Create Backend Tests

Execution-phase PHPUnit implementation. Planning-phase: ns-spec-driven/references/unit-test-task-generator.md.

Session boot

Load .nextstage-harness/rules/backend-tests-rules.mdc and backend-rules.mdc when present. See references/backend-testing-architecture.md for layout, run contract, and bootstrap summary.

Phase 0 — Resolve or bootstrap backend test root

Before any test class code, locate the PHPUnit project or create minimal structure.

0.1 — Detect existing tests (brownfield)

Search the repo in this order:

1. backend/phpunit.xml
2. phpunit.xml at repo root
3. tests/Unit/ or tests/Feature/ under the directory that contains composer.json with PHPUnit

Record the directory containing phpunit.xml as {backendroot}. All paths below are relative to {backendroot}.

0.2 — Bootstrap when nothing exists (greenfield)

If backend application code exists (app/, src/, or equivalent) but no phpunit.xml and no tests/:

Then set {backend_root} to that directory.

Forbidden on greenfield: assuming tests exist, running PHPUnit on the host, or scaffolding tests outside the backend package.

0.3 — Post-bootstrap documentation

When docs/context/stack-confirmed.md or architecture-rules.md exists, add or update the backend test row: {backend_root}, docker test container, and the PHPUnit run command from Phase 5.

Do not proceed to Phase 1 until {backend_root} is confirmed and phpunit.xml is readable.

Phase 1 — Discovery (before feature code)

1. Code under test — read implementation files (Service, FormRequest, Controller, etc.)
2. Existing tests — read matching files under tests/Unit/ and tests/Feature/; extend, do not duplicate
3. Project patterns — factories, RefreshDatabase, response envelope, multitenancy helpers from harness rules
4. Task contract — when implementing a unit-test planning task, follow its scenario checklist

Phase 2 — Write tests

• Unit: mock dependencies — no real DB/queue/cache I/O
• Feature: HTTP tests with auth, 401/403, cross-tenant P0 when applicable
• Naming: {Component}Test.php, descriptive snake_case method names
• Match module paths: tests/Unit/Modules/{Domain}/, tests/Feature/Modules/{Domain}/

Phase 3 — Run (mandatory contract)

See also ../../ns-harness/references/docker-and-testing.md.

1. Run docker ps — confirm the documented test container (ask once if undocumented)
2. Execute inside the test container at {backend_root} workdir:

timeout 120 docker exec -w {workdir} {test_container} \
  vendor/bin/phpunit --testdox --stop-on-failure --stop-on-error {optional_filter}

1. Timeout: if the command is killed at 120s (e.g. exit 124), treat the run as dead/hung — abort, report blocker, do not silently retry
2. Never run vendor/bin/phpunit or phpunit.sh on the host

Filtered runs (single class or method) use the same flags and timeout.

Phase 4 — Report

• Pass: list files added/changed
• Fail: first failing test name + assertion from --testdox output
• Hung/timeout: state 120s limit exceeded; invoke ns-investigator if root cause unclear

References

Related skills

• ns-spec-driven references/unit-test-task-generator.md — planning tasks
• ns-investigator — failing or hung test debugging
• ns-coder — ad-hoc fixes outside planned unit-test tasks