Data Providers
Data providers run the same test with multiple input sets, reducing repetition and covering edge cases systematically.
PHP
Intermediate
4 min read
Data Providers
Example
// PHPUnit data provider
/** @dataProvider invalidEmails */
public function test_invalid_email_fails(string $email): void {
$this->expectException(ValidationException::class);
validateEmail($email);
}
public static function invalidEmails(): array {
return [["notanemail"], ["@no-local.com"], ["missing@dot"], [""]];
}
// Pest dataset (equivalent)
dataset("invalid_emails", ["notanemail", "@no-local.com", "missing@dot", ""]);
it("rejects invalid email", function (string $email) {
expect(fn() => validateEmail($email))->toThrow(ValidationException::class);
})->with("invalid_emails"); Pro Tip
Data providers document the exact input space your code handles — great for boundary conditions.