PHP Pest

PHP testing framework built on PHPUnit with a focus on simplicity and readable syntax. Uses an expressive, RSpec and Jest-inspired API that reduces boilerplate and makes tests faster to write and easier to maintain. Keeps full PHPUnit compatibility so existing tests run without changes.

Endorsed by Laravel creator Taylor Otwell. Pest stands out from raw PHPUnit through a modern API, clear failure output, and bundled tooling: parallel execution, coverage, watch mode, architecture testing, profiling, and snapshot testing. Version 4 adds built-in browser testing via Playwright, allowing end-to-end tests in the same suite without a separate toolchain.

Key capabilities:

• Expressive test syntax with it() and expect() for minimal boilerplate
• Built-in parallel testing, code coverage, and watch mode
• Architecture testing for enforcing structural rules and boundaries
• Snapshot testing for complex output and regression checks
• Browser testing with Playwright for end-to-end flows in v4
• Progressive adoption: run PHPUnit tests as-is, migrate incrementally with community tools

Suited for unit and integration testing in Laravel, Symfony, or plain PHP projects. Fits TDD workflows and CI pipelines. Developers use it for API testing, feature tests with factories, and browser-based UI tests, all in one framework.