[12.x] feat: query builder aliases for expressions by tpetry · Pull Request #58436 · laravel/framework

tpetry · 2026-01-20T12:08:58Z

Currently, you can add subqueries to a query builder with an alias.

// select (select "allowed_to_x" from "configuration") as "sub" from "users"
User::select([
    'sub' => Configuration::select('allowed_to_x'),
]);

But the same is not yet possible for expressions There's just no way to define an alias. This PR fixes this

// current: select available_a - used_a from "users"
// with pr: select (available_a - used_a) as "remaining_a" from "users"
User::select([
    'remaining_a' => new Expression('available_a - used_a'),
]);

So this PR changes:

adds selectExpression (like selectSub)
adds expression alias support to select
adds expression alias support to addSelect
adds units to test the behaviour of array keys for select and addSelect which was not covered yet

tpetry · 2026-01-20T12:22:25Z

The failing static analysis check is because of some blade compiler stuff. Not touched that part.

u01jmg3 · 2026-01-21T15:00:38Z

Double aliasing in MySQL when using an existing associative array of selects with column aliases

This looks like a really useful feature, but it caused a problem in our test suite in a very specific scenario:

If you already have an existing associative array of selects with your own column aliases, and then pass it to select(), this new feature that automatically applies array keys as aliases results in double aliasing, which will error with MySQL.

Example:

$selects = [
    'conference_registration_id' => 'conference_registrations.id AS conference_registration_id',
    'user_id'                    => 'conference_registrations.user_id',
];

-Model::select($selects)->get();
+Model::select(array_values($selects))->get();

A user can work around this by applying array_values() to $selects, or take advantage of the new feature by removing their custom AS conference_registration_id. Either approach prevents double aliasing and resolves the issue. However, this behaviour was unexpected in a minor release and caught us off guard.

Could this feature be opt-in? Otherwise, Laravel may automatically create aliases in users' queries, potentially causing issues, whether through double aliasing or the addition of unintended aliases.

tpetry · 2026-01-21T15:24:46Z

@u01jmg3 I did only change the behaviour when an Expression was used. Nothing did change for you. In fact, your example is producing exactly the same SQL before and after my change:

DB::table('example')->select([
    'conference_registration_id' => 'conference_registrations.id AS conference_registration_id',
    'user_id'                    => 'conference_registrations.user_id',
])->dd();

// Laravel 12.47.0:
// select
//   "conference_registrations"."id" as "conference_registration_id",
//   "conference_registrations"."user_id"
// from "example

// Laravel 12.48.0:
// select
//   "conference_registrations"."id" as "conference_registration_id",
//   "conference_registrations"."user_id"
// from "example

So honestly, I don't understand your issue and how it relates to my pr. You must provide more information. Like how the sql was before/after to understand the impact.

u01jmg3 · 2026-01-21T15:36:10Z

Syntax error or access violation: 1064
You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your
MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near

'AS requirements) as requirements,
 (COALESCE(IF(STRCMP(dietary_requirements.tex'

at line 1

Connection: mysql
Host: 127.0.0.1
Port: 3306
Database: test

PHP

/**
 * Combine necessary tables to return Conference Attendee data.
 *
 * @param  Conference $conference
 * @param  array      $excludedColumns
 * @param  boolean    $withHtml
 * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Collection
 */
public static function getAttendees(Conference $conference, array $excludedColumns = [], $withHtml = true)
{
    $selects = [
        'conference_registration_id'            => 'conference_registrations.id AS conference_registration_id',
        'conference_id'                         => 'conference_registrations.conference_id',
        'user_id'                               => 'conference_registrations.user_id',
        'ars_membership_no'                     => 'ars_membership_no',
        'ars_validated'                         => 'ars_validated',
        'email'                                 => 'email',
        'requirements'                          => \DB::raw('IF(conference_registration_categories.id IS NULL, IF(includes_accommodation = "yes" AND includes_dinner = "yes", "Accommodation and Dinner", IF(includes_accommodation = "yes", "Accommodation only", IF(includes_dinner = "yes", "Dinner only", "-"))), CONCAT(conference_fees.text, IF(includes_dinner = "yes", " + with dinner", ""))) AS requirements'),
        'dietary'                               => \DB::raw('COALESCE(IF(STRCMP(dietary_requirements.text, "Other"), dietary_requirements.text, dietary_other), "-") AS dietary'),
        'work_info'                             => \DB::raw('COALESCE(CONCAT(IF(conference_registration_categories.id IS NULL, "Guest Speaker", conference_registration_categories.text), IF(workplaces.id IS NULL, "", CONCAT(" // ", IF(STRCMP(workplaces.text, "Other"), workplaces.text, workplace_other)))), "-") AS work_info'),
        'conference_registration_categories_id' => 'conference_registration_categories.id AS conference_registration_categories_id',
        'conference_fee_id'                     => 'conference_fees.id AS conference_fee_id',
        'updated_at'                            => 'conference_registrations.updated_at',
        'updated_by'                            => 'conference_registrations.updated_by',
        'invoice_id'                            => 'conference_registrations.invoice_id',
        'stripe_payment_intent_id'              => 'conference_registrations.stripe_payment_intent_id',
        'is_ars_member'                         => 'conference_registrations.is_ars_member',
    ];

    if ($excludedColumns) {
        $excludedColumns = array_flip($excludedColumns);
        $selects         = array_diff_key($selects, $excludedColumns);
    }

    if (!$withHtml) {
        $selects = ['name' => \DB::raw('CONCAT(users.forename, " ", users.surname) AS name')] + $selects;
    }

    return self::select($selects)
               ->where('conference_registrations.conference_id', $conference->id)
               ->wherePaid('yes')
               ->withConferenceFees('leftJoin')
               ->withConferenceRegistrationCategories('leftJoin')
               ->withDietaryRequirements()
               ->withUsers()
               ->withWorkplaces()
               ->orderBy('surname')
               ->get();
}

SQL

SELECT
    conference_registrations.id AS conference_registration_id,
    conference_registrations.conference_id,
    conference_registrations.user_id,
    ars_membership_no,
    ars_validated,
    email,
    (
        IF(
            conference_registration_categories.id IS NULL,
            IF(
                includes_accommodation = "yes"
                AND includes_dinner = "yes",
                "Accommodation and Dinner",
                IF(
                    includes_accommodation = "yes",
                    "Accommodation only",
                    IF(
                        includes_dinner = "yes",
                        "Dinner only",
                        "-"
                    )
                )
            ),
            CONCAT(
                conference_fees.text,
                IF(includes_dinner = "yes", " + with dinner", "")
            )
        ) AS requirements
    ) AS requirements,
    (
        COALESCE(
            IF(
                STRCMP(dietary_requirements.text, "Other"),
                dietary_requ

tpetry · 2026-01-21T15:47:27Z

Thats a completely different code than you initially provided. I see no way to fix this in code. You basically used the select() function in a very special way. Because you provided array keys which don't have any effect at all. Didn't have before. There are two options from here:

You remove the AS colname from your expressions because thats now generated by the implementation
You open an issue (because Taylor doesnt read comments on closed prs) to escalate the issue and start a discussion whether the change should be reverted.

u01jmg3 · 2026-01-21T16:05:10Z

My apologies - I only shared a shortened snippet of the first few entries in my $selects array, assuming the issue would be clear from that alone. I now realise it was more specifically the requirements select I've written. But no problem, we got there in the end.

Using an associative array in my code is not anything special - it is a practical way to dynamically include or exclude columns, which I suspect is a fairly common use case. Prior to this change, it caused no issues with MySQL.

To work around this, I'll use array_values($selects) so that aliases are only applied where I explicitly want them.

You open an issue (because Taylor doesn't read comments on closed PRs) to escalate the issue and start a discussion whether the change should be reverted.

If you're asking me to raise the issue, does that mean you think my use case isn't valid and the current behaviour should remain as is?

…58469) This reverts commit 8b4032f.

tpetry force-pushed the 12.x-select-expression branch 2 times, most recently from 4bebe0e to d97f59b Compare January 20, 2026 12:13

feat: aliasing when selecting database expressions

38ccfa0

tpetry force-pushed the 12.x-select-expression branch from d97f59b to 38ccfa0 Compare January 20, 2026 12:17

taylorotwell merged commit 8b4032f into laravel:12.x Jan 20, 2026
69 of 70 checks passed

tpetry deleted the 12.x-select-expression branch January 21, 2026 05:18

u01jmg3 mentioned this pull request Jan 22, 2026

New feature causes double aliasing in MySQL when using a raw select in an associative selects array with an existing alias #58461

Closed

irabbi360 mentioned this pull request Jan 22, 2026

12.x Fix Double Aliasing in MySQL with Raw Selects in Associative Arrays #58462

Closed

taylorotwell pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jan 23, 2026

Revert "feat: aliasing when selecting database expressions (#58436)" (#…

92ff6ab

…58469) This reverts commit 8b4032f.

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[12.x] feat: query builder aliases for expressions#58436

[12.x] feat: query builder aliases for expressions#58436
taylorotwell merged 1 commit intolaravel:12.xfrom
tpetry:12.x-select-expression

tpetry commented Jan 20, 2026

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tpetry commented Jan 20, 2026

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u01jmg3 commented Jan 21, 2026

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tpetry commented Jan 20, 2026

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u01jmg3 commented Jan 21, 2026

Double aliasing in MySQL when using an existing associative array of selects with column aliases

Example:

Uh oh!

tpetry commented Jan 21, 2026

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u01jmg3 commented Jan 21, 2026

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tpetry commented Jan 21, 2026

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u01jmg3 commented Jan 21, 2026

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