laravel/framework · error · RuntimeException

This database driver does not support retrieving tables.

Error message

This database driver does not support retrieving tables.

What it means

Base Grammar::compileTables() throws RuntimeException when the driver's grammar does not override it. compileTables produces the query behind Schema::getTableListing()/getTables(); all four first-class drivers override it, so hitting this usually means a custom/incomplete driver or a broken connection binding.

Source

Thrown at src/Illuminate/Database/Schema/Grammars/Grammar.php:100

     * @param  string  $table
     * @return string|null
     */
    public function compileTableExists($schema, $table)
    {
        //
    }

    /**
     * Compile the query to determine the tables.
     *
     * @param  string|string[]|null  $schema
     * @return string
     *
     * @throws \RuntimeException
     */
    public function compileTables($schema)
    {
        throw new RuntimeException('This database driver does not support retrieving tables.');
    }

    /**
     * Compile the query to determine the views.
     *
     * @param  string|string[]|null  $schema
     * @return string
     *
     * @throws \RuntimeException
     */
    public function compileViews($schema)
    {
        throw new RuntimeException('This database driver does not support retrieving views.');
    }

    /**
     * Compile the query to determine the user-defined types.
     *

View on GitHub (pinned to bd6b5437e6)

Solutions

  1. Switch to a first-class driver (mysql, pgsql, sqlite, sqlsrv) whose grammar implements compileTables.
  2. If you maintain the driver, override compileTables($schema) with the engine's table-listing SQL.
  3. Verify the connection key in config/database.php resolves to the intended driver, not a stub.

Example fix

// before — 'custom' connection uses a Grammar that does not override compileTables
$tables = Schema::connection('custom')->getTableListing();

// after
class CustomGrammar extends \Illuminate\Database\Schema\Grammars\Grammar
{
    public function compileTables($schema)
    {
        return 'select ... from information_schema.tables ...';
    }
}
Defensive patterns

Strategy: type-guard

Validate before calling

$grammar = Schema::getConnection()->getSchemaGrammar();
if ((new \ReflectionMethod($grammar, 'compileTables'))->getDeclaringClass()->getName()
    === \Illuminate\Database\Schema\Grammars\Grammar::class) {
    throw new \RuntimeException('Table listing unsupported on '.DB::connection()->getDriverName());
}
return Schema::getTableListing();

Type guard

function driverSupportsTableListing(): bool
{
    $g = Schema::getConnection()->getSchemaGrammar();

    return (new \ReflectionMethod($g, 'compileTables'))
        ->getDeclaringClass()->getName() !== \Illuminate\Database\Schema\Grammars\Grammar::class;
}

Try / catch

try {
    $tables = Schema::getTableListing();
} catch (\RuntimeException $e) {
    // custom/incomplete driver — surface to caller
    throw $e;
}

Prevention

When it happens

Trigger: Calling Schema::getTables(), Schema::getTableListing(), or hasTable() on a Connection whose schema grammar is the base Grammar or a subclass that did not override compileTables.

Common situations: A custom driver extending Grammar without implementing compileTables; an old/community driver behind the framework version in use.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of laravel/framework@bd6b5437e6 (2026-08-06). Data as JSON: /data/errors/a83d6a795fb69e55.json. Report an issue: GitHub.