Use Facade::shouldReceive() to accurately control the call, parameters and return values of the facade method, which is suitable for scenarios that require fine-grained simulation; 2. For common facades such as Mail and Notification, built-in fake methods such as Mail::fake() should be used first, which is more concise and less prone to errors; 3. When simulating chain calls, you need to fully describe the call chain such as Mail::to()->send(); 4. Only specific methods can be simulated through partial mocks and retain other real behaviors; 5. Avoid setting only individual tests in setUp() to prevent contamination between tests; 6. Use Mail::preventStrayRequests() to prevent unexpected email sending. Mock or fake should be selected according to the scene, and the fake assistive method provided by Laravel should be used first to improve readability and stability.
Mocking facades in Laravel tests is a common practice to isolate your code and avoid side effects from external services like mail, queue, or cache. Laravel provides a clean and simple way to mock facades using the Facade::shouldReceive()
method, thanks to its integration with PHPUnit and Mockery.

Here's how to do it properly:
? Use shouldReceive()
on the Facade
Laravel facades are static proxies to underlying services, and they can be easily mocked using shouldReceive()
. This method returns a Mockery mock instance, allowing you to define expectations.

Example: Mocking the Mail
facade
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Mail; use Tests\TestCase; class UserControllerTest extends TestCase { public function test_sending_welcome_email() { // Arrange: Mock the Mail facade Mail::shouldReceive('to->send') ->once() ->with(\App\Mail\WelcomeEmail::class); // Act: Call the method that sends email $response = $this->post('/register', [ 'name' => 'John Doe', 'email' => 'john@example.com', 'password' => 'secret', ]); // Assert $response->assertRedirect(); } }
? Note: Because
Mail::to()
returns a mailable object, we chain->to->send
to mock the actual call sequence.
? Reset or Partial Mocking
Sometimes you want to mock only certain methods of a facade and keep others real. Laravel allows partial mocks using shouldReceive()
while preserving other methods.
Example: Mock only put()
on Storage
facade
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage; Storage::shouldReceive('put') ->with('avatars/1.jpg', 'file-content') ->andReturn(true); // Other methods like `get()`, `exists()` will still work normally
? Prevent All Facade Calls (Optional)
If you want to ensure no unexpected facade usage happens, you can prevent all real calls:
Mail::preventStrayRequests();
This will throw an exception if any mail is sent without being explicitly mocked.
Alternatively, use:
Mail::fake(); // Recommended for newer Laravel versions
? Tip : Laravel also provides
Fake
classes (eg,Mail::fake()
,Notification::fake()
) which are often easier and more readable than manual mocking.
? Mocking vs Faking
Approach | When to Use |
---|---|
Facade::shouldReceive() | When you need precision control over method calls, arguments, call count, or return values. |
Facade::fake() | Simpler, cleaner — use when built-in fake helpers are available (Mail, Notification, Queue, etc). |
Example using Mail::fake()
(preferred for mail):
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Mail; Mail::fake(); // Perform action $this->post('/register', [...]); // Assert message was sent Mail::assertSent(WelcomeEmail::class);
Use fake()
when possible — it's simpler and less error-prone.
?? Common Pitfalls
- Forgetting chained methods : Facades like
Mail::to()->send()
involve intermediate objects. You must mock the full chain. - Over-mocking : Only mock what you need. Prefer
fake()
for standard facades. - Not resetting mocks : In some cases, especially in
setUp()
, mocks can leak between tests. Avoid setting global mocks unless necessary.
? Pro Tip: Use shouldReceive()
in setUp()
carefully
If you're setting up a mock in setUp()
, make sure it applies to all tests — otherwise, move it into individual test methods.
public function setUp(): void { parent::setUp(); // Only do this if ALL tests need it Cache:: shouldReceive('get')->andReturn('cached-value'); }
In short:
Use Facade::shouldReceive()
when you need fine-grained control, but lean on Laravel's ::fake()
methods when available — they're simpler and less brittle.
Basically, mock facades only when necessary, and prefer Laravel's testing helpers when they exist.
The above is the detailed content of How to mock facades in Laravel tests?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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