Creating Dedicated Database for database test cases (Tests that I need to check the data are written or read sucessfully) in phpunit

Question

I am making a base test class that bootstraps database Test cases

namespace Tests
use App\DB\DBFactory;
use Phinx\Config\Config;
use Phinx\Migration\Manager;
use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
class DatabaseTestCase extends TestCase
{
 private PDO $pdo;
 private $migrationManager;
 public function setUp(): void
 {
 parent::setUp();
 error_reporting(E_ALL);
 /**
 * For robustness we place the configuration here
 * We avoid using phinx.php cause I want to have fixed settings for db
 */
 $migration_config = [
 'paths' => [
 'migrations' => __DIR__.'/../db/migrations',
 'seeds' => __DIR__.'/../db/seeds'
 ],
 'environments' => [
 'default_migration_table' => 'phinxlog',
 'default_environment' => 'testing',
 'testing' => [
 'adapter' => 'mysql',
 'host' => $_ENV['MYSQL_HOST'],
 'name' => $_ENV['MYSQL_DATABASE'],
 'user' => $_ENV['MYSQL_USER'],
 'pass' => $_ENV['MYSQL_PASSWORD'],
 'port' => $_ENV['DB_PORT']??'3306',
 'charset' => 'utf8',
 ],
 ],
 'version_order' => 'creation'
 ];
 // Configs need to be the same for both application and tests.
 $pdo = self::createTestDb($migration_config,$new_config);
 
 $config = new Config($new_config);
 $manager = new Manager($config, new StringInput(' '), new NullOutput());
 $this->migrationManager = $manager;
 $this->migrationManager->migrate('testing');
 // You can change default fetch mode after the seeding
 $this->pdo = $pdo;
 }
 public function tearDown():void
 {
 try{
 $testDbName = $this->pdo->query('select database()')->fetchColumn();
 $this->pdo->query("DROP DATABASE `" . str_replace('`', '``', $testDbName) . "`");
 }catch (\Exception $e){
 }
 parent::tearDown();
 }
}

I create the PDO connection as:

namespace App\DB;
class DBFactory
{
 /**
 * Setups a New Db service from config
 * @return \PDO
 */
 public static function createDbConnectionInstance(array $config):\PDO
 {
 $connectionString = 'mysql:host=%s;port=%s;dbname=%s';
 $dbPort = !empty($config['port'])?$config['port']:3306;
 $dsn = sprintf($connectionString,$config['host'],$dbPort,$config['name']);
 $pdo = new \PDO($dsn,$config['user'],$config['pass']);
 $pdo->setAttribute(\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, \PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
 return $pdo;
 }
}

The idea to use it is just extend the DatabaseTestCase In case that some of my tests require a DB Connection and a Database:

namespace Tests;
use Tests\DatabaseTestCase;
class DummyTest extends DatabaseTestCase
{
 public function testDump()
 {
 // 
 $this->assertTrue(true);
 }
}

And upon each test a new Db is created. The reason why I implemented this is because I need to parallelize my tests and some of them require Db connection (for example to ensure that records are properly written or modified upon DB).

But what the downsides in this approach? Is this a good approach?

• pacmaninbw: Please do not edit the question, especially the code, after an answer has been posted. Changing the question may cause answer invalidation. Everyone needs to be able to see what the reviewer was referring to. What to do after the question has been answered.
• Dimitrios Desyllas: Upon createTestDb I give the existing config and I update the config with the new databaseName. The $new_config is the new configuration. Ommited for simplicity.
• Tyrsson: Personally I like to split the test into two groups. Unit and Integration. Any test that requires a db goes in Integration.

Answer 1

The OP + Review Context don't explain where the input parameter $new_config came from. But that's fine, I'm sure it appears elsewhere in your codebase.

swallowed exception

This seems bad.

 $this->pdo->query("DROP DATABASE `" . str_replace('`', '``', $testDbName) . "`");
 } catch (\Exception $e) {
 }

It would be much better to not catch at all, and simply let any exceptions bubble up the call stack. Silently discarding is usually appropriate just for "expected exception" statements. If an "always succeeds" statement like that DROP turns out to fail, I will want to know about so I can diagnose whatever changed.

string interpolation

Little Bobby Tables advises us that being in the habit of routinely adjusting quoted commands and then executing them is bound to lead to sorrow. Prefer to use bind parameters.

• Dimitrios Desyllas: The reason why is because using prepared statements does quote the database name and fails to be executed. I mean I tried but the prepared statemens seem to work for Select , Delete, Update, Insert statements.
• Dimitrios Desyllas: Also If I fal tio drop the db I create a new one upon setup therefore I want to ignore in order to terminate the test. At tearDown test is executed nevertheless and this is the supportive code tbw.
• Dimitrios Desyllas: Also regarding prepared statements I approached like this because I faced this issue: stackoverflow.com/q/79064837/4706711
• Dimitrios Desyllas: I updated the code so I can explain why I have $newconfig.
• Your Common Sense: the Bobby tables reference seems off the track here, made the OP to waste quite a time