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Laravel Tdd

Name: Laravel Tdd
Author: affaan-m

Laravel testing strategies with PHPUnit, Pest, model factories, HTTP tests, Sanctum authentication testing, mocking, and coverage. Use when writing Laravel tests with PHPUnit or Pest, or driving a Laravel feature test-first.

affaan-m on GitHub

Curated by PromptsEdge from a public repo · MIT license. All credit goes to the author.

What is this skill?

Test-driven development for Laravel applications using PHPUnit, Pest, Laravel factories, and testing helpers.

When to use

Writing new Laravel applications or features
Implementing API endpoints with Sanctum or Passport authentication
Testing Eloquent models, relationships, scopes, and accessors
Setting up testing infrastructure for Laravel projects
Writing feature tests for HTTP controllers and form requests
Mocking external services (queues, mail, notifications, HTTP)

TDD Workflow for Laravel

Red-Green-Refactor Cycle

php

// Step 1: RED — Write a failing test
public function test_a_product_can_be_created(): void
{
    $product = Product::factory()->create(['name' => 'Test Product']);
    $this->assertDatabaseHas('products', ['name' => 'Test Product']);
}

// Step 2: GREEN — Write the migration, model, and factory
// Step 3: REFACTOR — Improve while keeping tests green

Setup

PHPUnit Configuration

xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<phpunit xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="vendor/phpunit/phpunit/phpunit.xsd"
         bootstrap="vendor/autoload.php"
         colors="true">
    <testsuites>
        <testsuite name="Unit">
            <directory suffix="Test.php">tests/Unit</directory>
        </testsuite>
        <testsuite name="Feature">
            <directory suffix="Test.php">tests/Feature</directory>
        </testsuite>
    </testsuites>
    <php>
        <env name="APP_ENV" value="testing"/>
        <env name="BCRYPT_ROUNDS" value="4"/>
        <env name="CACHE_STORE" value="array"/>
        <env name="DB_CONNECTION" value="sqlite"/>
        <env name="DB_DATABASE" value=":memory:"/>
        <env name="MAIL_MAILER" value="array"/>
        <env name="QUEUE_CONNECTION" value="sync"/>
        <env name="SESSION_DRIVER" value="array"/>
    </php>
</phpunit>

Base TestCase Setup

php

namespace Tests;

use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\TestCase as BaseTestCase;

abstract class TestCase extends BaseTestCase
{
    protected function setUp(): void
    {
        parent::setUp();
        // Call $this->withoutExceptionHandling() only in tests that
        // test non-HTTP exceptions; it suppresses assertStatus() etc.
    }

    // Helper: Authenticate and return user
    protected function actingAsUser(): mixed
    {
        $user = \App\Models\User::factory()->create();
        $this->actingAs($user);
        return $user;
    }

    protected function actingAsAdmin(): mixed
    {
        $admin = \App\Models\User::factory()->admin()->create();
        $this->actingAs($admin);
        return $admin;
    }
}

Model Factories

php

// database/factories/UserFactory.php
class UserFactory extends Factory
{
    protected static ?string $password = null;

    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'name' => fake()->name(),
            'email' => fake()->unique()->safeEmail(),
            'email_verified_at' => now(),
            'password' => static::$password ??= Hash::make('password'),
            'remember_token' => Str::random(10),
            'role' => 'user',
        ];
    }

    public function admin(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => ['role' => 'admin']);
    }

    public function unverified(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => ['email_verified_at' => null]);
    }
}

// database/factories/ProductFactory.php
class ProductFactory extends Factory
{
    public function definition(): array
    {
        return [
            'name' => fake()->unique()->words(3, true),
            'slug' => fn (array $attrs) => Str::slug($attrs['name']),
            'description' => fake()->paragraph(),
            'price' => fake()->numberBetween(100, 100000),
            'stock' => fake()->numberBetween(0, 100),
            'is_active' => true,
            'user_id' => UserFactory::new(),
        ];
    }

    public function outOfStock(): static
    {
        return $this->state(fn (array $attributes) => ['stock' => 0]);
    }
}

Using Factories

php

$user = User::factory()->create();
$admin = User::factory()->admin()->create();
$product = Product::factory()->create(['user_id' => $user->id]);
$products = Product::factory()->count(10)->create();
$draft = Product::factory()->make(); // Not persisted

// With relationships
$user = User::factory()->has(Product::factory()->count(3))->create();

// Sequences
User::factory()->count(3)->sequence(
    ['role' => 'admin'], ['role' => 'editor'], ['role' => 'user'],
)->create();

Model Testing

php

namespace Tests\Unit\Models;

use App\Models\User;
use App\Models\Product;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
use Tests\TestCase;

class UserTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

    public function test_it_hides_sensitive_attributes(): void
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();
        $this->assertArrayNotHasKey('password', $user->toArray());
    }

    public function test_admin_scope_returns_only_admins(): void
    {
        User::factory()->admin()->create();
        User::factory()->count(3)->create();

        $this->assertCount(1, User::admin()->get());
    }
}

class ProductTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

    public function test_active_scope_filters_correctly(): void
    {
        Product::factory()->count(3)->create(['is_active' => true]);
        Product::factory()->count(2)->create(['is_active' => false]);

        $this->assertCount(3, Product::active()->get());
    }

    public function test_it_belongs_to_a_user(): void
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();
        $product = Product::factory()->create(['user_id' => $user->id]);

        $this->assertTrue($product->user->is($user));
    }
}

Feature / HTTP Testing

php

namespace Tests\Feature\Http\Controllers;

use App\Models\Product;
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
use Tests\TestCase;

class ProductControllerTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

    public function test_guests_are_redirected_to_login(): void
    {
        $this->get(route('products.create'))->assertRedirect(route('login'));
    }

    public function test_it_stores_a_new_product(): void
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();
        $this->actingAs($user);

        $response = $this->post(route('products.store'), [
            'name' => 'New Product',
            'description' => 'Description',
            'price' => 2999,
            'stock' => 10,
        ]);

        $response->assertRedirect(route('products.index'));
        $this->assertDatabaseHas('products', [
            'name' => 'New Product',
            'user_id' => $user->id,
        ]);
    }

    public function test_it_validates_required_fields(): void
    {
        $this->actingAs(User::factory()->create());
        $this->post(route('products.store'), [])
            ->assertSessionHasErrors(['name', 'price']);
    }

    public function test_users_cannot_modify_others_products(): void
    {
        $owner = User::factory()->create();
        $attacker = User::factory()->create();
        $product = Product::factory()->create(['user_id' => $owner->id]);

        $this->actingAs($attacker)
            ->delete(route('products.destroy', $product))
            ->assertForbidden();
    }
}

JSON API Testing

php

namespace Tests\Feature\Http\Controllers\Api;

use App\Models\Product;
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
use Tests\TestCase;

class ProductApiTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

    public function test_unauthenticated_requests_are_rejected(): void
    {
        $this->getJson('/api/products')->assertUnauthorized();
    }

    public function test_it_lists_paginated_products(): void
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();
        Product::factory()->count(5)->create(['user_id' => $user->id]);

        $response = $this->actingAs($user)->getJson('/api/products');

        $response->assertOk();
        $response->assertJsonCount(5, 'data');
        $response->assertJsonStructure([
            'data' => [['id', 'name', 'price']],
            'meta' => ['current_page', 'last_page', 'total'],
        ]);
    }

    public function test_it_creates_a_product(): void
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();

        $response = $this->actingAs($user)->postJson('/api/products', [
            'name' => 'API Product',
            'price' => 4999,
        ]);

        $response->assertCreated();
        $response->assertJsonPath('data.name', 'API Product');
    }

    public function test_users_cannot_delete_others_products(): void
    {
        $owner = User::factory()->create();
        $attacker = User::factory()->create();
        $product = Product::factory()->create(['user_id' => $owner->id]);

        $this->actingAs($attacker)
            ->deleteJson("/api/products/{$product->id}")
            ->assertForbidden();
    }
}

Sanctum API Auth Testing

php

namespace Tests\Feature\Http\Controllers\Api;

use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Hash;
use Tests\TestCase;

class AuthControllerTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

    public function test_users_can_register(): void
    {
        $response = $this->postJson('/api/register', [
            'name' => 'Test User',
            'email' => '[email protected]',
            'password' => 'Password123!',
            'password_confirmation' => 'Password123!',
        ]);

        $response->assertCreated();
        $response->assertJsonStructure(['data' => ['user', 'token']]);
    }

    public function test_users_can_login(): void
    {
        User::factory()->create([
            'email' => '[email protected]',
            'password' => Hash::make('Password123!'),
        ]);

        $response = $this->postJson('/api/login', [
            'email' => '[email protected]',
            'password' => 'Password123!',
        ]);

        $response->assertOk();
        $response->assertJsonStructure(['data' => ['token']]);
    }

    public function test_users_cannot_login_with_wrong_password(): void
    {
        User::factory()->create(['email' => '[email protected]']);

        $this->postJson('/api/login', [
            'email' => '[email protected]',
            'password' => 'wrong',
        ])->assertUnprocessable();
    }

    public function test_token_bearer_authenticates_requests(): void
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();
        $token = $user->createToken('test')->plainTextToken;

        $this->withToken($token)
            ->getJson('/api/user')
            ->assertOk()
            ->assertJsonPath('data.email', $user->email);
    }
}

Mocking and Fakes

HTTP Fake

php

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Http;

public function test_it_handles_successful_payment(): void
{
    Http::fake([
        'api.stripe.com/*' => Http::response(['id' => 'pi_123', 'status' => 'succeeded'], 200),
    ]);

    $result = (new PaymentService())->charge(2999);
    $this->assertTrue($result->success);
}

public function test_it_handles_gateway_failure(): void
{
    Http::fake([
        'api.stripe.com/*' => Http::response(['error' => 'card_declined'], 402),
    ]);

    $this->expectException(PaymentFailedException::class);
    (new PaymentService())->charge(2999);
}

public function test_it_retries_on_timeout(): void
{
    Http::fake([
        'api.stripe.com/*' => Http::sequence()
            ->pushStatus(408)
            ->pushStatus(200),
    ]);

    $this->assertTrue((new PaymentService())->charge(2999)->success);
}

Mail Fake

php

Mail::fake();

$order->sendConfirmation();

Mail::assertSent(OrderConfirmation::class, function ($mail) use ($order) {
    return $mail->hasTo($order->user->email);
});

Notification Fake

php

Notification::fake();

$user->notify(new WelcomeUser());

Notification::assertSentTo($user, WelcomeUser::class);

Queue Fake

php

Queue::fake();

ProcessImage::dispatch($product);

Queue::assertPushed(ProcessImage::class, function ($job) use ($product) {
    return $job->product->id === $product->id;
});

Storage Fake

php

Storage::fake('public');

$file = UploadedFile::fake()->image('photo.jpg', 200, 200);

$response = $this->actingAs($user)->post('/avatar', [
    'avatar' => $file,
]);

$response->assertSessionHasNoErrors();
Storage::disk('public')->assertExists('avatars/' . $file->hashName());

Event Fake

php

Event::fake();

$order->markAsShipped();

Event::assertDispatched(OrderShipped::class, function ($event) use ($order) {
    return $event->order->id === $order->id;
});

Artisan Command Tests

php

public function test_it_sends_newsletters(): void
{
    Mail::fake();
    User::factory()->count(5)->create(['subscribed' => true]);

    $this->artisan('newsletter:send')
        ->expectsOutput('Sending newsletter to 5 subscribers...')
        ->assertExitCode(0);

    Mail::assertSent(NewsletterMail::class, 5);
}

public function test_it_handles_no_subscribers(): void
{
    $this->artisan('newsletter:send')
        ->expectsOutput('No subscribers found.')
        ->assertExitCode(0);
}

Authorization Tests

php

public function test_users_can_update_own_posts(): void
{
    $user = User::factory()->create();
    $post = Post::factory()->create(['user_id' => $user->id]);

    $this->actingAs($user)
        ->put(route('posts.update', $post), ['title' => 'Updated'])
        ->assertRedirect();
}

public function test_users_cannot_update_others_posts(): void
{
    $post = Post::factory()->create();
    $this->actingAs(User::factory()->create())
        ->put(route('posts.update', $post), ['title' => 'Hacked'])
        ->assertForbidden();
}

public function test_gate_before_grants_super_admin_full_access(): void
{
    $super = User::factory()->create(['role' => 'super-admin']);
    $post = Post::factory()->create();

    $this->actingAs($super)
        ->delete(route('posts.destroy', $post))
        ->assertRedirect();

    $this->assertSoftDeleted($post);
}

Pest Feature Tests

php

<?php

use App\Models\Product;
use App\Models\User;

uses(\Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase::class);

beforeEach(function () {
    $this->user = User::factory()->create();
    $this->actingAs($this->user);
});

it('lists products', function () {
    Product::factory()->count(3)->create(['user_id' => $this->user->id]);

    $this->get(route('products.index'))
        ->assertOk()
        ->assertViewHas('products');
});

it('creates a product with valid data', function () {
    $this->post(route('products.store'), [
        'name' => 'Test Product', 'price' => 1999,
    ])->assertRedirect();

    $this->assertDatabaseHas('products', ['name' => 'Test Product']);
});

it('fails validation without required fields', function () {
    $this->post(route('products.store'), [])
        ->assertSessionHasErrors(['name', 'price']);
});

it('authorizes updates', function () {
    $other = User::factory()->create();
    $product = Product::factory()->create(['user_id' => $other->id]);

    $this->put(route('products.update', $product), ['name' => 'Hacked'])
        ->assertForbidden();
});

Coverage

bash

# PHPUnit (use clover output for CI threshold checks)
vendor/bin/phpunit --coverage-html coverage --coverage-clover clover.xml

# Pest (built-in threshold support)
vendor/bin/pest --coverage --min=80

Coverage Goals

Component	Target
Models	95%+
Actions/Services	90%+
Form Requests	90%+
Controllers	85%+
Policies	95%+
Overall	80%+

Testing Best Practices

DO

Use factories over manual create() calls
One logical assertion per test
Descriptive names: test_guests_cannot_create_products
Test edge cases and authorization boundaries
Mock external services with Http::fake(), Mail::fake()
Use RefreshDatabase for clean state

DON'T

Don't test Laravel internals (trust the framework)
Don't make tests dependent on each other
Don't over-mock — mock only service boundaries
Don't test private methods — test through the public interface
Don't couple tests to HTML structure

Quick Reference

Pattern	Usage
`RefreshDatabase`	Reset database between tests
`$this->actingAs($user)`	Authenticate as user
`$this->withToken($token)`	Bearer token auth for APIs
`Model::factory()->create()`	Create model with factory
`Model::factory()->count(5)->create()`	Create multiple records
`Http::fake([...])`	Mock HTTP calls
`Mail::fake()`	Trap sent mail
`Notification::fake()`	Trap sent notifications
`Queue::fake()`	Trap queued jobs
`Event::fake()`	Trap dispatched events
`Storage::fake('public')`	Trap file operations
`assertDatabaseHas`	Assert DB row exists
`assertSoftDeleted`	Assert soft-delete
`assertSessionHasErrors`	Assert validation errors
`assertForbidden`	Assert 403 status

laravel-patterns — Laravel architecture, Eloquent, routing, and API patterns
laravel-security — Laravel authentication, authorization, and secure coding
tdd-workflow — The repo-wide RED -> GREEN -> REFACTOR loop
backend-patterns — General backend API and database patterns

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SKILL.md frontmatter

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---
name: laravel-tdd
description: Laravel testing strategies with PHPUnit, Pest, model factories, HTTP tests, Sanctum authentication testing, mocking, and coverage. Use when writing Laravel tests with PHPUnit or Pest, or driving a Laravel feature test-first.
---

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