How to Use Laravel Prunable Trait

What is Laravel Prunable Trait?

The Laravel Prunable trait helps you automatically delete old data from your database. Think of it like a janitor that cleans up your database while you sleep!

Instead of manually deleting old records, Laravel does it for you based on rules you set.

Why Use Laravel Prunable Trait?

• Keep your database fast — Less data means faster queries
• Save storage space — Remove unnecessary old records
• Follow data privacy laws — Automatically delete personal data
• No manual work — Set it once, forget about it

Tips to Master Laravel Prunable Trait

Tip 1: Basic Setup (Start Here!)

First, add the Prunable trait to any model where you want automatic cleanup:

<?php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Prunable;

class ActivityLog extends Model
{
    use Prunable;

    protected $fillable = ['user_id', 'action', 'created_at'];

    // Delete logs older than 30 days
    public function prunable()
    {
        return static::where('created_at', '<=', now()->subDays(30));
    }
}

What this does: Automatically delete activity logs that are older than 30 days.

Tip 2: Run the Cleanup Command

After setting up your model, run this command to clean your database:

# Clean all models with Prunable trait
php artisan model:prune

# See what would be deleted (without actually deleting)
php artisan model:prune --pretend

Pro tip: Always use --pretend first to see what will be deleted!

Tip 3: Schedule Automatic Cleanup (Laravel 11+ Way)

In Laravel 11+, create a scheduled task in routes/console.php:

<?php

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schedule;

// Clean up every day at 2 AM
Schedule::command('model:prune')->daily()->at('02:00');

// Clean up during off-peak hours only
Schedule::command('model:prune')
    ->daily()
    ->at('03:00')
    ->when(function () {
        // Only run on weekdays
        return now()->isWeekday();
    });

Why 2–3 AM? Most websites have low traffic during these hours.

Tip 4: Smart Conditions for Better Control

You can combine multiple conditions for smarter cleanup:

<?php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Prunable;

class OrderLog extends Model
{
    use Prunable;

    protected $fillable = ['order_id', 'status', 'created_at'];

    public function prunable()
    {
        return static::where(function ($query) {
            // Delete completed orders older than 6 months
            $query->where('status', 'completed')
                  ->where('created_at', '<=', now()->subMonths(6));
        })->orWhere(function ($query) {
            // Delete failed orders older than 30 days
            $query->where('status', 'failed')
                  ->where('created_at', '<=', now()->subDays(30));
        });
    }
}

Smart logic: Different rules for different types of records.

Tip 5: Handle Large Tables with MassPrunable

If your table has thousands of records, use MassPrunable for better performance:

<?php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\MassPrunable; // Notice: MassPrunable, not Prunable

class BigDataTable extends Model
{
    use MassPrunable;

    // Same prunable() method
    public function prunable()
    {
        return static::where('created_at', '<=', now()->subYear());
    }
}

When to use MassPrunable:

• Tables with more than 10,000 records
• When you don’t need the pruning() method
• When speed is more important than individual record processing

Tip 06: Add Database Indexes for Speed

Add indexes to columns you use in pruning conditions:

// In your migration file

Schema::table('activity_logs', function (Blueprint $table) {
    $table->index('created_at'); // Speed up pruning queries
});

Schema::table('notifications', function (Blueprint $table) {
    $table->index(['read_at', 'created_at']); // Multiple columns
});

Why this matters: Indexes make your pruning 10x faster on large tables.

Tip 07: Monitor Your Pruning

Keep track of what’s being deleted:

<?php

namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Prunable;

class MonitoredModel extends Model
{
    use Prunable;

    public function prunable()
    {
        return static::where('created_at', '<=', now()->subDays(30));
    }

    protected function pruning()
    {
        // Log what's being deleted
        Log::info('Pruning record', [
            'model' => self::class,
            'id' => $this->id,
            'created_at' => $this->created_at
        ]);
    }
}

Check your logs to make sure pruning is working as expected.

✅ Step 1: Add use Prunable; to your model
✅ Step 2: Add prunable() method with your cleanup rules
✅ Step 3: Test with php artisan model:prune --pretend
✅ Step 4: Run actual cleanup with php artisan model:prune
✅ Step 5: Schedule automatic cleanup in routes/console.php
✅ Step 6: Add database indexes for better performance

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem: Pruning is too slow
Solution: Add database indexes or use MassPrunable

Problem: Too many records deleted
Solution: Test your conditions with --pretend first

Problem: Files not deleted
Solution: Use the pruning() method for file cleanup

Problem: Nothing gets deleted
Solution: Check your prunable() method conditions

Conclusion

The Laravel Prunable trait is like having a smart assistant that keeps your database clean automatically. With these 12 simple tips, you can:

• Set up automatic cleanup in minutes
• Keep your database fast and lean
• Follow privacy laws automatically
• Never worry about manual data cleanup again

Start with one model, test it thoroughly, then expand to other models. Your future self (and your users) will thank you for a faster, cleaner application!

If you found this helpful, feel free to share or drop a comment. Happy coding with Laravel! 🧱✨