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Workbench Laravel Package
orchestra/workbench
Orchestra Workbench is a companion package for Laravel package development that lets you preview and interact with your package in a working application, making it easy to test routes, views, and services before release.
Workbench is a development companion for Laravel package authors, letting you preview and interact with your package in a real application context without leaving your repository. It scaffolds a throwaway Laravel app so you can test routes, views, migrations, and service providers exactly as users would experience them.
- Local app scaffolding for instant package previewing
- Artisan integration to serve and interact with your package
- Configurable presets for routes, views, and assets
- Rapid iteration without a separate host application
- Composer-friendly setup for existing package workflows
Frequently asked questions about Workbench
- What is Orchestra Workbench used for in Laravel package development?
- Orchestra Workbench provides a local workbench application where you can preview and interact with a Laravel package during development. It gives your package a real Laravel instance for building, testing, and iterating without mixing package code into a full application. It is aimed at Laravel package authors who want a focused sandbox for package workflows.
- How do I install orchestra/workbench for Laravel package development?
- Install orchestra/workbench with Composer as a development dependency in your package, then follow the packages.tools/workbench documentation for workbench setup and commands. It uses Laravel’s service providers, Artisan commands, and testing infrastructure rather than requiring external dependencies beyond Laravel’s core stack. Review the official docs for the exact configuration and stub publishing steps for your package.
- Which Laravel and PHP versions does Orchestra Workbench support?
- Orchestra Workbench is actively maintained for Laravel 10 through Laravel 13 and supports modern PHP features, including PHP 8.5. There is no explicit support for Laravel versions below 10, so older applications should upgrade before adopting it. Check the package constraints in Composer for the exact version matrix for your project.
- Can Workbench run my package migrations and Artisan commands in a local app?
- Yes. Workbench is designed around Laravel’s Artisan commands, migrations, and service provider mechanisms, so you can exercise package behavior inside the local workbench app. This lets you test routes, migrations, commands, and other package features against a real Laravel instance. Use the provided Workbench commands and your package’s normal Laravel integration points to validate behavior.
- How does Orchestra Workbench integrate with Laravel Testbench and PHPUnit or Pest?
- Workbench integrates with Laravel’s testing framework and Testbench, making it suitable for unit and feature testing of package code. You can run package tests against the workbench environment and use familiar PHPUnit or Pest workflows. This helps keep package testing close to real Laravel behavior without maintaining a separate demo application.
- Can I customize the Workbench app stubs, user model, or environment configuration?
- Yes. Workbench supports custom stubs, actions, and environment configurations, so you can adapt the workbench app to specific package needs such as custom user models or namespaces. Default behaviors can be overridden through configuration files or environment variables. This makes it practical for packages that need nonstandard testing or authentication setups.
- How do I use Orchestra Workbench in a CI/CD pipeline?
- Workbench can be integrated into CI platforms such as GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or CircleCI to automate package validation. Add the relevant Workbench or Testbench test commands as CI gates so package tests run against the local workbench environment. Confirm the exact command names in the official documentation and pin compatible Laravel and PHP versions in the pipeline.
- Does Orchestra Workbench add noticeable overhead during package development or testing?
- Workbench is described as lightweight and focused on package development, but it still requires a Laravel installation and a workbench app environment. That overhead is usually acceptable for package authors who need realistic Laravel behavior during development and testing. For larger test suites, use caching, parallel test execution, and CI optimization to keep feedback fast.
- What alternatives to Orchestra Workbench exist for Laravel package development?
- Alternatives include Laravel Shift, Spatie’s package tools, Testbench-based setups, and custom scripts or demo Laravel applications. Workbench’s trade-off is a more integrated local workbench and testing experience versus simpler custom scaffolding. Evaluate alternatives against your need for stubs, environment isolation, Artisan integration, and CI compatibility.
- Is Orchestra Workbench safe to use, and what dependency risks should I monitor?
- Workbench is a development tool rather than a production runtime dependency, so it should be installed and used in development or CI environments. It relies on Orchestra packages such as orchestra/sidekick, so monitor those dependencies for breaking changes. Treat the workbench sandbox as a local development environment and avoid exposing it publicly or leaking environment variables.
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