# Pest Testing

> Use this skill for Pest PHP testing in Laravel projects only. Trigger whenever any test is being written, edited, fixed, or refactored — including fixing tests that broke after a code change, adding assertions, converting PHPUnit to Pest, adding datasets, and TDD workflows. Always activate when the user asks how to write something in Pest, mentions test files or directories (tests/Feature, tests/Unit) or architecture tests. Covers: test()/it()/expect() syntax, datasets, mocking, browser testing, arch(), Livewire component tests, RefreshDatabase, and all Pest 3 features. Do not use for editing factories, seeders, migrations, controllers, models, or non-test PHP code.

- Skill: `ploi/pest-testing` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add ploi/pest-testing`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ploi/pest-testing/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Web & Frontend
- License: MIT
- Author: ploi (https://skillmd.com/u/ploi)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ploi/pest-testing

---


# Pest Testing 3

## Documentation

Use `search-docs` for detailed Pest 3 patterns and documentation.

## Basic Usage

### Creating Tests

All tests must be written using Pest. Use `php artisan make:test --pest {name}`.

The `{name}` argument should include only the path and test name, but should not include the test suite.
- Incorrect: `php artisan make:test --pest Feature/SomeFeatureTest` will generate `tests/Feature/Feature/SomeFeatureTest.php`
- Correct: `php artisan make:test --pest SomeControllerTest` will generate `tests/Feature/SomeControllerTest.php`
- Incorrect: `php artisan make:test --pest --unit Unit/SomeServiceTest` will generate `tests/Unit/Unit/SomeServiceTest.php`
- Correct: `php artisan make:test --pest --unit SomeServiceTest` will generate `tests/Unit/SomeServiceTest.php`

### Test Organization

- Tests live in the `tests/Feature` and `tests/Unit` directories.
- Do NOT remove tests without approval - these are core application code.
- Test happy paths, failure paths, and edge cases.

### Basic Test Structure

Pest supports both `test()` and `it()` functions. Before writing new tests, check existing test files in the same directory to match the project's convention. Use `test()` if existing tests use `test()`, or `it()` if they use `it()`.

<!-- Basic Pest Test Example -->
```php
it('is true', function () {
    expect(true)->toBeTrue();
});
```

### Running Tests

- Run minimal tests with filter before finalizing: `php artisan test --compact --filter=testName`.
- Run all tests: `php artisan test --compact`.
- Run file: `php artisan test --compact tests/Feature/ExampleTest.php`.

## Assertions

Use specific assertions (`assertSuccessful()`, `assertNotFound()`) instead of `assertStatus()`:

<!-- Pest Response Assertion -->
```php
it('returns all', function () {
    $this->postJson('/api/docs', [])->assertSuccessful();
});
```

| Use | Instead of |
|-----|------------|
| `assertSuccessful()` | `assertStatus(200)` |
| `assertNotFound()` | `assertStatus(404)` |
| `assertForbidden()` | `assertStatus(403)` |

## Mocking

Import mock function before use: `use function Pest\Laravel\mock;`

## Datasets

Use datasets for repetitive tests (validation rules, etc.):

<!-- Pest Dataset Example -->
```php
it('has emails', function (string $email) {
    expect($email)->not->toBeEmpty();
})->with([
    'james' => 'james@laravel.com',
    'taylor' => 'taylor@laravel.com',
]);
```

## Pest 3 Features

### Architecture Testing

Pest 3 includes architecture testing to enforce code conventions:

<!-- Architecture Test Example -->
```php
arch('controllers')
    ->expect('App\Http\Controllers')
    ->toExtendNothing()
    ->toHaveSuffix('Controller');

arch('models')
    ->expect('App\Models')
    ->toExtend('Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model');

arch('no debugging')
    ->expect(['dd', 'dump', 'ray'])
    ->not->toBeUsed();
```

### Type Coverage

Pest 3 provides improved type coverage analysis. Run with `--type-coverage` flag.

## Common Pitfalls

- Not importing `use function Pest\Laravel\mock;` before using mock
- Using `assertStatus(200)` instead of `assertSuccessful()`
- Forgetting datasets for repetitive validation tests
- Deleting tests without approval
- Prefixing `Feature/` or `Unit/` in `{name}` when using `make:test`