Chapter 6. Risky Tests

PHPUnit can be strict about tests that do not test anything. This check can be enabled by using the --report-useless-tests option on the commandline or by setting beStrictAboutTestsThatDoNotTestAnything="true" in PHPUnit's XML configuration file.

A test that does not perform an assertion will be marked as risky when this check is enabled. Expectations on mock objects or annotations such as @expectedException count as an assertion.

PHPUnit can be strict about unintentionally covered code. This check can be enabled by using the --strict-coverage option on the commandline or by setting checkForUnintentionallyCoveredCode="true" in PHPUnit's XML configuration file.

A test that is annotated with @covers and executes code that is not listed using a @covers or @uses annotation will be marked as risky when this check is enabled.

PHPUnit can be strict about output during tests. This check can be enabled by using the --disallow-test-output option on the commandline or by setting beStrictAboutOutputDuringTests="true" in PHPUnit's XML configuration file.

A test that emits output, for instance by invoking print in either the test code or the tested code, will be marked as risky when this check is enabled.

A time limit can be enforced for the execution of a test if the PHP_Invoker package is installed and the pcntl extension is available. The enforcing of this time limit can be enabled by using the --enforce-time-limit option on the commandline or by setting beStrictAboutTestSize="true" in PHPUnit's XML configuration file.

A test annotated with @large will fail if it takes longer than 60 seconds to execute. This timeout is configurable via the timeoutForLargeTests attribute in the XML configuration file.

A test annotated with @medium will fail if it takes longer than 10 seconds to execute. This timeout is configurable via the timeoutForMediumTests attribute in the XML configuration file.

A test that is not annotated with @medium or @large will be treated as if it were annotated with @small. A small test will fail if it takes longer than 1 second to execute. This timeout is configurable via the timeoutForSmallTests attribute in the XML configuration file.

PHPUnit can be strict about tests that manipulate global state. This check can be enabled by using the --strict-global-state option on the commandline or by setting beStrictAboutChangesToGlobalState="true" in PHPUnit's XML configuration file.