PHP Attributes - Knowledge of Laravel

What are PHP attributes?

PHP attributes (PHP Attributes) are a native metadata syntax introduced in PHP 8.0. They let you attach meta-information to classes, methods, properties, and functions using the #[AttributeName] syntax. Laravel actively adopts PHP attributes throughout the framework, allowing you to declare job and Eloquent model configuration in a declarative style. In Laravel 13 (v13.2.0), queue attributes gained the ability to accept enums. Instead of class properties or method overrides, attributes let you write cleaner, more readable code.

// Traditional approach
class ProcessOrder implements ShouldQueue
{
    public string $queue = 'orders';
    public string $connection = 'redis';
    public int $tries = 3;
    public array $backoff = [30, 60, 120];
}

// Using attributes
#[Queue('orders')]
#[Connection('redis')]
#[Tries(3)]
#[Backoff(30, 60, 120)]
class ProcessOrder implements ShouldQueue
{
}

Attributes require PHP 8.0 or later. Since Laravel 13 requires PHP 8.3 or higher, attributes are available in every supported environment.

Queue attributes

All queue job attributes live in the Illuminate\Queue\Attributes namespace.

`#[Queue]` — specify the queue name

Specifies the default queue name the job is dispatched to.

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Queue;

#[Queue('emails')]
class SendWelcomeEmail implements ShouldQueue
{
    use Dispatchable, InteractsWithQueue, Queueable, SerializesModels;

    public function handle(): void
    {
        // ...
    }
}

Since v13.2.0, you can pass an enum instead of a string.

enum QueueName: string
{
    case Emails = 'emails';
    case Orders = 'orders';
    case Notifications = 'notifications';
}

#[Queue(QueueName::Emails)]
class SendWelcomeEmail implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

The #[Queue] attribute targets Attribute::TARGET_CLASS, so it can only be applied to classes.

`#[Connection]` — specify the connection

Specifies the default queue connection the job uses.

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Connection;

#[Connection('sqs')]
class ProcessPayment implements ShouldQueue
{
    use Dispatchable, InteractsWithQueue, Queueable, SerializesModels;

    public function handle(): void
    {
        // ...
    }
}

Enums work here as well.

enum QueueConnection: string
{
    case Redis = 'redis';
    case Sqs = 'sqs';
    case Database = 'database';
}

#[Connection(QueueConnection::Sqs)]
class ProcessPayment implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

`#[Backoff]` — specify retry backoff time

Specifies the wait time in seconds before retrying a failed job. Pass multiple values to use a different wait time for each retry (variadic argument support).

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Backoff;

// Fixed wait time (60 seconds for every retry)
#[Backoff(60)]
class SendEmail implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

// Different wait time per retry (exponential backoff)
#[Backoff(30, 60, 120)]
class ProcessOrder implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

Looking at the Backoff class implementation, it accepts variadic arguments.

// Implementation of Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Backoff
#[Attribute(Attribute::TARGET_CLASS)]
class Backoff
{
    public array|int $backoff;

    public function __construct(array|int ...$backoff)
    {
        $this->backoff = count($backoff) === 1 ? $backoff[0] : $backoff;
    }
}

A single value is stored as int; multiple values are stored as array.

`#[Tries]` — specify the retry count

Specifies the maximum number of times a failed job should be retried.

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Tries;

#[Tries(5)]
class ProcessPayment implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

`#[Timeout]` — specify the timeout

Specifies the maximum execution time in seconds. The job is forcefully terminated if it exceeds this limit.

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Timeout;

#[Timeout(120)]
class GenerateReport implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

`#[MaxExceptions]` — specify the maximum exception count

Marks a job as failed after the specified number of exceptions have been thrown. Use together with #[Tries].

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\MaxExceptions;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Tries;

#[Tries(10)]
#[MaxExceptions(3)]
class ProcessWebhook implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

`#[UniqueFor]` — specify the uniqueness period

Specifies the lock duration in seconds to prevent duplicate job execution. Use together with ShouldBeUnique.

use Illuminate\Contracts\Queue\ShouldBeUnique;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\UniqueFor;

#[UniqueFor(3600)]
class SyncUserData implements ShouldQueue, ShouldBeUnique
{
    // ...
}

`#[DeleteWhenMissingModels]` — delete when the model is missing

When the Eloquent model a job depends on cannot be found, the job is deleted (skipped) instead of marked as failed.

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\DeleteWhenMissingModels;

#[DeleteWhenMissingModels]
class SendOrderConfirmation implements ShouldQueue
{
    public function __construct(
        protected Order $order,
    ) {}

    public function handle(): void
    {
        // This job is deleted if $order does not exist
    }
}

`#[WithoutRelations]` — exclude relations from serialization

Prevents model relations from being included when serializing the job. This reduces the payload sent to the queue.

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\WithoutRelations;

#[WithoutRelations]
class ExportUser implements ShouldQueue
{
    public function __construct(
        protected User $user,
    ) {}
}

`#[FailOnTimeout]` — mark as failed on timeout

Records the job as failed when a timeout occurs (by default, timeouts are not recorded as failures).

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\FailOnTimeout;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Timeout;

#[Timeout(30)]
#[FailOnTimeout]
class ProcessLongTask implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

Combining multiple queue attributes

You can combine these attributes to declare a job’s behavior entirely through attributes.

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Backoff;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Connection;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\DeleteWhenMissingModels;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\FailOnTimeout;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\MaxExceptions;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Queue;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Timeout;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Tries;

#[Queue('payments')]
#[Connection('redis')]
#[Tries(3)]
#[Backoff(30, 60, 120)]
#[Timeout(60)]
#[MaxExceptions(2)]
#[DeleteWhenMissingModels]
class ProcessPayment implements ShouldQueue
{
    use Dispatchable, InteractsWithQueue, Queueable, SerializesModels;

    public function __construct(
        protected Order $order,
    ) {}

    public function handle(PaymentService $payment): void
    {
        $payment->charge($this->order);
    }
}

Eloquent attributes

Eloquent model attributes live in the Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes namespace. Laravel 13 added a large number of new attributes.

`#[ScopedBy]` — specify global scopes

Specifies the global scope classes to apply to a model automatically via an attribute. Supports inheritance and allows multiple scopes using the IS_REPEATABLE flag.

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\ScopedBy;

#[ScopedBy(ActiveScope::class)]
class User extends Model
{
    // No need to register the scope in booted()
}

To apply multiple scopes, repeat the attribute or pass an array.

// Repeat the attribute (IS_REPEATABLE support)
#[ScopedBy(ActiveScope::class)]
#[ScopedBy(VerifiedScope::class)]
class User extends Model
{
}

// Pass an array
#[ScopedBy([ActiveScope::class, VerifiedScope::class])]
class User extends Model
{
}

Comparison with the traditional booted() method:

// Traditional approach
class User extends Model
{
    protected static function booted(): void
    {
        static::addGlobalScope(new ActiveScope);
        static::addGlobalScope(new VerifiedScope);
    }
}

`#[ObservedBy]` — specify observers

Specifies the observer classes to associate with a model via an attribute. Like ScopedBy, it is IS_REPEATABLE.

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\ObservedBy;

#[ObservedBy(UserObserver::class)]
class User extends Model
{
}

You can specify multiple observers too.

#[ObservedBy(UserObserver::class)]
#[ObservedBy(AuditObserver::class)]
class User extends Model
{
}

This eliminates the need to register observers in AppServiceProvider.

// Traditional approach (AppServiceProvider)
public function boot(): void
{
    User::observe(UserObserver::class);
}

`#[UseEloquentBuilder]` — specify a custom query builder

Specifies the custom Eloquent builder the model should use via an attribute.

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\UseEloquentBuilder;

#[UseEloquentBuilder(UserQueryBuilder::class)]
class User extends Model
{
}

namespace App\Builders;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;

class UserQueryBuilder extends Builder
{
    public function active(): static
    {
        return $this->where('active', true);
    }

    public function verified(): static
    {
        return $this->whereNotNull('email_verified_at');
    }
}

// Usage (custom methods are available with full type safety)
$users = User::query()->active()->verified()->get();

`#[CollectedBy]` — specify a custom collection

Specifies the custom collection class to use for the model’s collection via an attribute.

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\CollectedBy;

#[CollectedBy(UserCollection::class)]
class User extends Model
{
}

namespace App\Collections;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Collection;

class UserCollection extends Collection
{
    public function admins(): static
    {
        return $this->filter(fn (User $user) => $user->is_admin);
    }

    public function active(): static
    {
        return $this->filter(fn (User $user) => $user->active);
    }
}

`#[Table]` — configure table settings in one place

Lets you specify multiple table-related settings — table name, primary key, timestamps, and more — with a single attribute.

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\Table;

#[Table(name: 'system_users', key: 'user_id', timestamps: false)]
class SystemUser extends Model
{
}

Options available through the Table attribute:

Parameter	Corresponding property	Description
`name`	`$table`	Table name
`key`	`$primaryKey`	Primary key column name
`keyType`	`$keyType`	Primary key type (`'int'`, `'string'`, etc.)
`incrementing`	`$incrementing`	Auto-incrementing primary key
`timestamps`	`$timestamps`	Enable/disable timestamps
`dateFormat`	`$dateFormat`	Date format

`#[Scope]` — define a method as a local scope

Lets you define a method as an Eloquent local scope without the scope prefix.

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\Scope;

class User extends Model
{
    #[Scope]
    public function active(Builder $query): void
    {
        $query->where('active', true);
    }

    #[Scope]
    public function verified(Builder $query): void
    {
        $query->whereNotNull('email_verified_at');
    }
}

// Traditionally the method name had to have a "scope" prefix:
// public function scopeActive(Builder $query): void

// With the attribute, the method name becomes the scope name directly
User::query()->active()->verified()->get();

`#[UseFactory]` — specify a factory class

Specifies the custom factory class the model should use via an attribute.

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\UseFactory;

#[UseFactory(UserFactory::class)]
class User extends Model
{
}

Other Eloquent attributes

Attribute	Description
`#[Fillable(...$attributes)]`	Specifies columns allowed for mass assignment
`#[Guarded(...$attributes)]`	Specifies columns protected from mass assignment
`#[Unguarded]`	Disables mass assignment protection
`#[Hidden(...$attributes)]`	Specifies columns to exclude during serialization
`#[Visible(...$attributes)]`	Specifies columns to include during serialization
`#[Appends(...$attributes)]`	Specifies accessors to append during serialization
`#[Touches(...$relations)]`	Specifies relations whose `updated_at` should be updated on save
`#[WithoutTimestamps]`	Disables timestamps
`#[WithoutIncrementing]`	Disables auto-incrementing primary key
`#[DateFormat(format: '...')]`	Specifies the date format
`#[UsePolicy(policyClass: '...')]`	Specifies the associated policy class
`#[UseResource(resourceClass: '...')]`	Specifies the associated API resource class
`#[UseResourceCollection(resourceCollectionClass: '...')]`	Specifies the associated resource collection class

Enum support (added in v13.2.0)

In v13.2.0, #[Queue] and #[Connection] gained the ability to accept enums. This lets you specify queues and connections in a type-safe manner using PHP enums instead of string literals.

// Enum for queue names
enum Queue: string
{
    case Default = 'default';
    case High = 'high';
    case Low = 'low';
    case Emails = 'emails';
    case Orders = 'orders';
}

// Enum for connections
enum Connection: string
{
    case Redis = 'redis';
    case Sqs = 'sqs';
    case Database = 'database';
    case Sync = 'sync';
}

use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Queue;
use Illuminate\Queue\Attributes\Connection;

// Type-safe specification using enums
#[Queue(Queue::Orders)]
#[Connection(Connection::Redis)]
class ProcessOrder implements ShouldQueue
{
    // ...
}

Using enums prevents typos in queue and connection names and enables IDE auto-completion. It is convenient for centrally managing all queue names and connection names across your application.

Comparison with traditional class properties

Benefits of attributes

Declarative — A glance at the top of the class reveals the job’s behavior
Type-safe — Enums enable IDE completion and type checking
Compatible with inheritance — Child classes can override parent class attributes
Less code — No need for property declarations or method overrides

Drawbacks of attributes

Cannot use dynamic values — Attribute arguments are compile-time constants only; variables and config values are not supported
Learning curve — Teams may need time to get comfortable with PHP 8 attribute syntax

When dynamic values are required

Use the traditional method override approach when you need to determine a value at runtime.

class ProcessOrder implements ShouldQueue
{
    // Dynamic backoff is defined via a method
    public function backoff(): array
    {
        return [
            config('queue.backoff.first'),
            config('queue.backoff.second'),
        ];
    }
}

Attributes are parsed at PHP compile time. You cannot use runtime values such as config() or env(). When dynamic configuration is needed, continue using class properties or methods.

How it works internally

Laravel uses the Reflection API internally to read attributes. When the queue worker dispatches a job, the ReadsQueueAttributes trait (included in InteractsWithQueue) uses reflection to detect attributes and sets the corresponding properties.

// Simplified internal reading process
$reflection = new ReflectionClass($job);
$attributes = $reflection->getAttributes(Queue::class);

foreach ($attributes as $attribute) {
    $instance = $attribute->newInstance();
    $job->queue = $instance->queue instanceof UnitEnum
        ? $instance->queue->value
        : $instance->queue;
}

Eloquent model attributes are similarly read via reflection at the equivalent of Model::booted().

Next steps

Intermediate: Queues and jobs

Learn the basics of Laravel’s queue system.

PHP Reflection API

A deep dive into the Reflection API that Laravel uses internally to read attributes.

​What are PHP attributes?

​Queue attributes

​#[Queue] — specify the queue name

​#[Connection] — specify the connection

​#[Backoff] — specify retry backoff time

​#[Tries] — specify the retry count

​#[Timeout] — specify the timeout

​#[MaxExceptions] — specify the maximum exception count

​#[UniqueFor] — specify the uniqueness period

​#[DeleteWhenMissingModels] — delete when the model is missing

​#[WithoutRelations] — exclude relations from serialization

​#[FailOnTimeout] — mark as failed on timeout

​Combining multiple queue attributes

​Eloquent attributes

​#[ScopedBy] — specify global scopes

​#[ObservedBy] — specify observers

​#[UseEloquentBuilder] — specify a custom query builder

​#[CollectedBy] — specify a custom collection

​#[Table] — configure table settings in one place

​#[Scope] — define a method as a local scope

​#[UseFactory] — specify a factory class

​Other Eloquent attributes

​Enum support (added in v13.2.0)

​Comparison with traditional class properties

​Benefits of attributes

​Drawbacks of attributes

​When dynamic values are required

​How it works internally

​Next steps

Intermediate: Queues and jobs

PHP Reflection API

What are PHP attributes?

Queue attributes

`#[Queue]` — specify the queue name

`#[Connection]` — specify the connection

`#[Backoff]` — specify retry backoff time

`#[Tries]` — specify the retry count

`#[Timeout]` — specify the timeout

`#[MaxExceptions]` — specify the maximum exception count

`#[UniqueFor]` — specify the uniqueness period

`#[DeleteWhenMissingModels]` — delete when the model is missing

`#[WithoutRelations]` — exclude relations from serialization

`#[FailOnTimeout]` — mark as failed on timeout

Combining multiple queue attributes

Eloquent attributes

`#[ScopedBy]` — specify global scopes

`#[ObservedBy]` — specify observers

`#[UseEloquentBuilder]` — specify a custom query builder

`#[CollectedBy]` — specify a custom collection

`#[Table]` — configure table settings in one place

`#[Scope]` — define a method as a local scope

`#[UseFactory]` — specify a factory class

Other Eloquent attributes

Enum support (added in v13.2.0)

Comparison with traditional class properties

Benefits of attributes

Drawbacks of attributes

When dynamic values are required

How it works internally

Next steps