where is the attribute in the laravel code comes from? - php

Question

<?php
namespace App\Models;
use Illuminate\Auth\Authenticatable;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Illuminate\Auth\Passwords\CanResetPassword;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Auth\Access\Authorizable;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Auth\Authenticatable as AuthenticatableContract;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Auth\Access\Authorizable as AuthorizableContract;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Auth\CanResetPassword as CanResetPasswordContract;
class User extends Model implements AuthenticatableContract,
AuthorizableContract,
CanResetPasswordContract
{
use Authenticatable, Authorizable, CanResetPassword;
/**
* The database table used by the model.
*
* #var string
*/
protected $table = 'users';
/**
* The attributes that are mass assignable.
*
* #var array
*/
protected $fillable = ['name', 'email', 'password'];
/**
* The attributes excluded from the model's JSON form.
*
* #var array
*/
protected $hidden = ['password', 'remember_token'];
public static function boot()
{
parent::boot();
static::creating(function ($user) {
$user->activation_token = str_random(30);
});
}
public function gravatar($size = '100')
{
$hash = md5(strtolower(trim($this->attributes['email'])));
return "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/$hash?s=$size";
}
public function statuses()
{
return $this->hasMany(Status::class);
}
public function feed()
{
return $this->statuses()->orderBy('created_at', 'desc');
}
public function followers()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(User::Class, 'followers', 'user_id', 'follower_id');
}
public function followings()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(User::Class, 'followers', 'follower_id', 'user_id');
}
public function follow($user_ids)
{
if (!is_array($user_ids)) {
$user_ids = compact('user_ids');
}
$this->followings()->sync($user_ids, false);
}
public function unfollow($user_ids)
{
if (!is_array($user_ids)) {
$user_ids = compact('user_ids');
}
$this->followings()->detach($user_ids);
}
public function isFollowing($user_id)
{
var_dump($this->followings);die();
return $this->followings->contains($user_id);
}
}
This is a code come from laravel models.
There is a method named $this->followings() .But I don't see any $this->followings attribute assigned in the code.
where is the $this->followings comes from?
thanks

Answer 1

Suggested reading about Laravel model relationships
in particular:
Once the relationship is defined, we may retrieve the related record using Eloquent's dynamic properties. Dynamic properties allow you to access relationship methods as if they were properties defined on the model