Laravel custom pivot usage (Extends Model or Extends Pivot)

In Laravel, when you have a custom pivot table that includes additional columns beyond the foreign keys of the related models, you have two primary options for utilizing this custom pivot:

1. Extending Model class (Recommended): You can create a custom model class that extends the Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model class. This custom model class will represent the custom pivot table as an Eloquent model, allowing you to define relationships, accessors, mutators, and other Eloquent features.

   Here's an example of how you can define a custom pivot model:

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   namespace App\Models;
   
   use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
   
   class CustomPivot extends Model
   {
       protected $table = 'custom_pivot_table';
       protected $primaryKey = 'id'; // If the primary key of the custom pivot table is not 'id', specify it here.
       public $timestamps = false; // If the custom pivot table doesn't have timestamps columns, set it to false.
   
       // Define any additional properties, relationships, accessors, mutators, etc.
       // Example:
       public function extraProperty()
       {
           return 'Some extra data';
       }
   }
   

   With this approach, you can use the CustomPivot model to access and work with your custom pivot table just like any other Eloquent model.

   Usage:

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   $relatedModel = RelatedModel::find($relatedModelId);
   $customPivot = $relatedModel->customPivot; // Access the custom pivot model instance
   $extraProperty = $customPivot->extraProperty(); // Access custom properties or methods defined in the CustomPivot model
   

2. Extending Pivot class: Alternatively, you can create a custom pivot class that extends the Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\Pivot class. This custom pivot class will be used by the relationship methods of your models to access the custom pivot data.

   Here's an example of how you can define a custom pivot class:

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   namespace App\Models;
   
   use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\Pivot;
   
   class CustomPivot extends Pivot
   {
       // Define any additional properties or methods specific to your custom pivot table.
   }
   

   Usage: In the relationship method of your models, specify the custom pivot class:

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   // Inside RelatedModel.php
   public function customPivot()
   {
       return $this->belongsToMany(OtherModel::class)
                   ->using(CustomPivot::class)
                   ->withPivot('extra_column1', 'extra_column2');
   }
   

   Note: When using the using() method, make sure your custom pivot table follows the naming conventions and has the required columns (e.g., foreign keys and additional columns). Otherwise, you might need to specify the custom pivot table's name and columns using the appropriate methods (e.g., ->as('custom_table')->withPivot('column1', 'column2')).

Both approaches allow you to work with custom pivot tables in Laravel effectively. The first option, extending the Model class, gives you more flexibility to define additional features and methods for the custom pivot table. The second option, extending the Pivot class, is more focused on customizing the pivot behavior and relationship declarations between the related models. Choose the approach that best suits your needs and the complexity of your custom pivot table requirements.