Teach on Udemy

Turn what you know into an opportunity and reach millions around the world.

Learn More

Your cart is empty.

Keep shopping

PHP Unit Testing with PHPUnit

Name: PHP Unit Testing with PHPUnit
Rating: 4.7 (2784 reviews)

Unit test your PHP code using the PHPUnit testing framework: find bugs quickly and early, and improve your code quality

Highest Rated

Created byDave Hollingworth

Last updated 4/2026

English

What you'll learn

Write automated tests for your PHP functions and classes
Write better code with less bugs, in less time
Develop code using test-driven development (TDD)
Know that the code you write works how you want it to
Learn the industry-standard PHPUnit testing framework
Get support directly from the instructor

Coding Exercises

This course includes our updated coding exercises so you can practice your skills as you learn.

Course content

13 sections • 62 lectures • 2h 49m total length

Introduction and Welcome0:50
Introduction to the course, and how to get the most out of it.
A Word About Versions0:55
Information about the version of PHPUnit used on the course.

Install PHP1:20
Make sure you can run PHP on the command line.
Install a Code Editor1:15
Make sure you have a code editor installed.
Install PHPUnit as a PHP Archive File2:22
Install PHPUnit as a PHAR PHP executable file, and configure aliases to run it easily from the command line.
Install PHPUnit Using Composer1:52
Install PHPUnit using Composer, and configure aliases to run it easily from the command line.

Write Your First Test3:25
Write your first test using PHPUnit.
Testing Application Code: Test a Function Defined in a Separate File2:48
Write a test for a function that's in a separate file.
Test Each Aspect of the Code: Write Multiple Test Methods4:00
How to write multiple test methods to test the same code.
Testing Application Code: Test a Class Defined in a Separate File2:07
Test methods in a class defined in a separate file.
Unit Testing with PHPUnit: The Basics
Write Your First PHPUnit Test Method

Controlling the Test Runner Output: Colours, Testdox and More2:50
Using various flags on the command line to control PHPUnit's output.
Running a Script Before the Tests are Executed: the Bootstrap Script1:30
How to run code automatically before the tests are executed.
Add an Autoloader to Load Classes Automatically2:22
Load class files automatically with a PSR-4 autoloader.
Using Composer's Autoloader to Load Classes and Functions2:43
Configure Composer to autoload class files and function scripts.
The PHPUnit Configuration File: phpunit.xml4:14
How to configure PHPUnit using a configuration file.

Running Multiple Tests: Organising Tests Into Test Suites2:28
Organise test classes into test suites so they can be run separately.
Running Individual Tests with Filters1:46
Specify the filter flag to only run specific tests.
Two Ways of Marking Methods as Test Methods2:38
How to mark methods for execution as test methods.
Add a Test but Mark It to Be Implemented Later2:23
How to mark tests as incomplete, so you can add placeholder tests to implement later.
Fixing a Bug Through Testing: The Difference Between Errors and Failures2:49
Fixing errors and assertion failures when testing.
Simplifying Tests with Test Method Arguments and Data Providers4:21
Using data providers to reduce repetition.

Unit Test a Queue Class: Multiple Assertions in a Single Test Method4:00
Learn when multiple assertions in a single method are used.
Test Dependencies: Make a Test Method Dependent on Another2:35
Configure test methods to be dependent on others, and use the data from one in another.
Fixtures: Set Up the Known State of the Tests Using setUp and tearDown3:53
Set up each test method with the same state to remove repetition.
Easily Add a New Test Method When Fixtures are Being Used1:57
How adding new test methods is simpler when the initial state is known.
Testing Exceptions: Expecting Code to Throw an Exception2:01
How to test for expected exceptions being thrown.
Test Dependencies, Fixtures and Exceptions
Test Fixtures

Unit Testing Classes in Isolation: An Introduction to Test Doubles4:00
Learn why testing classes in isolation is necessary.
Dependency Injection: Inject Objects That a Class Depends On1:54
Use dependency injection to supply objects that a class uses so they can easily be replaced.
Test Doubles: Create and Configure Test Stubs2:42
Create test stubs to replace objects a class depends on.
Expecting and Handling Exceptions in Test Stubs4:24
Configure a test stub when expecting exceptions.
Use Mocking to Assert Test Double Behaviour4:43
Using mocks instead of stubs to check for how the test double is used.
Customise the Test Double Generation with the getMockBuilder Method5:02
Create a custom mock object instead of accepting the defaults.

Set Up a Project for Test-Driven Development2:12
Configure an empty project to start TDD.
Start TDD: Write a Test First, Then Write the Code to Make it Pass5:00
The fundamental process of TDD.
Include Refactoring in The TDD Process3:58
Refactor the code while obtaining the same test results.
Add Another Test Class To Satisfy a Design Requirement2:52
Add a classes that emerges from the TDD process.
Rewrite Code To Make Additional Tests Pass2:58
Add tests that require existing code to be modified.
Add Further Tests to Drive the Development of Additonal Functionality5:06
Add tests that require additional functionality to emerge from the TDD process.

Install a Code Coverage Driver1:56
Install a driver that PHPUnit uses to generate a code coverage report.
Configure Your Development Environment So PHPUnit Can Use Xdebug1:27
Configuration required for PHPUnit to use Xdebug.
Configure PHPUnit With the Location of the Project Source Code1:33
Tell PHPUnit where the source code is located on disk.
Generate Code Coverage Reports in Different Formats3:05
Learn the options needed to generate code coverage reports when running tests.
Add Tests to Increase Coverage Based on the Report2:37
Regenerate a code coverage report to show increased code coverage.

Non-Public Methods: Should They Be Tested?4:40
Work with an example of a class with non-public methods, and discuss what should be tested and what shouldn't.
Testing Non-Public Methods Using Inheritance1:53
Using inheritance to change a method's visibility so it can be tested.
Testing Non-Public Methods Using Reflection1:57
Using reflection to execute a non-public method so it can be tested.
Testing Protected Properties Using Reflection1:42
Using reflection to access protected properties so they can be tested.
Addendum: Avoiding a Notice When Creating Mock Objects Without Expectations0:26
How to avoid a notice when creating mock objects without expectations (introduced in PHPUnit 12.5.0)
Testing Abstract Classes3:56
Use various techniques to test concrete members of an abstract class.

Requirements

You must know PHP, including object-oriented code
Be happy running commands in the terminal / command line on your computer
Ideally have PHP and Composer installed, but a brief overview of installing these will be covered

Description

If you are a PHP developer and you want to learn how to write better code, with fewer bugs, you will need to know how to write unit tests.

Learn how to unit test your PHP code using the PHPUnit testing framework.

Learn what unit tests are
Learn how to write unit tests using PHPUnit
Build a test suite for PHP functions and classes
Make test methods dependent on each other
Use test doubles: mocks and stubs, including how to use Mockery
Learn how and why you should use dependency injection
Learn test-driven development (TDD)
Learn how to test protected and private methods and properties (and whether you actually should or not!)
Learn how to test abstract classes

A skill that will enable you to write higher quality code, in a shorter time, with better documentation and fewer bugs.

Learning how to write unit tests for your code will make you write better code. With automated tests, you can find bugs more easily, and if you break something you'll notice straight away.

Many experienced developers write unit tests for their code. It's a repeatable way of checking that the code works as intended, and also serves as documentation. Many popular PHP projects are unit tested, such as WordPress and Moodle, and if you use frameworks such as Laravel or Symfony, these provide tight integration with the PHPUnit testing framework.

Content and Overview

How do you currently test your code? Maybe you run your code in a browser, use var_dump a lot and so on. The problem with this is that you only tend to test new code - you don't go back and test old code. What if you add some new code that breaks the old code?

With automated unit tests, you have more control. If your new code breaks something, you'll notice straight away. You can fix bugs more easily, thereby reducing development time.

Tests are also a form of documentation, just like comments: they serve to show why the code has been written that way.

Suitable for all PHP developers, you'll start by learning the basics of unit testing PHP code, including how to use assertions.
Then you'll learn how to test functions and classes, and how to configure the PHPUnit framework.
Next you'll learn how to use test dependencies, fixtures and how to test for exceptions.
You'll also see how test doubles work - mock objects and stub methods.
Then you'll learn how to write code using test-driven development - writing the tests first, then the code.
You'll also learn how to test protected and private class methods and properties, and whether this is actually a good idea or not.
Testing static methods is covered in detail, including several methods for dealing with static dependencies.

When you complete the course you'll be able to write unit tests for your existing PHP code, and develop new code using test-driven development.

Complete with all the code shown in the lectures, you'll be able to work alongside the instructor and will receive a verifiable certificate of completion upon finishing the course.

Also, at all times throughout the course you have access to the instructor in the Q&A section to ask for help with any topic related to the course.

Enrol now and add unit testing to your PHP skillset!

Who this course is for:

PHP developers who want to improve the quality of their code by writing automated tests for their functions and classes
PHP developers who want to learn the PHPUnit testing framework
This course is about unit testing - this course is probably not for you if you're looking to learn how to test the user interface

PHP Unit Testing with PHPUnit

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Coding Exercises

Course content

Introduction2 lectures • 2min

Installation and Setup4 lectures • 7min

Testing Basics: Getting Started with PHPUnit4 lectures • 12min

Configuring the Command-Line Test Runner5 lectures • 14min

Organising Tests and Managing Different Output Types6 lectures • 16min

Test Dependencies, Fixtures and Exceptions5 lectures • 14min

Test Doubles: Stubbing and Mocking6 lectures • 23min

Test-Driven Development (TDD)6 lectures • 22min

Code Coverage5 lectures • 11min

Testing Non-Public Members and Abstract Classes6 lectures • 15min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: