Testing.

Approval::fake() records every public mutation instead of performing it, and provides an assertion for each:

$fake = Approval::fake();

$order->submitForApproval('purchase-order', ['amount' => 10_000]);

$fake->assertSubmitted(
    $order,
    fn ($recorded) => $recorded->metadata['new_attributes'] === ['amount' => 10_000],
);

$fake->restore();

While the fake is active, the package writes nothing to the approval tables. Each faked command returns an unsaved model, or an empty result, in the shape the real operation returns. Code under test that reads the returned request keeps working.

What is faked, and what is not

Mutations are faked. Submission, decisions, bulk decisions, withdrawal, cancellation, delegation, standing delegations, reassignment, resynchronization, conflict resolution, resubmission, attachment, guard bypass, definition sync, and overdue processing.

Queries are not. awaiting(), pendingFor(), requestsFor(), overdue(), workflow(), and verifyTrail() run against the database as usual, so a test can seed real requests and still fake the decisions taken on them.

Requester resolution is not faked either. A faked submit() with no requester finds one the same way the real manager does, through approvalRequester() and then the authenticated user. A test that forgets to authenticate fails the same way production does.

Assertions

When assertNothingRecorded() fails, it names the interaction types that were recorded. The names usually show what happened without a debugger.

Inspecting an interaction

The optional callback receives an ApprovalInteraction and returns a boolean:

$fake->assertDelegated($request, fn ($recorded) =>
    $recorded->recipient->is($deputy)
    && $recorded->comment === 'On leave this week');

target is null for the operations that act on no single subject: overdue processing, delegation processing, and definition sync.

A faked grantDelegation() records the window in metadata as starts_at and ends_at, and returns an unsaved ApprovalDelegation.

Read them all with $fake->interactions() when an assertion helper does not fit.

Restoring

$fake->restore();

Puts the real manager back in the container and on the facade. Calling fake() again on an active fake clears its recorded interactions instead of nesting.

Testing without the fake

Integration tests that use the real engine need only a database. Everything the package does is local. It makes no HTTP calls, uses no queue, and calls no external service:

it('applies the draft after the final approval', function () {
    $order = PurchaseOrder::factory()->create(['amount' => 4_000]);
    $request = $order->submitForApproval('purchase-order', ['amount' => 10_000]);

    Approval::approve($request, $financeUser);

    expect($order->fresh()->amount)->toBe(10_000)
        ->and($request->fresh()->state)->toBe(RequestState::Approved);
});

Factories

Every model ships a factory under ByRcsc\LaravelApproval\Database\Factories:

use ByRcsc\LaravelApproval\Models\ApprovalWorkflow;

$workflow = ApprovalWorkflow::factory()
    ->has(ApprovalWorkflowStage::factory()->count(2), 'stages')
    ->create(['slug' => 'purchase-order']);

Factories build an unusual request state directly, such as a conflicted request or a stranded stage. Reaching those states through the engine takes several steps.

Asserting events

Approval events are ordinary Laravel events:

Event::fake([ApprovalCompleted::class]);

Approval::approve($request, $financeUser);

Event::assertDispatched(ApprovalCompleted::class);

Faking events also stops the notification listener, because the package registers the listener against those events.

Asserting notifications

config(['approval.notifications.enabled' => true]);

Notification::fake();

$order->submitForApproval('purchase-order');

Notification::assertSentTo($financeUser, ApprovalRequestedNotification::class);

The listener defers delivery with DB::afterCommit(). Outside a transaction, the callback runs immediately. A test that does not wrap the call in a transaction sees the notification without extra work.

Contributing to the package

The package's own suite needs no external database, .env, or service:

composer install
composer test
composer analyse
vendor/bin/pint --test

What to read next

• Events and listeners to choose between fake interactions and real event assertions.
• Eligibility and authorization to test refusal reasons and policies.
• Troubleshooting for states that require persisted fixtures.