Module Cli Laravel Package

Getting Started

Start by installing via Composer: composer require --dev codeception/module-cli. Then enable it in your codeception.yml or suite config (e.g., tests/unit.suite.yml) under modules: enabled: [CLI]. The module provides a cli actor method to run console commands during tests — ideal for testing Symfony Console, Laravel Artisan, or generic CLI scripts. Your first use case: verify an Artisan command’s output and exit code by calling $I->runCommand('list', ['--format' => 'json']) and asserting on $I->seeInOutput('"name":"...') or $I->assertCommandIsSuccessful().

Implementation Patterns

• Command Testing Workflow: Use $I->runCommand($command, $arguments = [], $options = [], $input = null) to simulate CLI invocations. Pass arguments and options like a real CLI call — e.g., ['--env' => 'testing'].
• Output Assertions: Leverage methods like seeInOutput(), dontSeeInOutput(), grabFromOutput(), and seeInThisOutput() to inspect stdout/stderr separately using grabOutput() or grabErrorOutput().
• Exit Code Validation: Combine assertCommandIsSuccessful(), assertCommandFailed(), or seeExitCodeIs($code) for deterministic validation of command results.
• Integration in Laravel: Perfect for testing custom Artisan commands — pair with Codeception\Module\Laravel to access app state before/after commands. Use $I->runCommand('cache:clear') in acceptance or functional suites to validate side effects (e.g., cleared cache files).
• Mocking Input/Stdin: Pass $input as 4th argument to simulate interactive prompts (e.g., yes\n for confirmation questions).

Gotchas and Tips

• Working Directory: The module runs commands in the project root by default. Override with $I->runCommand(..., [], [], null, $cwd = '/custom/path') if needed.
• Environment Variables: CLI modules may inherit from the test runner’s env. To isolate tests, set env vars inline: ['APP_ENV' => 'testing'] in the 5th argument (env parameter) of runCommand().
• Output Buffering Quirks: Some frameworks (e.g., Laravel) flush output asynchronously. If assertions miss output, add $I->wait(0.1) or switch to grabOutput() with a custom assertion.
• Exit Code 0 ≠ Success: Always pair seeExitCodeIs(0) with output checks — commands may succeed silently (e.g., echo '' > /dev/null).
• No Real TTY: Interactive commands expecting stdin/TTY (e.g., ask()) often fail. Use echo "answer\n" | php artisan ... simulation or stub dependencies via Codeception dependency injection instead.
• Extension Point: The module is thin and not actively expanded. For advanced mocking, consider extending Codeception\Module\CLI to wrap project-specific command runners (e.g., runMigrations(), seedDatabase()).