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Posted on Jun 2

Using nestedWhere() in the Laravel 12 Query Builder

#laravel #php #webdev #programming

Since Laravel 12, the Query Builder has been enriched with a convenient method to nest conditions without resorting to complex closures: nestedWhere(). In this article, we will cover:

A brief reminder of the problem that nestedWhere() solves.
The syntax and API of nestedWhere().
Concrete examples of usage.
Some common use cases where this method provides a real readability benefit.

1. Why `nestedWhere()`?

Imagine you want to retrieve records according to a main condition and a nested condition grouping multiple sub-conditions. For example:

“Fetch all active products and (whose price is less than 1000 or whose discount is greater than 30%).”

In raw SQL, that would be:

SELECT *
FROM products
WHERE status = 'active'
  AND (price < 1000 OR discount > 30);

Before Laravel 12, the most common way to translate this logic into the Query Builder was:

$products = DB::table('products')
    ->where('status', 'active')
    ->where(function ($query) {
        $query->where('price', '<', 1000)
              ->orWhere('discount', '>', 30);
    })
    ->get();

Resorting to a closure for each nested group can quickly become verbose, and if you have multiple sub-groups, the code becomes much less readable. That’s where nestedWhere() comes in, simplifying the syntax.

2. Syntax and API of `nestedWhere()`

The nestedWhere() method allows you to combine two conditions within the same nested group in a single fluent call. Its simplest signature is:

nestedWhere(
    string $column1,
    string $operator1,
    mixed  $value1,
    string $booleanBetween, // 'and' or 'or'
    string $column2,
    string $operator2,
    mixed  $value2
)

$column1, $operator1, $value1: the first condition of the nested group.
$booleanBetween: the boolean operator that links the first condition to the second, either 'and' or 'or'.
$column2, $operator2, $value2: the second condition of the nested group.

Generic example:

$query->nestedWhere(
    'field_a', '>',  10,   // first nested condition
    'and',                // linking operator
    'field_b', '<=', 100  // second nested condition
);

This corresponds to the SQL:

... AND (field_a > 10 AND field_b <= 100)

3. Concrete Examples

3.1. Filter products where `status = 'active'` AND (price < 1000 OR discount > 30)

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;

$products = DB::table('products')
    ->where('status', 'active')
    ->nestedWhere(
        'price',   '<', 1000,
        'or',
        'discount', '>', 30
    )
    ->get();

Laravel will generate:

SELECT *
FROM "products"
WHERE "status" = 'active'
  AND ("price" < 1000 OR "discount" > 30)

3.2. Add a third condition after the nested group

If you want to apply a third condition (for example stock > 0) after this group, just chain it on:

$products = DB::table('products')
    ->where('status', 'active')
    ->nestedWhere('price','<',1000,'or','discount','>',30)
    ->where('stock', '>', 0)
    ->get();

SQL generated:

SELECT *
FROM "products"
WHERE "status" = 'active'
  AND ("price" < 1000 OR "discount" > 30)
  AND "stock" > 0

3.3. Chain multiple nested groups

Sometimes, it can be useful to chain two distinct nested groups of conditions. For example:

“Retrieve active products AND ((price < 1000 OR discount > 30) AND (created after 2024-01-01 OR category = 'premium')).”

In Laravel 12:

$products = DB::table('products')
    ->where('status', 'active')
    ->nestedWhere(
        'price', '<', 1000,
        'or',
        'discount', '>', 30
    )
    ->nestedWhere(
        'created_at', '>', '2024-01-01',
        'or',
        'category', '=', 'premium'
    )
    ->get();

Equivalent SQL:

SELECT *
FROM "products"
WHERE "status" = 'active'
  AND ("price" < 1000 OR "discount" > 30)
  AND ("created_at" > '2024-01-01' OR "category" = 'premium')

4. Use Cases and Best Practices

4.1. Simplify dynamic filters

In a listing page (back-office, admin interface), you often offer multiple combined filters (e.g., price range, stock status, date range, category). With nestedWhere(), you can build these dynamically without multiplying nested closures and risking mistakes in parenthesis logic.

Example:

$query = DB::table('orders')
    ->where('status', 'confirmed');

// Assume we pull dynamic filters from the request:
if ($request->filled('min_amount') && $request->filled('max_amount')) {
    $query->nestedWhere(
        'amount',   '>=', $request->min_amount,
        'and',
        'amount',   '<=', $request->max_amount
    );
}

if ($request->filled('start_date') && $request->filled('end_date')) {
    $query->nestedWhere(
        'created_at', '>=', $request->start_date,
        'and',
        'created_at', '<=', $request->end_date
    );
}

$orders = $query->get();

Thanks to nestedWhere(), we avoid:

->where(function($q) use ($min, $max) {
    $q->where('amount', '>=', $min)
      ->where('amount', '<=', $max);
})
->where(function($q) use ($start, $end) {
    $q->whereBetween('created_at', [$start, $end]);
})

and keep the code more concise.

4.2. Replace nested closures with a fluent chain

In some cases, you have deeper nesting. For example:

->where(function($q) {
    $q->where('a', 1)
      ->orWhere(function($q2) {
          $q2->where('b', 2)
             ->where('c', 3);
      });
})

With nestedWhere(), you can reduce closures:

->nestedWhere('a','=',1,'or','b','=',2)
->where('c', 3)

– according to the exact business logic. The main advantage remains readability and reduced boilerplate.

5. Comparison with Other Methods

Using where() + closure:

->where('status','active')
->where(function ($q) {
    $q->where('price','<',1000)
      ->orWhere('discount','>',30);
})

→ This becomes verbose as soon as you have multiple nested filters.

Using whereBetween() or whereIn():
- whereBetween() is designed for ranges (e.g., created_at between two dates).
- whereIn() checks if a column’s value is in a given array. These methods are limited to specific cases. By contrast, nestedWhere() allows combining any comparison operator (<, >, =, !=, like, etc.) between two different columns, offering more flexibility without closures.
Manual grouping with parentheses in raw SQL

You could write raw SQL fragments to achieve nested logic:

->whereRaw("(price < ? OR discount > ?)", [1000, 30])

However, this sacrifices the Query Builder’s readability and safety (SQL injection risks). nestedWhere() preserves both clarity and safety.

Multiple chained orWhere / andWhere calls You might try:

->where('status', 'active')
->where('price', '<', 1000)
->orWhere('discount', '>', 30)

But this leads to incorrect SQL logic (mixing AND and OR without parentheses), which can return unexpected results. nestedWhere() guarantees the proper grouping semantics.

6. Points to Note

1- Only two conditions per nestedWhere()

If you need three nested conditions in the same group, you must either chain two nestedWhere() calls or revert to a closure. For example:

// (a = 1 OR b = 2 OR c = 3) → requires two calls:
$query->nestedWhere('a','=',1,'or','b','=',2)
      ->nestedWhere('b','=',2,'or','c','=',3);

Pay attention to the logic of the generated SQL—chaining nestedWhere() does create a flat grouping of conditions connected by the specified boolean.

2- Mixing and / or

The fourth argument ($booleanBetween) accepts either 'and' or 'or'. Make sure you choose the correct boolean operator to match your intended logic.

3- Order of calls matters

When you chain multiple nestedWhere() calls, the conditions are appended in sequence. Always review the SQL with toSql() if you’re unsure how the final parentheses and operators will be applied.

7. Conclusion

The nestedWhere() method introduced in Laravel 12 simplifies writing complex queries by replacing nested closures with a more concise and readable syntax. By grouping two conditions into the same parenthesized block, you improve code maintainability, reduce the risk of mistakes in SQL parenthesis, and gain clarity—especially when dynamically building complex filters.

Try It Yourself!

Test nestedWhere() on existing queries that use closures to nest conditions.
Simplify where(function($q){ ... }) blocks by replacing them with nestedWhere().
Inspect the generated SQL (e.g., with toSql()) to ensure the logic matches your expectations.