Doing automated testing in Laravel projects requires clear structure, strong maintenance and guaranteeing code quality. Reasonably organize the test directory structure and subdivide by modules such as tests/Feature/User/, etc., to facilitate positioning and CI operation; prioritize coverage of core business processes, such as registration → login → create order → payment, verify the complete path and boundary situation; use factory combination models to build complex test scenarios to avoid manually inserting data; tests should be fast and stable, and in-memory databases, pre-migration resets, reduce HTTP requests, and mock external dependencies to improve reliability.

Doing automated testing in a Laravel project is actually not as simple as writing a few test cases. The key is to have clear structure and strong maintainability, while also being able to truly guarantee the quality of the code. If you just make up coverage or have to undergo major tests every time you change the code, it will become a burden.

The following points are my experiences summarized in actual projects, suitable for small and medium-sized teams.

Reasonably organize the test directory structure

Laravel places tests under tests/Feature and tests/Unit by default, but if your project is larger, it is recommended to further segment according to the module or function.

for example:

• tests/Feature/User/
• tests/Feature/Order/
• tests/Feature/Payment/

The advantage of this is that when you modify a module, you can quickly locate the corresponding test files, and it is also convenient for CI to run tests according to modules.

In addition, consider drawing some general test logic into Trait or base classes, such as user login, data preparation, etc. to avoid duplicate code.

Priority coverage of core business processes

Many people like to start with the model when writing tests, and test whether the access value is correct one by one. Although this approach can improve coverage, it is of little practical value.

A more effective way is:

• Run the core process through, such as registration → login → create order → pay
• Simulate the operation path of real users and use Feature Test to verify whether the entire process is normal
• Pay attention to boundary situations, such as empty input, insufficient permissions, concurrent operations, etc.

For example: If you write an order interface, in addition to checking the return status code, you also need to confirm whether the order has been generated in the database, whether the inventory has been reduced, whether the notification has been triggered, etc.

These are the areas that have a substantial impact on the business.

Building a reliable test environment using factory and seed data

Laravel's Model Factory is a good thing, but many people only use it to generate single pieces of data. In fact, you can combine multiple models to simulate complex scenarios.

for example:

 $user = User::factory()
    ->has(Order::factory()->count(3))
    ->create();

This can quickly construct a scenario where "one user has three orders" in the test, which is clearer and more convenient than manually inserting data.

In addition, try to avoid using DB::table()->insert() directly in the test, because it is easy to miss the association logic and it is also very troublesome to maintain it in the later stage.

Testing should be fast and stable

Automated tests must be able to quickly feedback problems, so execution speed is important. Here are some tips for speeding up:

• Use an in-memory database (such as SQLite in-memory) instead of MySQL
• Avoid performing a full migration in every test case, you can premigrate once and then reset
• Reduce unnecessary HTTP requests and give priority to testing using methods that call controllers or service layers.

As for stability, be careful not to rely on external services (such as third-party APIs). If there is a situation where it must be called, mock it. Otherwise, the test results will be affected by factors such as network and current limiting, and become unreliable.

Basically that's it. The more tests, the better, the more accurate. If written reasonably, it will become the safest backing for you when refactoring and iterating.

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