Counter Bundle Laravel Package

Getting Started

• v1.1 adds fake count functionality for Doctrine entities via prePersist and preUpdate. This is an additive release; no breaking changes are indicated.
• Install the package, publish/configure any fake-count settings if available, run required migrations for the count column, and clear Laravel config cache.
• Look first at the README’s fake count section, the service provider’s Doctrine event listener/subscriber registration, and tests covering entity insert/update behavior.
• First use case: enable fake counts in local/testing/seed data for Doctrine-managed entities so lists and dashboards show plausible counts without hand-writing fixtures.
• If the app is Eloquent-only, verify whether v1.1 applies; the new lifecycle behavior is specifically Doctrine prePersist/preUpdate.

Implementation Patterns

• Use fake counts for demo data and fixtures: let prePersist set the initial fake count, and preUpdate refresh it when the entity changes.
• Gate the feature by environment, e.g. enable only in local/testing, and keep it disabled in production paths.
• In apps with existing Doctrine lifecycle callbacks, check listener ordering. Decide whether fake count logic should run before or after your own count logic to avoid accidental overrides.
• Test both insert and update flows explicitly. v1.1 wires two Doctrine events, so create-only tests miss half the behavior.
• For deterministic tests, prefer a fixed seed or package extension point if one exists; otherwise avoid asserting exact fake count values in snapshots.
• In mixed Eloquent/Doctrine apps, apply the package to Doctrine entities only and handle Eloquent counts manually through factories/model states.

Gotchas and Tips

• Doctrine hooks do not fire for direct SQL, bulk updates, or Eloquent saves. If fake counts are missing, confirm the write path actually goes through Doctrine ORM lifecycle events.
• preUpdate can overwrite legitimate counter changes. Keep fake counts disabled outside non-production environments and guard real counter update flows.
• Clear Doctrine metadata cache and Laravel config cache after changing entity mappings or package config; stale metadata often looks like “the listener is not running.”
• Avoid double-setting counts in factories/seeders if the package listener already assigns them. Remove manual fake values or make fixture logic conditional.
• Check the count column’s type, nullability, and casts. Fake values still must satisfy database constraints.
• Extension point: if the package exposes a fake-count generator/strategy binding, bind a deterministic implementation for tests. Otherwise wrap the entity listener or add an ordered Doctrine subscriber.