CakeDC Blog

TIPS, INSIGHTS AND THE LATEST FROM THE EXPERTS BEHIND CAKEPHP

Unit Testing with CakeDC DB Test

Written by Rafael on April 27, 2020
11427 VIEWS

The only way to go fast, is to go well, my Uncle Bob always said. Research has shown that development with TDD evolves 10% faster than work without TDD. [See here]

CakePHP comes with comprehensive testing support built-in with integration for PHPUnit. It also offers some additional features to make testing easier.

This article will cover how to write Unit Tests with CakePHP and using the CakeDC DbTest plugin.


First, let's bake a new project:

composer create-project --prefer-dist cakephp/app:4.*

Now, we need to think  about a model so we can create it and test it. I guess everybody has written a Products model before, our model would looks like this:

  • Name (string)

  • Slug (string, unique)

  • Description (text)

  • Price (decimal)

If you are not familiar with Slug, Slug is the part of a URL that identifies a page in a human-readable way, usually for pages with friendly urls. It will be the target of our tests.

bin/cake bake migration CreateProducts name:string slug:string:unique price:decimal[5,2] description:text created modified

Pay attention, for slug, It was created with a unique index. Meanwhile our goal will be to have urls like: /slug-of-product and this way, the slug needs to be unique.


Let's run the migrations for database:

bin/cake migrations migrate

At this point, our database is ready with the `products` table and we can start coding and writing the tests.

* Note: some points were abstracted, such as installation, project configuration, and shell commands, because that's not the goal of the article. You can find all information on these in the cookbook.


Let's bake the models, controller, and templates for Product:

bin/cake bake all Products


Now that we have all the Classes we can start writing the unit tests. Let's start with ProductsController, writing one test for add Product:

tests/TestCase/Controller/ProductsControllerTest.php

public function testAdd(): void

    {

        $this->enableCsrfToken();

        $this->enableRetainFlashMessages();

        $this->post('products/add', [

            'name' => 'iPhone 11',

            'slug' => 'iphone-11',

            'price' => 699,

            'description' => 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, aliquet feugiat.',

        ]);

        $this->assertResponseSuccess();

        $this->assertFlashMessage(__('The product has been saved.'));

        $this->assertRedirect('products');

    }

Let's write another test that tries to add a duplicated product. First, we need to update the fixture, then write the test:

tests/Fixture/ProductsFixture.php

    public function init(): void

    {

        $this->records = [

            [

                'id' => 1,

                'name' => 'iPhone SE',

                'slug' => 'iphone-se',

                'price' => 399,

                'description' => 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, aliquet feugiat.',

                'created' => '2020-04-23 13:12:58',

                'modified' => '2020-04-23 13:12:58',

            ],

        ];

        parent::init();

    }

tests/TestCase/Controller/ProductsControllerTest.php

public function testAddDuplicated(): void

    {

        $this->enableCsrfToken();

        $this->enableRetainFlashMessages();

        $this->post('products/add', [

            'name' => 'iPhone SE',

            'slug' => 'iphone-se',

            'price' => 399,

            'description' => 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, aliquet feugiat.',

        ]);

        $this->assertResponseSuccess();

        $this->assertFlashMessage(__('The product could not be saved. Please, try again.'));

        $this->assertNoRedirect();

    }

 

With these tests, we know the work is complete when the acceptance criteria (the slug of product must be unique) of the tests is passed.
That's all? No, this article it's not only about tests, this article is about the CakeDC DbTest plugin and how it can be advantageous.

CakeDC DB Test

Maintaining fixtures on real applications can be hard, a big headache. Imagine writing +1k products on ProductFixture, and adding a relationship like Product belongs to Category, then having to write new fixtures and keep them in sync.

Real applications usually have features like authentication with ACL, where each User has one Role, and each Role can access many features. Administrator has full rights, Manager has many rights, and so on.
Keeping all of this information in our fixtures is painful. Most of the frameworks have plugins to help with that issue. Thanks to the CakeDC team, we can easily let the DbTest to do the "dirty" work for us:

Let's install and load the plugin:

composer require cakedc/cakephp-db-test:dev-2.next

bin/cake plugin load CakeDC/DbTest


Then configure the plugin on project:

  1. Copy/replace the phpunit.xml: https://github.com/CakeDC/cakephp-db-test/blob/2.next/phpunit.xml.dbtest

  2. Configure test_template datasource on config/app.php:

'Datasources' => [

    // ...

    'test_template' => [

        'className' => Connection::class,

        'driver' => Mysql::class,

        'persistent' => false,

        'timezone' => 'UTC',

        //'encoding' => 'utf8mb4',

        'flags' => [],

        'cacheMetadata' => true,

        'quoteIdentifiers' => false,

        'log' => false,

        //'init' => ['SET GLOBAL innodb_stats_on_metadata = 0'],

    ],

    // ...


Now, we can delete our fixture and generate the dump of our database for using on tests:

// migrate the database for template

bin/cake migrations migrate -c test_template

// import fixtures

bin/cake fixture_import dump

// generate dump

/bin/cake db_test -i

 

Finally, we can see some advantages of CakeDC DbTest:

  • Speed.

  • Maintain fixtures with your regular database tool.

  • Run migrations to your dbtest db too.

  • Copy data from your live db to reproduce bugs.
     

That's all, bakers. Now we have test_db.sql, and you can see how our fixtures will come from this data.

You can check the code source of this article on this repository: https://github.com/rafaelqueiroz/cakephp-db-test-sample

 

 

Latest articles

196 Views

Goodbye to 2025!

Well bakers… another advent calendar is coming to an end. I hope you enjoyed all of the topics covered each day. We are also closing the year with so much gratitude.    2025 was the 20th year of CakePHP, can you believe it? We had an amazing year with our team, the community and the CakePHP core. It was great connecting with those who attended CakeFest in Madrid, and we hope to have the opportunity to see more of you in 2026.    I cannot let the year end without getting a little sentimental. There is no better way to say it… THANK YOU. Thank you to the team who worked so hard, the core team that keeps pumping out releases, and most of all … thank you to our clients that trust us with their projects. CakeDC is successful because of the strong relationships we build with our network, and we hope to continue working with all of you for many years.    There are a lot of great things still to come in year 21! Could 2026 will be bringing us CakePHP 6?! Considering 21 is the legal drinking age in the US, maybe CakePHP 6 should be beer cake? Delicious. Stay tuned to find out.    Before I go, I am leaving you with something special. A note from Larry!   As we close out this year, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Twenty years ago, CakePHP started as a simple idea shared by a few of us who wanted to make building on the web easier and more enjoyable. Seeing how far it has come, and more importantly, seeing how many lives and careers it has impacted, is something I never take for granted. I am deeply grateful for our team, the core contributors, the community, and our clients who continue to believe in what we do. You are the reason CakePHP and CakeDC are still here, still growing, and still relevant after two decades. Here is to what we have built together, and to what is still ahead. Thank you for being part of this journey. Larry

Written by Amanda on December 24, 2025

235 Views

Pagination of multiple queries in CakePHP

Pagination of multiple queries in CakePHP

A less typical use case for pagination in an appication is the need to paginate multiples queries. In CakePHP you can achieve this with pagination scopes.

Users list

Lest use as an example a simple users list. // src/Controller/UsersController.php class UsersController extends AppController { protected array $paginate = [ 'limit' => 25, ]; public function index() { // Default model pagination $this->set('users', $this->paginate($this->Users)); } } // templates/Users/index.php <h2><?= __('Users list') ?>/h2> <table> <thead> <tr> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('name', __('Name')) ?></th> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('email', __('Email')) ?></th> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('active', __('Active')) ?></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <?php foreach ($users as $user): ?> <tr> <td><?= h($user->name) ?></td> <td><?= h($user->email) ?></td> <td><?= $user->active ? 'Yes' : 'No' ?></td> </tr> <?php endforeach; ?> </tbody> </table> <?= $this->Paginator->counter() ?> <?= $this->Paginator->prev('« Previous') ?> <?= $this->Paginator->numbers() ?> <?= $this->Paginator->next('Next »') ?>

Pagination of multiple queries

Now, we want to display two paginated tables, one with the active users and the other with the inactive ones. // src/Controller/UsersController.php class UsersController extends AppController { protected array $paginate = [ 'Users' => [ 'scope' => 'active_users', 'limit' => 25, ], 'InactiveUsers' => [ 'scope' => 'inactive_users', 'limit' => 10, ], ]; public function index() { $activeUsers = $this->paginate( $this->Users->find()->where(['active' => true]), [scope: 'active_users'] ); // Load an additional table object with the custom alias set in the paginate property $inactiveUsersTable = $this->fetchTable('InactiveUsers', [ 'className' => \App\Model\Table\UsersTable::class, 'table' => 'users', 'entityClass' => 'App\Model\Entity\User', ]); $inactiveUsers = $this->paginate( $inactiveUsersTable->find()->where(['active' => false]), [scope: 'inactive_users'] ); $this->set(compact('users', 'inactiveUsers')); } } // templates/Users/index.php <?php // call `setPaginated` first with the results to be displayed next, so the paginator use the correct scope for the links $this->Paginator->setPaginated($users); ?> <h2><?= __('Active Users') ?>/h2> <table> <thead> <tr> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('name', __('Name')) ?></th> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('email', __('Email')) ?></th> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('active', __('Active')) ?></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <?php foreach ($users as $user): ?> <tr> <td><?= h($user->name) ?></td> <td><?= h($user->email) ?></td> <td><?= $user->active ? 'Yes' : 'No' ?></td> </tr> <?php endforeach; ?> </tbody> </table> <?= $this->Paginator->counter() ?> <?= $this->Paginator->prev('« Previous') ?> <?= $this->Paginator->numbers() ?> <?= $this->Paginator->next('Next »') ?> <?php // call `setPaginated` first with the results to be displayed next, so the paginator use the correct scope for the links $this->Paginator->setPaginated($inactiveUsers); ?> <h2><?= __('Inactive Users') ?>/h2> <table> <thead> <tr> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('name', __('Name')) ?></th> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('email', __('Email')) ?></th> <th><?= $this->Paginator->sort('active', __('Active')) ?></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <?php foreach ($inactiveUsers as $inactiveUser): ?> <tr> <td><?= h($inactiveUser->name) ?></td> <td><?= h($inactiveUser->email) ?></td> <td><?= $inactiveUser->active ? 'Yes' : 'No' ?></td> </tr> <?php endforeach; ?> </tbody> </table> <?= $this->Paginator->counter() ?> <?= $this->Paginator->prev('« Previous') ?> <?= $this->Paginator->numbers() ?> <?= $this->Paginator->next('Next »') ?> And with this you have two paginated tables in the same request.

Written by Rperez on December 23, 2025

397 Views

Clean DI in CakePHP 5.3: Say Goodbye to fetchTable()

This article is part of the CakeDC Advent Calendar 2025 (December 23rd, 2025)

Introduction: The Death of the "Hidden" Dependency

For years, accessing data in CakePHP meant "grabbing" it from the global state. Whether using TableRegistry::getTableLocator()->get() or the LocatorAwareTrait’s $this->fetchTable(), your classes reached out to a locator to find what they needed. While convenient, this created hidden dependencies. A class constructor might look empty, despite the class being secretly reliant on multiple database tables. This made unit testing cumbersome, forcing you to stub the global TableLocator just to inject a mock. CakePHP 5.3 changes the game with Inversion of Control. With the framework currently in its Release Candidate (RC) stage and a stable release expected soon, now is the perfect time to explore these architectural improvements. By using the new TableContainer as a delegate for your PSR-11 container, tables can now be automatically injected directly into your constructors. This shift to explicit dependencies makes your code cleaner, fully type-hinted, and ready for modern testing standards. The Old Way (Hidden Dependency): public function execute() { $users = $this->fetchTable('Users'); // Where did this come from? } The 5.3 Way (Explicit Dependency): public function __construct(protected UsersTable $users) {} public function execute() { $this->users->find(); // Explicit and testable. }

Enabling the Delegate

Open src/Application.php and update the services() method by delegating table resolution to the TableContainer. // src/Application.php use Cake\ORM\TableContainer; public function services(ContainerInterface $container): void { // Register the TableContainer as a delegate $container->delegate(new TableContainer()); }

How it works under the hood

When you type-hint a class ending in Table (e.g., UsersTable), the main PSR-11 container doesn't initially know how to instantiate it. Because you've registered a delegate, it passes the request to the TableContainer, which then:
  1. Validates: It verifies the class name and ensures it is a subclass of \Cake\ORM\Table.
  2. Locates: It uses the TableLocator to fetch the correct instance (handling all the usual CakePHP ORM configuration behind the scenes).
  3. Resolves: It returns the fully configured Table object back to the main container to be injected.
Note: The naming convention is strict. The TableContainer specifically looks for the Table suffix. If you have a custom class that extends the base Table class but is named UsersRepository, the delegate will skip it, and the container will fail to resolve the dependency.

Practical Example: Cleaner Services

Now, your domain services no longer need to know about the LocatorAwareTrait. They simply ask for what they need. namespace App\Service; use App\Model\Table\UsersTable; class UserManagerService { // No more TableRegistry::get() or $this->fetchTable() public function __construct( protected UsersTable $users ) {} public function activateUser(int $id): void { $user = $this->users->get($id); // ... logic } } Next, open src/Application.php and update the services() method by delegating table resolution to the TableContainer. // src/Application.php use App\Model\Table\UsersTable; use App\Service\UserManagerService; use Cake\ORM\TableContainer; public function services(ContainerInterface $container): void { // Register the TableContainer as a delegate $container->delegate(new TableContainer()); // Register your service with the table as constructor argument $container ->add(UserManagerService::class) ->addArgument(UsersTable::class); }

Why this is a game changer for Testing

Because the table is injected via the constructor, you can now swap it for a mock effortlessly in your test suite without touching the global state of the application. $mockUsers = $this->createMock(UsersTable::class); $service = new UserManagerService($mockUsers); // Pure injection!

Conclusion: Small Change, Big Impact

At first glance, adding a single line to your Application::services() method might seem like a minor update. However, TableContainer represents a significant shift in how we approach CakePHP architecture. By delegating table resolution to the container, we gain:
  • True Type-Safety: Your IDE and static analysis tools now recognize the exact Table class being used. This is a massive win for PHPStan users—no more "Call to an undefined method" errors or messy @var docblock workarounds just to prove to your CI that a method exists.
  • Zero-Effort Mocking: Testing a service no longer requires manipulating the global TableRegistry state. Simply pass a mock object into the constructor and move on.
  • Standardization: Your CakePHP code now aligns with modern PHP practices found in any PSR-compliant ecosystem, making your application more maintainable and easier for new developers to understand.
If you plan to upgrade to CakePHP 5.3 upon its release, this is one of the easiest wins for your codebase. It’s time to stop fetching your tables and start receiving them. This article is part of the CakeDC Advent Calendar 2025 (December 23rd, 2025)

Written by Arusinowski on December 23, 2025

We Bake with CakePHP