laravel/framework · error · RuntimeException

This database driver does not support retrieving schemas.

Error message

This database driver does not support retrieving schemas.

What it means

Grammar::compileSchemas() on the base class is a RuntimeException stub - every concrete grammar (SQLite, SQL Server, Postgres, MySQL) overrides it, so reaching the base means the active connection's schema grammar is the abstract base Grammar rather than a driver-specific one. The base class intentionally refuses to guess a portable 'list schemas' query.

Solutions

Use one of the four supported drivers (sqlite, mysql, pgsql, sqlsrv), whose SchemaGrammar overrides compileSchemas.
If you maintain the driver, subclass Grammar and implement compileSchemas() with your engine's schema-listing SQL.
Replace the generic call with a direct DB::select using your engine's information_schema query.

Example fix

// before - base grammar on a custom driver
Schema::connection('myengine')->getSchemas();

// after - implement in your grammar, or query directly
DB::connection('myengine')->select("SELECT schema_name FROM information_schema.schemata");

Defensive patterns

Strategy: type-guard

Validate before calling

$grammar = Schema::getConnection()->getSchemaGrammar();
if (get_class($grammar) === \Illuminate\Database\Schema\Grammars\Grammar::class) {
    throw new \DomainException('Connection uses the base Grammar; compileSchemas is unsupported.');
}

Type guard

function hasDriverGrammar(\Illuminate\Database\Schema\Grammars\Grammar $grammar): bool
{
    return get_class($grammar) !== \Illuminate\Database\Schema\Grammars\Grammar::class;
}

Try / catch

try {
    Schema::getSchemas();
} catch (\RuntimeException $e) {
    if (str_contains($e->getMessage(), 'retrieving schemas')) {
        return DB::select('SELECT schema_name FROM information_schema.schemata');
    }
    throw $e;
}

Prevention

Ensure every connection binds a driver-specific grammar in its Connection::getDefaultSchemaGrammar().
Use supported drivers (sqlite/mysql/pgsql/sqlsrv) for schema introspection.
In custom drivers, implement every compile* method, not just the ones you need today.

When it happens

Trigger: Calling Schema::getConnection()->getSchemaGrammar()->compileSchemas() or any Builder method that consults schemas (e.g. getSchemas) when the connection returns a bare Illuminate\Database\Schema\Grammars\Grammar instead of a driver subclass.

Common situations: A custom or in-progress database driver whose Connection::getDefaultSchemaGrammar() returns new Grammar() rather than a subclass; a test double that injects the base Grammar; an incompletely-bootstrapped connection.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of laravel/framework@e0f6eb3518 (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5e3c80fa29381142. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/Illuminate/Database/Schema/Grammars/Grammar.php:75

     * @return string
     */
    public function compileDropDatabaseIfExists($name)
    {
        return sprintf('drop database if exists %s',
            $this->wrapValue($name)
        );
    }

    /**
     * Compile the query to determine the schemas.
     *
     * @return string
     *
     * @throws \RuntimeException
     */
    public function compileSchemas()
    {
        throw new RuntimeException('This database driver does not support retrieving schemas.');
    }

    /**
     * Compile the query to determine if the given table exists.
     *
     * @param  string|null  $schema
     * @param  string  $table
     * @return string|null
     */
    public function compileTableExists($schema, $table)
    {
        //
    }

    /**
     * Compile the query to determine the tables.
     *
     * @param  string|string[]|null  $schema

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