By default I like my Postgres database to use text type for all textual fields. When you run your migrations with this package installed, it will convert the following migration types to text: char, and string.

• PHP >=7.0
• Laravel >=5.4

composer require genealabs/laravel-optimized-postgres

If you are on Laravel 5.5, the service provider will auto-register once the package is installed. You can skip this step. If you haven't upgraded to Laravel 5.5 yet, add the following to the providers array in your \config\app.php file:

GeneaLabs\LaravelOptimizedPostgres\Providers\LaravelOptimizedPostgresService::class,

When writing migrations, be sure to remove the following use statement from the top of the file:

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;

This is included in the two default migrations provided with Laravel projects, but I don't believe is added when you make a new migration.

• possibly expand to normalize numbers, more research needed.