Symfony2 Extension Laravel Package

## Getting Started

### Minimal Setup
1. **Installation**:
   ```bash
   composer require --dev behat/symfony2-extension

(Note: Prefer friends-of-behat/symfony-extension for new projects.)

2. Configure behat.yml:

   default:
     extensions:
       Behat\Symfony2Extension: ~
     suites:
       default:
         type: symfony_bundle
         bundle: AppBundle
   

3. First Use Case:

   • Run a basic feature file targeting Symfony routes:

     Feature: Login
       Scenario: Successful login
         Given I am on "/login"
         When I fill in "username" with "admin"
         And I fill in "password" with "secret"
         And I press "Sign in"
         Then I should see "Welcome, admin"
     

   • Ensure services.yml includes:

     services:
       behat.context.service.container:
         class: Behat\Symfony2Extension\ServiceContainer\ContainerAwareExtension
     

Implementation Patterns

Common Workflows

1. Context Integration:

   • Extend Behat\Symfony2Extension\Context\KernelDictionary for kernel-aware steps:

     use Behat\Symfony2Extension\Context\KernelDictionary;
     
     class FeatureContext extends KernelDictionary {
         protected function getKernel() {
             return static::$kernel;
         }
     }
     

2. Route-Based Navigation:

   • Use I am on "<route_name>" or I am on "/path" with route resolution.

3. Service Injection:

   • Access Symfony services in contexts via $this->getService('service_id').

4. Database Testing:

   • Reset the database between scenarios:

     extensions:
       Behat\Symfony2Extension: ~
       Behat\MinkExtension:
         base_url: http://localhost:8000
     

5. Event Dispatching:

   • Trigger Symfony events in steps:

     $this->get('event_dispatcher')->dispatch('kernel.request', new GetResponseEvent($request, $this->getKernel()));
     

Integration Tips

• Leverage Mink: Combine with behat/mink for browser/HTTP testing.
• Environment Awareness: Use APP_ENV=test in .env.behat for isolated testing.
• Custom Contexts: Create bundle-specific contexts (e.g., AppBundleContext) for domain logic.

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Archived Status:

   • Avoid new projects; use friends-of-behat/symfony-extension instead.
   • The fork (PHPExpertsInc/SymfonyExtension) may introduce compatibility risks.

2. Kernel Initialization:

   • Ensure static::$kernel is set in contexts. Override getKernel() if needed:

     protected function getKernel() {
         return static::$kernel ?: $this->getService('kernel');
     }
     

3. Route Resolution:

   • Routes must exist in the test environment. Use php bin/console debug:router to verify.

4. Service Container:

   • Services must be tagged as public or explicitly defined in services.yml for injection.

5. Database Transactions:

   • Enable Doctrine transactions in behat.yml:

     Behat\Symfony2Extension:
         transactional: true
     

Debugging

• Enable Debug Mode:

  Behat\Symfony2Extension:
     debug: true
  

• Check Kernel Boot:
  • Add dump(static::$kernel) in contexts to verify kernel availability.
• Mink Driver Issues:
  • Ensure mink and mink-browserkit-driver are installed for HTTP tests.

Extension Points

1. Custom Step Definitions:

   • Override loadKernel() in contexts for custom kernel setup:

     protected function loadKernel() {
         static::$kernel = static::bootKernel(['env' => 'test']);
     }
     

2. Event Listeners:

   • Attach to Symfony events (e.g., kernel.request) via EventDispatcher:

     $dispatcher = $this->get('event_dispatcher');
     $dispatcher->addListener('kernel.request', function() { /* ... */ });
     

3. Configuration Overrides:

   • Extend Behat\Symfony2Extension\Configuration\Configuration for custom settings.

Performance

• Disable Transactions for CI:

  Behat\Symfony2Extension:
     transactional: false  # For faster runs (but risk dirty state)
  

• Cache Contexts:
  • Use @BeforeScenario to cache heavy services (e.g., Doctrine EM).

Migration Path

• To friends-of-behat/symfony-extension:
  1. Replace Behat\Symfony2Extension with FriendsOfBehat\SymfonyExtension.
  2. Update contexts to extend FriendsOfBehat\SymfonyExtension\Context\MinkContext or similar.
  3. Reconfigure behat.yml for the new extension’s syntax.

*(Note: Replace `AppBundle` with your actual bundle name and adjust paths/services as needed.)*