How to Customize the Bootstrap Process before Running Tests

Sometimes when running tests, you need to do additional bootstrap work before running those tests. For example, if you're running a functional test and have introduced a new translation resource, then you will need to clear your cache before running those tests. This cookbook covers how to do that.

First, add the following file:

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// app/tests.bootstrap.php
if (isset($_ENV['BOOTSTRAP_CLEAR_CACHE_ENV'])) {
    passthru(sprintf(
        'php "%s/console" cache:clear --env=%s --no-warmup',
        __DIR__,
        $_ENV['BOOTSTRAP_CLEAR_CACHE_ENV']
    ));
}

require __DIR__.'/bootstrap.php.cache';

Replace the test bootstrap file bootstrap.php.cache in app/phpunit.xml.dist with tests.bootstrap.php:

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<!-- app/phpunit.xml.dist -->

<!-- ... -->
<phpunit
    ...
    bootstrap = "tests.bootstrap.php"
>

Now, you can define in your phpunit.xml.dist file which environment you want the cache to be cleared:

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<!-- app/phpunit.xml.dist -->
<php>
    <env name="BOOTSTRAP_CLEAR_CACHE_ENV" value="test"/>
</php>

This now becomes an environment variable (i.e. $_ENV) that's available in the custom bootstrap file (tests.bootstrap.php).