What is the Role of DB::beginTransaction() in Laravel? Why and When to Use it?

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1

While exploring a Laravel application for learning purposes, I encountered the DB::beginTransaction() method. However, I’m unclear about its concept and how it is used in Laravel. Could someone explain the purpose and usage of DB::beginTransaction() in simple terms?

2

In Laravel, DB::beginTransaction() is a crucial method for managing database operations. It allows you to group multiple queries into a single atomic unit, ensuring that either all the queries succeed or none of them take effect.

You have 2 options

  1. DB::beginTransaction()
  2. DB::transaction()

When used correctly, both of them fulfill a common goal. DB::beginTransaction() only begin a transaction, whereas DB::transaction() requires you to provide a Closure function to be executed within the transaction. Let’s see how to use them.

try {
    DB::beginTransaction();

    DB::insert(...);
    DB::insert(...);
    DB::insert(...);

    DB::commit();
    // Return Success Message

} catch (\Exception $e) {
    // An error occured; cancel the transaction
    DB::rollback();
    
    // Maybe Return Error
}

This is the same as this:

DB::transaction(function() {
    DB::insert(...);
    DB::insert(...);
    DB::insert(...);
});

DB::beginTransaction():

First, it begins the transaction with DB::beginTransaction() . Then, it tries to perform some database operations within a “try” block. If everything goes well, it commits the changes to the database with DB::commit() . However, if there’s a problem, like an error, it goes to the “catch” block where it rolls back or cancels the transaction with DB::rollBack() . This ensures that if anything goes wrong, the database remains unchanged, keeping data safe and consistent.

DB::transaction()

This is similar to the previous one, but in a more concise way. It also sets up a transaction in Laravel, but instead of explicitly beginning and committing the transaction, it does it automatically. Inside the DB::transaction() function, you put the database actions you want to perform. If everything works fine, the transaction commits automatically. But if there’s an issue, it rolls back the transaction .