How to mock objects in Laravel tests?
Use Mockery for custom dependencies by setting expectations with shouldReceive(). 2. Use Laravel’s fake() method for facades like Mail, Queue, and Http to prevent real interactions. 3. Replace container-bound services with $this->mock() for cleaner syntax. 4. Use Http::fake() with URL patterns to simulate external API responses. 5. Apply partial mocks with makePartial() to mock only specific methods. 6. Clean up mocks with Mockery::close(), though Laravel’s base test class typically handles this. Prefer fakes for Laravel components and mocks for custom services to ensure tests remain fast, reliable, and isolated.
Mocking objects in Laravel tests is a common practice to isolate your code and avoid side effects—like database calls, external API requests, or queued jobs. Laravel provides several ways to mock objects, thanks to its integration with PHPUnit and the powerful Mockery
library.

Here’s how to effectively mock objects in Laravel tests:
1. Using Mockery
for Mocking Dependencies
Laravel includes Mockery by default, so you can easily create mocks of classes or interfaces.

use Mockery; use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Http; public function test_external_api_is_called() { $mock = Mockery::mock('App\Services\PaymentGateway'); $mock->shouldReceive('charge')->once()->andReturn(true); $this->instance(PaymentGateway::class, $mock); // Now run your test logic $response = $this->post('/pay'); $response->assertOk(); }
? The
shouldReceive()
method sets expectations on how the mock should be used.
2. Using Laravel’s Built-in Facade Fakes and Mocks
For Laravel facades (like Mail
, Queue
, Cache
, Http
, etc.), use fake()
or spy()
.

Example: Fake the Mail Facade
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Mail; public function test_user_registration_sends_email() { Mail::fake(); // Perform action $this->post('/register', [ 'name' => 'John Doe', 'email' => 'john@example.com', 'password' => 'secret' ]); // Assert message was sent Mail::assertSent(WelcomeEmail::class, function ($mail) { return $mail->hasTo('john@example.com'); }); }
- Use
Mail::fake()
to prevent real emails from being sent. - Use
assertSent()
orassertNotSent()
to verify behavior.
✅ Same pattern works for:
Queue::fake()
,Cache::fake()
,Notification::fake()
,Http::fake()
.
3. Mocking a Service Bound in the Container
If you’re using dependency injection and want to replace a service in the container:
$this->instance(SomeService::class, Mockery::mock(SomeService::class, function ($mock) { $mock->shouldReceive('process')->once()->andReturn('mocked result'); }));
Or more cleanly:
$this->mock(SomeService::class, function ($mock) { $mock->shouldReceive('process')->andReturn('mocked result'); });
?
->mock()
is a Laravel helper method that combinesMockery::mock()
andapp()->instance()
.
4. Using Http::fake()
for External HTTP Calls
Avoid calling real APIs during testing:
Http::fake([ 'api.github.com/*' => Http::response(['name' => 'Laravel'], 200), ]); // Now make the actual call $response = Http::get('https://api.github.com/orgs/laravel'); // Assert request was sent Http::assertSent(function ($request) { return $request->url() === 'https://api.github.com/orgs/laravel'; });
You can also use Http::fake()->preventStrayRequests()
to ensure only expected URLs are hit.
5. Partial Mocks – Mock Only Specific Methods
Sometimes you want to mock just one method of a class and keep others real.
$service = Mockery::mock(MyService::class) ->makePartial() ->shouldReceive('externalCall') ->andReturn('dummy') ->getMock(); $this->instance(MyService::class, $service);
Now only externalCall()
is mocked; other methods run normally.
6. Clean Up Mocks After Tests
Always clean up your mocks to avoid test pollution:
protected function tearDown(): void { Mockery::close(); parent::tearDown(); }
✅ Laravel’s base test classes (like
TestCase
) usually handle this already.
Key Tips
- Prefer fakes (
Mail::fake()
,Queue::fake()
) over full mocks when available—they’re simpler and Laravel-specific. - Use mocks when you need fine-grained control over return values or behavior.
- Avoid over-mocking—only mock what you need to isolate.
- Use
spy()
to observe actual calls without interfering:$this->spy(SomeService::class); // Later: $this->shouldHaveReceived(SomeService::class, 'method');
Basically, Laravel makes mocking clean and expressive. Use fakes for Laravel components, and Mockery for custom services. It keeps your tests fast, reliable, and independent of external systems.
The above is the detailed content of How to mock objects in Laravel tests?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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