Tinker

Open an interactive PHP shell for any project with a single click. Test code, query your database, and interact with your application directly from the terminal.

Quick Start

Launch Tinker in three clicks:

Features

What is Tinker?

Tinker is Laravel's powerful REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) powered by PsySH. It provides an interactive console where you can:

• Execute PHP code instantly
• Interact with your Laravel application
• Query the database using Eloquent
• Test methods and functions
• Debug and troubleshoot

Common Use Cases

🔍 Query Database

Fetch and inspect data using Eloquent:

>>> User::all();
>>> User::where('email', 'john@example.com')->first();
>>> User::count();

➕ Create Records

Insert test data quickly:

>>> $user = new User;
>>> $user->name = 'Jane Doe';
>>> $user->email = 'jane@example.com';
>>> $user->save();

🧪 Test Functions

Try out methods before implementing:

>>> Str::slug('Hello World');
=> "hello-world"

>>> Hash::make('password123');
=> "$2y$10$..."

🔧 Debug Issues

Inspect objects and relationships:

>>> $user = User::find(1);
>>> $user->posts;
>>> $user->posts()->count();

📧 Test Notifications

Send test emails and notifications:

>>> $user = User::first();
>>> $user->notify(new WelcomeNotification);

🌐 Test API Calls

Make HTTP requests:

>>> Http::get('https://api.example.com/data');
>>> Http::post('https://api.example.com/users', ['name' => 'John']);

How It Works

When you click "Open Tinker", DAMP:

1. ✅ Checks that your devcontainer is running
2. ✅ Opens a new terminal window
3. ✅ Executes: docker exec -it {project}_devcontainer php artisan tinker
4. ✅ You're in Tinker - ready to code!

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│   DAMP Dashboard                    │
│   Click "Open Tinker" →             │
└────────────┬────────────────────────┘
             │
             ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│   New Terminal Window Opens         │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ $ docker exec -it myapp_devcontainer│
│   php artisan tinker                │
│                                     │
│ Psy Shell v0.12.0                   │
│ >>> _                               │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Tips & Tricks

Show Available Commands

>>> help

Lists all available Tinker commands and shortcuts.

Clear Screen

>>> clear

Or press Ctrl+L to clear the terminal.

View Variables

>>> show $user

Displays formatted output of any variable.

Multi-Line Code

Press Enter without completing statement:

>>> $users = User::where('active', true)
...           ->orderBy('created_at', 'desc')
...           ->take(10)
...           ->get();

History

Use ↑ and ↓ arrow keys to navigate through command history.

Exit Tinker

>>> exit

Or press Ctrl+D to quit Tinker.

Helpful Commands

Requirements

Devcontainer Must Be Running

Before clicking "Open Tinker":

1. Open your project in VS Code
2. Run "Dev Containers: Reopen in Container"
3. Wait for container to fully start
4. Now click "Open Tinker" in DAMP

Troubleshooting

Learn More

• Laravel Tinker Documentation
• PsySH Documentation