3. The XML Configuration File

The <phpunit> Element

The backupGlobals Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

PHPUnit can optionally backup all global and super-global variables before each test and restore this backup after each test.

This attribute configures this operation for all tests. This configuration can be overridden using the @backupGlobals annotation on the test case class and test method level.

The backupStaticAttributes Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

PHPUnit can optionally backup all static attributes in all declared classes before each test and restore this backup after each test.

This attribute configures this operation for all tests. This configuration can be overridden using the @backupStaticAttributes annotation on the test case class and test method level.

The bootstrap Attribute

This attribute configures the bootstrap script that is loaded before the tests are executed. This script usually only registers the autoloader callback that is used to load the code under test.

The cacheResult Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: true)

This attribute configures the caching of test results. This caching is required for certain other features to work.

The cacheResultFile Attribute

This attribute configures the file in which the test result cache (see above) is stored.

The cacheTokens Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures the in-memory cache of the token streams that are used for code coverage analysis.

When more than one code coverage report is generated in a single run, enabling this cache will increase memory usage and may reduce the time to generate the reports.

The colors Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether colors are used in PHPUnit’s output.

Setting this attribute to true is equivalent to using the --colors=auto CLI option.

Setting this attribute to false is equivalent to using the --colors=never CLI option.

The columns Attribute

Possible values: integer or string max (default: 80)

This attribute configures the number of columns to use for progress output.

If max is defined as value, the number of columns will be maximum of the current terminal.

The convertDeprecationsToExceptions Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: true)

This attribute configures whether E_DEPRECATED and E_USER_DEPRECATED events triggered by the code under test are converted to an exception (and mark the test as error).

The convertErrorsToExceptions Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: true)

This attribute configures whether E_ERROR and E_USER_ERROR events triggered by the code under test are converted to an exception (and mark the test as error).

The convertNoticesToExceptions Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: true)

This attribute configures whether E_STRICT, E_NOTICE, and E_USER_NOTICE events triggered by the code under test are converted to an exception (and mark the test as error).

The convertWarningsToExceptions Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: true)

This attribute configures whether E_WARNING and E_USER_WARNING events triggered by the code under test are converted to an exception (and mark the test as error).

The disableCodeCoverageIgnore Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the @codeCoverageIgnore* annotations should be ignored.

The forceCoversAnnotation Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether a test will be marked as risky (see Unintentionally Covered Code) when it does not have a @covers annotation.

The printerClass Attribute

Default: PHPUnit\TextUI\ResultPrinter

This attribute configures the name of a class that either is PHPUnit\TextUI\ResultPrinter or that extends PHPUnit\TextUI\ResultPrinter. An object of this class is used to print progress and test results.

The printerFile Attribute

This attribute can be used to configure the path to the sourcecode file that declares the class configured with printerClass in case that class cannot be autoloaded.

The processIsolation Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether each test should be run in a separate PHP process for increased isolation.

The stopOnError Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the test suite execution should be stopped after the first test finished with status “error”.

The stopOnFailure Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the test suite execution should be stopped after the first test finished with status “failure”.

The stopOnIncomplete Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the test suite execution should be stopped after the first test finished with status “incomplete”.

The stopOnRisky Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the test suite execution should be stopped after the first test finished with status “risky”.

The stopOnSkipped Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the test suite execution should be stopped after the first test finished with status “skipped”.

The stopOnWarning Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the test suite execution should be stopped after the first test finished with status “warning”.

The stopOnDefect Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the test suite execution should be stopped after the first test finished with a status “error”, “failure”, “risky” or “warning”.

The failOnRisky Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the PHPUnit test runner should exit with a shell exit code that indicates failure when all tests are successful but there are tests that were marked as risky.

The failOnWarning Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the PHPUnit test runner should exit with a shell exit code that indicates failure when all tests are successful but there are tests that had warnings.

The beStrictAboutChangesToGlobalState Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether PHPUnit should mark a test as risky when global state is manipulated by the code under test (or the test code).

The beStrictAboutOutputDuringTests Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether PHPUnit should mark a test as risky when the code under test (or the test code) prints output.

The beStrictAboutResourceUsageDuringSmallTests Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether PHPUnit should mark a test that is annotated with @small as risky when it invokes a PHP built-in function or method that operates on resource variables.

The beStrictAboutTestsThatDoNotTestAnything Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: true)

This attribute configures whether PHPUnit should mark a test as risky when no assertions are performed (expectations are also considered).

The beStrictAboutTodoAnnotatedTests Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether PHPUnit should mark a test as risky when it is annotated with @todo.

The beStrictAboutCoversAnnotation Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether PHPUnit should mark a test as risky when it executes code that is not specified using @covers or @uses.

The ignoreDeprecatedCodeUnitsFromCodeCoverage Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether code units annotated with @deprecated should be ignored from code coverage.

The enforceTimeLimit Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether time limits should be enforced.

The defaultTimeLimit Attribute

Possible values: integer (default: 0)

This attribute configures the default time limit (in seconds).

The timeoutForSmallTests Attribute

Possible values: integer (default: 1)

This attribute configures the time limit for tests annotated with @small (in seconds).

The timeoutForMediumTests Attribute

Possible values: integer (default: 10)

This attribute configures the time limit for tests annotated with @medium (in seconds).

The timeoutForLargeTests Attribute

Possible values: integer (default: 60)

This attribute configures the time limit for tests annotated with @large (in seconds).

The testSuiteLoaderClass Attribute

Default: PHPUnit\Runner\StandardTestSuiteLoader

This attribute configures the name of a class that implements the PHPUnit\Runner\TestSuiteLoader interface. An object of this class is used to load the test suite.

The testSuiteLoaderFile Attribute

This attribute can be used to configure the path to the sourcecode file that declares the class configured with testSuiteLoaderClass in case that class cannot be autoloaded.

The defaultTestSuite Attribute

This attribute configures the name of the default test suite.

The verbose Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether more verbose output should be printed.

The stderr Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether PHPUnit should print its output to stderr instead of stdout.

The reverseDefectList Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether tests that are not successful should be printed in reverse order.

The registerMockObjectsFromTestArgumentsRecursively Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether arrays and object graphs that are passed from one test to another using the @depends annotation should be recursively scanned for mock objects.

The extensionsDirectory Attribute

When phpunit.phar is used then this attribute may be used to configure a directory from which all *.phar files will be loaded as extensions for the PHPUnit test runner.

The executionOrder Attribute

Possible values: default, defects, depends, no-depends, duration, random, reverse, size

Using multiple values is possible. These need to be separated by ,.

This attribute configures the order in which tests are executed.

The resolveDependencies Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: true)

This attribute configures whether dependencies between tests (expressed using the @depends annotation) should be resolved.

The testdox Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether the output should be printed in TestDox format.

The noInteraction Attribute

Possible values: true or false (default: false)

This attribute configures whether progress should be animated when TestDox format is used, for instance.

The <testsuites> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

This element is the root for one or more <testsuite> elements that are used to configure the tests that are to be executed.

The <testsuite> Element

Parent element: <testsuites>

A <testsuite> element must have a name attribute and may have one or more <directory> and/or <file> child elements that configure directories and/or files, respectively, that should be searched for tests.

<testsuites>
  <testsuite name="unit">
    <directory>tests/unit</directory>
  </testsuite>
  <testsuite name="integration">
    <directory>tests/integration</directory>
  </testsuite>
  <testsuite name="edge-to-edge">
    <directory>tests/edge-to-edge</directory>
  </testsuite>
</testsuites>

Using the phpVersion and phpVersionOperator attributes, a required PHP version can be specified:

<testsuites>
  <testsuite name="unit">
    <directory phpVersion="8.0.0" phpVersionOperator=">=">tests/unit</directory>
  </testsuite>
</testsuites>

In the example above, the tests from the tests/unit directory are only added to the test suite if the PHP version is at least 8.0.0. The phpVersionOperator attribute is optional and defaults to >=.

The <groups> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

The <groups> element and its <include>, <exclude>, and <group> children can be used to select groups of tests marked with the @group annotation (documented in @group) that should (not) be run:

<groups>
  <include>
    <group>name</group>
  </include>
  <exclude>
    <group>name</group>
  </exclude>
</groups>

The example shown above is equivalent to invoking the PHPUnit test runner with --group name --exclude-group name.

The <testdoxGroups> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

… TBD …

The <filter> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

The <filter/whitelist> element and its children can be used to configure the whitelist for the code coverage reporting:

<filter>
  <whitelist processUncoveredFilesFromWhitelist="true">
    <directory suffix=".php">src</directory>
    <exclude>
      <file>src/autoload.php</file>
    </exclude>
  </whitelist>
</filter>

The <listeners> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

The <listeners> element and its <listener> children can be used to attach additional test listeners to the test execution.

The <listener> Element

Parent element: <listeners>

<listeners>
  <listener class="MyListener" file="/optional/path/to/MyListener.php">
    <arguments>
      <array>
        <element key="0">
          <string>Sebastian</string>
        </element>
      </array>
      <integer>22</integer>
      <string>April</string>
      <double>19.78</double>
      <null/>
      <object class="stdClass"/>
    </arguments>
  </listener>
</listeners>

The XML configuration above corresponds to attaching the $listener object (see below) to the test execution:

$listener = new MyListener(
    ['Sebastian'],
    22,
    'April',
    19.78,
    null,
    new stdClass
);

Note

Please note that the PHPUnit\Framework\TestListener interface is deprecated and will be removed in the future. TestRunner extensions should be used instead of test listeners.

The <extensions> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

The <extensions> element and its <extension> children can be used to register test runner extensions.

The <extension> Element

Parent element: <extensions>

<extensions>
    <extension class="Vendor\MyExtension"/>
</extensions>

The <arguments> Element

Parent element: <extension>

The <arguments> element can be used to configure a single <extension>.

Accepts a list of elements of types, which are then used to configure individual extensions. The arguments are passed to the extension class’ __constructor method in the order they are defined in the configuration.

Available types:

• <boolean>
• <integer>
• <string>
• <double> (float)
• <array>
• <object>

<extension class="Vendor\MyExtension">
    <arguments>
        <integer>1</integer>
        <integer>2</integer>
        <integer>3</integer>
        <string>hello world</string>
        <boolean>true</boolean>
        <double>1.23</double>
        <array>
            <element index="0">
                <string>value1</string>
            </element>
            <element index="1">
                <string>value2</string>
            </element>
        </array>
        <object class="Vendor\MyPhpClass">
            <string>constructor arg 1</string>
            <string>constructor arg 2</string>
        </object>
    </arguments>
</extension>

The <logging> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

The <logging> element and its <log> children can be used to configure the logging of the test execution.

The <log> Element

Parent element: <logging>

<logging>
  <log type="coverage-html" target="/tmp/report" lowUpperBound="35" highLowerBound="70"/>
  <log type="coverage-clover" target="/tmp/coverage.xml"/>
  <log type="coverage-php" target="/tmp/coverage.serialized"/>
  <log type="coverage-text" target="php://stdout" showUncoveredFiles="false"/>
  <log type="junit" target="/tmp/logfile.xml"/>
  <log type="testdox-html" target="/tmp/testdox.html"/>
  <log type="testdox-text" target="/tmp/testdox.txt"/>
</logging>

The XML configuration above corresponds to invoking the TextUI test runner with the following options:

• --coverage-html /tmp/report
• --coverage-clover /tmp/coverage.xml
• --coverage-php /tmp/coverage.serialized
• --coverage-text
• > /tmp/logfile.txt
• --log-junit /tmp/logfile.xml
• --testdox-html /tmp/testdox.html
• --testdox-text /tmp/testdox.txt

The lowUpperBound, highLowerBound, and showUncoveredFiles attributes have no equivalent TextUI test runner option.

• lowUpperBound: Maximum coverage percentage to be considered “lowly” covered.
• highLowerBound: Minimum coverage percentage to be considered “highly” covered.
• showUncoveredFiles: Show all whitelisted files in --coverage-text output not just the ones with coverage information.
• showOnlySummary: Show only the summary in --coverage-text output.

The <php> Element

Parent element: <phpunit>

The <php> element and its children can be used to configure PHP settings, constants, and global variables. It can also be used to prepend the include_path.

The <includePath> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to prepend a path to the include_path.

The <ini> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a PHP configuration setting.

<php>
  <ini name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

ini_set('foo', 'bar');

The <const> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a global constant.

<php>
  <const name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

define('foo', 'bar');

The <var> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a global variable.

<php>
  <var name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$GLOBALS['foo'] = 'bar';

The <env> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a value in the super-global array $_ENV.

<php>
  <env name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$_ENV['foo'] = 'bar';

By default, environment variables are not overwritten if they exist already. To force overwriting existing variables, use the force attribute:

<php>
  <env name="foo" value="bar" force="true"/>
</php>

The <get> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a value in the super-global array $_GET.

<php>
  <get name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$_GET['foo'] = 'bar';

The <post> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a value in the super-global array $_POST.

<php>
  <post name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$_POST['foo'] = 'bar';

The <cookie> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a value in the super-global array $_COOKIE.

<php>
  <cookie name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$_COOKIE['foo'] = 'bar';

The <server> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a value in the super-global array $_SERVER.

<php>
  <server name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$_SERVER['foo'] = 'bar';

The <files> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a value in the super-global array $_FILES.

<php>
  <files name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$_FILES['foo'] = 'bar';

The <request> Element

Parent element: <php>

This element can be used to set a value in the super-global array $_REQUEST.

<php>
  <request name="foo" value="bar"/>
</php>

The XML configuration above corresponds to the following PHP code:

$_REQUEST['foo'] = 'bar';