Testing

Testing

Tests should prove behavior, not mirror implementation. Prefer the smallest test type that catches the risk.

Test Selection

Use feature tests for:

• routes and controllers;
• authorization and middleware;
• validation;
• redirects;
• sessions;
• database writes;
• user-facing workflows.

Use unit tests for:

• pure helpers;
• value objects;
• complex Actions/Services without HTTP behavior;
• parsing and normalization rules.

Use browser E2E tests for:

• JavaScript-dependent behavior;
• Livewire/SPA interactions;
• modals, uploads, previews, drag/drop, and browser state;
• critical accessibility-sensitive flows.

Framework Fakes

Use Laravel fakes for external or filesystem side effects.

Http::fake([
    'api.example.test/*' => Http::response(['ok' => true]),
]);

$this->post(route('records.send', $record))
    ->assertRedirect()
    ->assertSessionHasNoErrors();

Http::assertSent(fn ($request) => $request->method() === 'POST');

Common fakes:

• Http::fake();
• Storage::fake();
• Mail::fake();
• Notification::fake();
• Queue::fake() or Bus::fake();
• Event::fake().

Workflow Tests

For important user-facing workflows, cover the full route behavior.

$this->actingAs($user)
    ->post(route('records.store'), [
        'name' => 'Example',
    ])
    ->assertRedirect(route('records.index'))
    ->assertSessionHasNoErrors();

$this->assertDatabaseHas('records', [
    'name' => 'Example',
]);

When rebuilding or porting an app, add feature parity tests for critical happy paths. Parity tests are a regression net, not a replacement for focused tests.

Render And Document Tests

For pure Blade/report rendering, unsaved Eloquent graphs may be built with forceFill() and setRelation().

Use this only when persistence, middleware, authorization, route model binding, database constraints, queries, and events are not part of the behavior.

$owner = (new User)->forceFill(['name' => 'Example User']);
$record = (new Record)->forceFill(['number' => 'DOC-001']);
$record->setRelation('owner', $owner);

$html = view('reports.record', ['record' => $record])->render();

$this->assertStringContainsString('DOC-001', $html);

For generated documents, assert both stable source content and artifact validity.

$html = view('reports.record', $viewData)->render();
$output = Pdf::loadView('reports.record', $viewData)->output();

$this->assertStringContainsString('Document Number', $html);
$this->assertStringStartsWith('%PDF-', $output);

Avoid broad snapshots unless the project intentionally uses snapshot or visual-regression testing.

Browser E2E

For Playwright or similar tools:

• prefer role and label locators;
• use web-first assertions;
• avoid fixed sleeps;
• use deterministic auth setup when appropriate;
• keep E2E focused on high-value browser behavior.

Handoff Verification

Before work is complete, run the relevant checks:

• targeted PHP tests;
• affected browser tests;
• Pint/style check;
• static analysis;
• frontend build/lint;
• route checks;
• queue/job smoke tests.

If a check cannot run, report the command and reason.