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Backend tests

This guide covers how to create and run phpspec spec tests in the backend.

Specs are highly abstracted alter-egos of your Manager, Repository and Delegate files (see the backend modules walk-through for more about those files) that allow you to focus on the bare-bones concepts of what those files will eventually do when they reach their final form (so you can plan effectively before tackling practical technicalities and specifics).

Create a new test​

To create a new test:

bin/phpspec run Minds/Your/Namespace/ClassYouWantToSpec

This will create a folder in minds/engine/ with a skeleton ClassYouWantToSpecSpec.php file and automatically import the default classes.

Mock everything​

If you don't own the object, mock it.

There's a lot going on under the hood in the modules, and some of them have low level connectivity to the data stores.

Thankfully, phpspec Prophecy makes it really easy to mock - just be sure to import the class you want to mock inside your unit test.

Mock classes​

Phpspec's let() function gets run before each test. If you provide a typed parameter, it will be mocked to the matching namespace.

use PhpSpec\ObjectBehavior;
use Minds\Entities\Entity;

class ManagerSpec extends ObjectBehavior {
    protected $entity;

    let(Entity $entity) {
        //Store a reference to the mock for reuse.
        $this->entity = $entity
    }
}

Mock functions​

Phpspec will provide mocks via function parameters in your test:

use PhpSpec\ObjectBehavior;
use Minds\Entities\Entity;

class ManagerSpec extends ObjectBehavior {

    public function it_should_run_test(Entity $entity) {

    }
}

Set expectations​

These mockable objects can then configure to simulate what will happen with special functions available on the mock.

ShouldBeCalled() will set the expectation that mocked method should be called with a parameter:

$entity->setGuid(123)->shouldBeCalled();

willReturn() simulates the response of a mocked method:

$entity->setGuid(123)->willReturn($entity);

Access the underlying object​

Sometimes, php will choke on the reflection of these mocked objects (especially when constructing other objects).

To instantiate an object and still be mockable:

$mockedObject->getList()->willReturn([]);
$service = new ServiceThatNeedsDependencies($mockedObject->getWrappedObject());

Running tests​

To execute all tests:

docker run --rm -v `pwd`:/var/www/Minds minds/php:8.0 php -n -c Spec/php-test.ini bin/phpspec run

To run a specific spec file (or folder), add its name:

docker run --rm -v `pwd`:/var/www/Minds minds/php:8.0 php -n -c Spec/php-test.ini bin/phpspec run Spec/Core/VideoChats/Repository.php

To run a specific test inside of that spec file, add its starting line number:

docker run --rm -v `pwd`:/var/www/Minds minds/php:8.0 php -n -c Spec/php-test.ini bin/phpspec run Spec/Core/VideoChats/Repository.php:42

Verbose output​

Running this command will give you deep output of the tests:

docker run --rm -v `pwd`:/var/www/Minds minds/php:8.0 php -n -c Spec/php-test.ini bin/phpspec run -vvv