary actively maintained?
- The supplied assessment reports zero stars, zero dependents, a single maintainer, and no confirmed signal on commit recency, release tags, license file, or CI. That makes abandonment the base case rather than a remote risk. Review the repository history and license before adopting it, and plan for a fork or in-house replacement.
- What output formats does mherrera05/data-dictionary generate?
- The overview mentions exporting a clear reference but does not specify whether the output is raw DDL, normalised metadata, or rendered Markdown, HTML, or JSON. Confirm the output format in the source or README before designing documentation workflows around it. If you need a specific format, compare the effort of adopting versus generating it from Laravel's schema APIs.