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SQLAlchemy VS Eloquent ORM

Compare SQLAlchemy VS Eloquent ORM and see what are their differences

SQLAlchemy logo SQLAlchemy

SQLAlchemy is the Python SQL toolkit and Object Relational Mapper that gives application developers the full power and flexibility of SQL.

Eloquent ORM logo Eloquent ORM

[READ ONLY] Subtree split of the Illuminate Database component (see laravel/framework) - illuminate/database
  • SQLAlchemy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-01
  • Eloquent ORM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-05

SQLAlchemy features and specs

  • Flexibility
    SQLAlchemy offers a high degree of flexibility for developers, allowing them to use raw SQL, an ORM, or a combination of both, which makes it adaptable to different use cases and preferences.
  • Database Agnosticism
    It supports a wide range of database backends (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite) without needing to alter application code, facilitating easier transitions between databases.
  • Powerful ORM
    Its ORM component provides powerful object-relational mapping capabilities, making complex query construction and database interaction easier by using Pythonic objects.
  • Robust Query Construction
    SQLAlchemy offers advanced query construction capabilities, enabling developers to build complex and dynamic queries efficiently.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    The library comes with extensive and well-maintained documentation, which helps in easing the learning curve and troubleshooting issues.

Possible disadvantages of SQLAlchemy

  • Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and flexibility, SQLAlchemy can have a steep learning curve for beginners, especially those new to databases or ORMs.
  • Complexity
    For simple CRUD applications, using SQLAlchemy might be overkill and adds unnecessary complexity compared to simpler ORM solutions like Django ORM.
  • Performance Overhead
    While powerful, the ORM layer may introduce some performance overhead compared to writing raw SQL, which can be a consideration for performance-critical applications.
  • Verbose Syntax
    The syntax, especially when using the ORM, can become verbose, which might be cumbersome for developers preferring succinct code.
  • Debugging Challenges
    Debugging complex object-relational mapping logic can be challenging, and pinpointing issues may require a deep understanding of both the database and SQLAlchemy's intricacies.

Eloquent ORM features and specs

  • Simplicity
    Eloquent provides a simple and intuitive ActiveRecord implementation that makes it easy to interact with the database using models, reducing the need for complex SQL queries.
  • Relationships
    Eloquent makes it easier to define and manage relationships between different database tables through methods like hasOne, hasMany, belongsTo, and belongsToMany.
  • Built-in Data Handling
    Eloquent automatically handles common tasks like timestamps and soft deletes, which helps reduce boilerplate code and maintains data integrity.
  • Query Builder Integration
    Eloquent integrates seamlessly with Laravel's Query Builder, providing a powerful toolset for complex queries while keeping the interface elegant and expressive.
  • Mass Assignment Protection
    Eloquent provides a safeguard against mass assignment vulnerabilities, allowing developers to specify which attributes are fillable or guarded.

Possible disadvantages of Eloquent ORM

  • Performance Overhead
    Eloquent can introduce a performance overhead, especially with large datasets or complex queries, due to its abstraction and convenience features.
  • Learning Curve
    Although Eloquent simplifies many tasks, new users might face a learning curve in understanding its conventions and methods, especially if coming from traditional SQL.
  • Limited Flexibility for Complex Queries
    While Eloquent handles simple and straightforward queries well, complex queries might require reverting to raw SQL, losing Eloquent's expressive power.
  • Database-Specific Features
    Eloquent abstracts away the specifics of the database engine, which might limit the usage of database-specific features that can lead to more efficient queries.
  • Memory Usage
    Because Eloquent ORM loads entire objects into memory, it can result in higher memory usage compared to raw SQL queries, particularly in high-load applications.

SQLAlchemy videos

SQLAlchemy ORM for Beginners

More videos:

  • Review - SQLAlchemy: Connecting to a database
  • Review - Mike Bayer: Introduction to SQLAlchemy - PyCon 2014

Eloquent ORM videos

No Eloquent ORM videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SQLAlchemy and Eloquent ORM)
Databases
60 60%
40% 40
Web Frameworks
52 52%
48% 48
Development
100 100%
0% 0
Backend Development
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SQLAlchemy seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

SQLAlchemy mentions (2)

  • Speak Your Queries: How Langchain Lets You Chat with Your Database
    Under the hood, LangChain works with SQLAlchemy to connect to various types of databases. This means it can work with many popular databases, like MS SQL, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle SQL, and SQLite. To learn more about connecting LangChain to your specific database, you can check the SQLAlchemy documentation for helpful information and requirements. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • My favorite Python packages!
    SQLModel is a library for interacting with SQL databases from Python code, using Python objects. It is designed to be intuitive, easy-to-use, highly compatible, and robust. It is powered by Pydantic and SQLAlchemy and relies on Python type annotations for maximum simplicity. The key features are: it's intuitive to write and use, highly compatible, extensible, and minimizes code duplication. The library does a lot... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago

Eloquent ORM mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Eloquent ORM yet. Tracking of Eloquent ORM recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing SQLAlchemy and Eloquent ORM, you can also consider the following products

Sequelize - Provides access to a MySQL database by mapping database entries to objects and vice-versa.

Doctrine ORM - PHP object relational mapper (ORM) that sits on top of a powerful database abstraction layer (DBAL).

Hibernate - Hibernate an open source Java persistence framework project.

Hibernate ORM - Hibernate team account. Hibernate is a suite of open source projects around domain models. The flagship project is Hibernate ORM, the Object Relational Mapper.

Entity Framework - See Comparison of Entity Framework vs NHibernate.

Nette - Home Page. Let's create the home page displaying your recent posts. Before we start, you should know at least some basics about Model-View-Presenter design pattern (similar to MVC ):. Model – data manipulation layer.