Question 1

How do I mock a method with Prophecy in PHPUnit?

Accepted Answer

Instantiate a Prophet in setUp, prophesize your class, define behavior with `willReturn()` or expectations with `shouldBeCalled()`, and reveal the double. Call `checkPredictions()` in tearDown to verify mocks, as shown in the README example.

Question 2

Prophecy vs Mockery: which is better for PHP testing?

Accepted Answer

Prophecy is more opinionated and integrates seamlessly with PHPUnit, emphasizing behavior-driven design. Mockery offers a more flexible, less verbose API but may require extra setup for predictions and spies.

Question 3

Can I spy on method calls after execution with Prophecy?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Prophecy supports spies out-of-the-box. After code runs, use `shouldHaveBeenCalled()` on method prophecies to verify calls without predefining predictions, leveraging its built-in call recording.

Question 4

How to handle different return values for multiple method calls?

Accepted Answer

Use `willReturn(1, 2, 3)` for sequential returns, but the README cautions this is discouraged as it makes tests fragile by relying on call order for the same arguments.

Question 5

What are argument tokens and when should I use them?

Accepted Answer

Argument tokens like `Argument::type()` or `Argument::that()` allow flexible matching of method arguments. They score matches, with more specific tokens (e.g., type checks) overriding general ones (e.g., any value).

Question 6

Is Prophecy good for testing Laravel applications?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but it requires manual integration since Laravel's container and facades might need additional mocking strategies. Prophecy works with any PHP framework, but setup may be more involved for Laravel-specific components.

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