What are Database Seeders in CodeIgniter 4?
Why Interviewers Ask This
Interviewers use this question to quickly assess whether a candidate has the foundational knowledge required for CodeIgniter development. It reveals whether you understand the building blocks that more complex concepts rely on.
Answer
Seeders in CodeIgniter 4 populate your database with test or initial data. Create: php spark make:seeder UserSeeder. Seeders live in app/Database/Seeds/. The run() method inserts data: $this->db->table("users")->insert(["name" => "Admin", "email" => "admin@example.com"]). Run a seeder: php spark db:seed UserSeeder. Call other seeders from within a seeder: $this->call("CategorySeeder"). For large amounts of test data, use Faker (install via Composer): $faker = \Faker\Factory::create(); for ($i = 0; $i < 50; $i++) { $this->db->table("users")->insert(["name" => $faker->name, "email" => $faker->email]); }. Seeders are used in development and testing — never run production seeders without careful review.
Pro Tip
This topic has CodeIgniter-specific nuances that differ from general programming. Highlighting those nuances in your answer shows expertise rather than generic knowledge.