Why Eloquent Builder methods returns static?

[localusercamp]

I found that Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder methods @return phpDoc annotations contains both Model and static type or (Collection and static[]). Why it so? When builder can return array of queries from get() call?

[veelasky]

static[] return type, infer to an array containing one or many 'static' model instance. as to when builder return an array, the Collection instance is basically an array, just supercharged, because you can treat Collection as a regular array thanks to its implementation of ArrayAccess interface

[localusercamp]

If i'm right then how can get() return an array of Builder instances?

[mikeydevelops]

@localusercamp you are correct, static refers to the underlying class and its children. get in this case will never return a builder instance. So I thing this is leftover from some older version of laravel.

[localusercamp]

@mikeydevelops How we can prove, or disaprove your thoughts? =D

[localusercamp]

I found this commit.
I don't know how it looked at the time of the commit, but now it looks strange in my opinion. For me it ruins IDE support (VScode). Should this be removed?

[veelasky]

As far as I know static is a reference to the class in which it is used or any of its successors.

static[] return type, infer to an array containing one or many 'static' model instance

But static keyword in Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder class means Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder class or any of its successors. So it is not the array of models it is array of Queries (Builder instances).

Am i wrong?

yes, you're right.

[localusercamp]

I opened an issue #46292