# Laravel Tdd

> Test-driven development for Laravel with PHPUnit and Pest, factories, database testing, fakes, and coverage targets. USE WHEN building new Laravel features or endpoints, fixing bugs or refactoring, or testing Eloquent models, policies, jobs, and notifications via red-green-refactor.

- Skill: `sheshiyer/laravel-tdd` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add sheshiyer/laravel-tdd`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/sheshiyer/laravel-tdd/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: Sheshiyer (https://skillmd.com/u/sheshiyer)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/sheshiyer/laravel-tdd

---


# Laravel TDD Workflow

Test-driven development for Laravel applications using PHPUnit and Pest with 80%+ coverage (unit + feature).

## When to Use

- New features or endpoints in Laravel
- Bug fixes or refactors
- Testing Eloquent models, policies, jobs, and notifications
- Prefer Pest for new tests unless the project already standardizes on PHPUnit

## How It Works

### Red-Green-Refactor Cycle

1) Write a failing test
2) Implement the minimal change to pass
3) Refactor while keeping tests green

### Test Layers

- **Unit**: pure PHP classes, value objects, services
- **Feature**: HTTP endpoints, auth, validation, policies
- **Integration**: database + queue + external boundaries

Choose layers based on scope:

- Use **Unit** tests for pure business logic and services.
- Use **Feature** tests for HTTP, auth, validation, and response shape.
- Use **Integration** tests when validating DB/queues/external services together.

### Database Strategy

- `RefreshDatabase` for most feature/integration tests (runs migrations once per test run, then wraps each test in a transaction when supported; in-memory databases may re-migrate per test)
- `DatabaseTransactions` when the schema is already migrated and you only need per-test rollback
- `DatabaseMigrations` when you need a full migrate/fresh for every test and can afford the cost

Use `RefreshDatabase` as the default for tests that touch the database: for databases with transaction support, it runs migrations once per test run (via a static flag) and wraps each test in a transaction; for `:memory:` SQLite or connections without transactions, it migrates before each test. Use `DatabaseTransactions` when the schema is already migrated and you only need per-test rollbacks.

### Testing Framework Choice

- Default to **Pest** for new tests when available.
- Use **PHPUnit** only if the project already standardizes on it or requires PHPUnit-specific tooling.

## Examples

### PHPUnit Example

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

final class ProjectControllerTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

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

        $response = $this->actingAs($user)->postJson('/api/projects', [
            'name' => 'New Project',
        ]);

        $response->assertCreated();
        $this->assertDatabaseHas('projects', ['name' => 'New Project']);
    }
}
```

### Feature Test Example (HTTP Layer)

```php
use App\Models\Project;
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
use Tests\TestCase;

final class ProjectIndexTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

    public function test_projects_index_returns_paginated_results(): void
    {
        $user = User::factory()->create();
        Project::factory()->count(3)->for($user)->create();

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

        $response->assertOk();
        $response->assertJsonStructure(['success', 'data', 'error', 'meta']);
    }
}
```

### Pest Example

```php
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;

use function Pest\Laravel\actingAs;
use function Pest\Laravel\assertDatabaseHas;

uses(RefreshDatabase::class);

test('owner can create project', function () {
    $user = User::factory()->create();

    $response = actingAs($user)->postJson('/api/projects', [
        'name' => 'New Project',
    ]);

    $response->assertCreated();
    assertDatabaseHas('projects', ['name' => 'New Project']);
});
```

### Feature Test Pest Example (HTTP Layer)

```php
use App\Models\Project;
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;

use function Pest\Laravel\actingAs;

uses(RefreshDatabase::class);

test('projects index returns paginated results', function () {
    $user = User::factory()->create();
    Project::factory()->count(3)->for($user)->create();

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

    $response->assertOk();
    $response->assertJsonStructure(['success', 'data', 'error', 'meta']);
});
```

### Factories and States

- Use factories for test data
- Define states for edge cases (archived, admin, trial)

```php
$user = User::factory()->state(['role' => 'admin'])->create();
```

### Database Testing

- Use `RefreshDatabase` for clean state
- Keep tests isolated and deterministic
- Prefer `assertDatabaseHas` over manual queries

### Persistence Test Example

```php
use App\Models\Project;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
use Tests\TestCase;

final class ProjectRepositoryTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

    public function test_project_can_be_retrieved_by_slug(): void
    {
        $project = Project::factory()->create(['slug' => 'alpha']);

        $found = Project::query()->where('slug', 'alpha')->firstOrFail();

        $this->assertSame($project->id, $found->id);
    }
}
```

### Fakes for Side Effects

- `Bus::fake()` for jobs
- `Queue::fake()` for queued work
- `Mail::fake()` and `Notification::fake()` for notifications
- `Event::fake()` for domain events

```php
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Queue;

Queue::fake();

dispatch(new SendOrderConfirmation($order->id));

Queue::assertPushed(SendOrderConfirmation::class);
```

```php
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Notification;

Notification::fake();

$user->notify(new InvoiceReady($invoice));

Notification::assertSentTo($user, InvoiceReady::class);
```

### Auth Testing (Sanctum)

```php
use Laravel\Sanctum\Sanctum;

Sanctum::actingAs($user);

$response = $this->getJson('/api/projects');
$response->assertOk();
```

### HTTP and External Services

- Use `Http::fake()` to isolate external APIs
- Assert outbound payloads with `Http::assertSent()`

### Coverage Targets

- Enforce 80%+ coverage for unit + feature tests
- Use `pcov` or `XDEBUG_MODE=coverage` in CI

### Test Commands

- `php artisan test`
- `vendor/bin/phpunit`
- `vendor/bin/pest`

### Test Configuration

- Use `phpunit.xml` to set `DB_CONNECTION=sqlite` and `DB_DATABASE=:memory:` for fast tests
- Keep separate env for tests to avoid touching dev/prod data

### Authorization Tests

```php
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Gate;

$this->assertTrue(Gate::forUser($user)->allows('update', $project));
$this->assertFalse(Gate::forUser($otherUser)->allows('update', $project));
```

### Inertia Feature Tests

When using Inertia.js, assert on the component name and props with the Inertia testing helpers.

```php
use App\Models\User;
use Inertia\Testing\AssertableInertia;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
use Tests\TestCase;

final class DashboardInertiaTest extends TestCase
{
    use RefreshDatabase;

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

        $response = $this->actingAs($user)->get('/dashboard');

        $response->assertOk();
        $response->assertInertia(fn (AssertableInertia $page) => $page
            ->component('Dashboard')
            ->where('user.id', $user->id)
            ->has('projects')
        );
    }
}
```

Prefer `assertInertia` over raw JSON assertions to keep tests aligned with Inertia responses.