Common Laravel Mistakes That Slow Down Projects

N+1 Query Problem

• The most frequent cause of slow Laravel projects is the N+1 query issue, where Eloquent runs many database queries in a loop instead of fetching related data in one go. This can be avoided by using eager loading with the with() method.

Loading Too Much Data

• Fetching more data than necessary, such as loading entire relationships when only a few fields are needed, puts unnecessary strain on your server. Use select() and withCount() to limit the data retrieved.

Inefficient Use of Eloquent ORM

• Not leveraging Eloquent’s features properly (like query scopes and accessors) can lead to inefficient queries and performance bottlenecks.

Not Using Route Model Binding

• Manually fetching models in controllers instead of using Laravel’s route model binding leads to repetitive and less optimized code.

Ignoring Optimization Commands

• Failing to run php artisan optimize in production means missing out on configuration, route, and view caching, which can significantly boost performance.

Overloaded Controllers

• Placing too much logic in controllers instead of separating business logic into services or jobs makes code harder to manage and can slow down request handling.

Inefficient Blade Templates

• Heavy logic in Blade views or not using components and inheritance can slow down rendering.

Neglecting Database Optimization

• Not indexing database tables or optimizing queries can result in slow response times, especially as data grows.

Summary Table

Mistake	Impact	Solution
N+1 Query Problem	Many unnecessary DB queries	Use eager loading (with())
Loading Too Much Data	Slow queries, high memory usage	Fetch only needed fields
Inefficient Eloquent Usage	Poor query performance	Use scopes, accessors, eager loading
Not Using Route Model Binding	Extra queries, less readable code	Use model binding in routes
Skipping Optimization Commands	Missed caching, slower app	Run php artisan optimize
Overloaded Controllers	Hard-to-maintain, slow request handling	Use service layer, jobs
Inefficient Blade Templates	Slow page rendering	Use components, avoid heavy logic
Neglecting DB Optimization	Slow queries as data grows	Add indexes, optimize queries

Addressing these common mistakes can dramatically improve your Laravel project’s speed and scalability.

Citations:
[1] https://laraveldaily.com/post/laravel-typical-mistakes-juniors-make
[2] https://laracasts.com/discuss/channels/laravel/project-running-slow
[3] https://laracasts.com/discuss/channels/laravel/new-laravel-project-local-dev-exremely-slow