# Seeding aaix/laravel-countries ## When to use this skill Use this skill when setting up the package in a fresh app, refreshing country data after a package update, troubleshooting why countries are missing, or working on the bundled per-country data. ## Run the seeder on demand — not on every `db:seed` Country data is **reference data**. It changes rarely (only when this package ships updated data). The full seed is also expensive — 245 countries × 9 locales + native names + extras takes noticeable time. Run the master seeder **directly**, once, when you actually need it: ```bash php artisan db:seed --class='Aaix\LaravelCountries\Database\Seeders\DatabaseSeeder' ``` Typical situations to run it: - After `composer require aaix/laravel-countries` + `php artisan migrate` on a fresh app. - After pulling a package update that ships new or changed country data. - When restoring a database that was created without the country tables seeded. The seeder is **idempotent** — safe to re-run; it will not duplicate rows. ## What gets seeded - 245 countries with ISO codes, phone codes, currencies, flag colors, coordinates, and structured extras. - Translations for 9 locales: `ar`, `de`, `en`, `es`, `fr`, `it`, `nl`, `pt`, `ru`. - A separate `NativeNamesSeeder` populates `native_name` on each country (the country's own language: `Deutschland`, `日本`, `Россия`). Runs as part of the master seeder. ## DO NOT - **Do not edit per-country seeder files** (e.g. `DE_Germany.php`, `JP_Japan.php`) to set `native_name` or anything else. Those files must stay merge-friendly with upstream. `native_name` is populated by `NativeNamesSeeder`. - **Do not run `php artisan w-countries:install` or `w-countries:languages`** — these commands do not exist in this fork. - **Do not `vendor:publish`** the migrations — they auto-load from the service provider. ## Adding or overriding country data in the consuming app If you need to attach app-specific data to a country (vat rate, shipping zone, internal flag), do **not** modify the package seeder files. Either: 1. Create your own model with a `country_id` foreign key (`country_settings`, `country_vat`, etc.) and seed it from your app's seeders. 2. Or extend the country model in your app (see the `using-countries` skill) and add accessors / casts there. 3. If the data belongs in the package itself (corrected ISO data, missing translation, updated flag colors), open a pull request at the package repository instead of patching locally.

Seeding aaix/laravel-countries

When to use this skill

Use this skill when setting up the package in a fresh app, refreshing country data after a package update, troubleshooting why countries are missing, or working on the bundled per-country data.

Run the seeder on demand — not on every `db:seed`

Country data is reference data. It changes rarely (only when this package ships updated data). The full seed is also expensive — 245 countries × 9 locales + native names + extras takes noticeable time.

Run the master seeder directly, once, when you actually need it:

php artisan db:seed --class='Aaix\LaravelCountries\Database\Seeders\DatabaseSeeder'

Typical situations to run it:

After composer require aaix/laravel-countries + php artisan migrate on a fresh app.
After pulling a package update that ships new or changed country data.
When restoring a database that was created without the country tables seeded.

The seeder is idempotent — safe to re-run; it will not duplicate rows.

What gets seeded

245 countries with ISO codes, phone codes, currencies, flag colors, coordinates, and structured extras.
Translations for 9 locales: ar, de, en, es, fr, it, nl, pt, ru.
A separate NativeNamesSeeder populates native_name on each country (the country's own language: Deutschland, 日本, Россия). Runs as part of the master seeder.

DO NOT

Do not edit per-country seeder files (e.g. DE_Germany.php, JP_Japan.php) to set native_name or anything else. Those files must stay merge-friendly with upstream. native_name is populated by NativeNamesSeeder.
Do not run php artisan w-countries:install or w-countries:languages — these commands do not exist in this fork.
Do not vendor:publish the migrations — they auto-load from the service provider.

Adding or overriding country data in the consuming app

If you need to attach app-specific data to a country (vat rate, shipping zone, internal flag), do not modify the package seeder files. Either:

Create your own model with a country_id foreign key (country_settings, country_vat, etc.) and seed it from your app's seeders.
Or extend the country model in your app (see the using-countries skill) and add accessors / casts there.
If the data belongs in the package itself (corrected ISO data, missing translation, updated flag colors), open a pull request at the package repository instead of patching locally.