Laravel Dusk Skill

Comprehensive assistance with Laravel Dusk browser automation and testing, providing expert guidance on writing expressive, easy-to-use browser tests for your Laravel applications.

When to Use This Skill

This skill should be triggered when:

• Writing or debugging browser automation tests for Laravel
• Testing user interfaces and JavaScript interactions
• Implementing end-to-end (E2E) testing workflows
• Setting up automated UI testing in Laravel applications
• Working with form submissions, authentication flows, or page navigation tests
• Configuring ChromeDriver or alternative browser drivers
• Using the Page Object pattern for test organization
• Testing Vue.js components or waiting for JavaScript events
• Troubleshooting browser test failures or timing issues

Quick Reference

1. Basic Browser Test

public function testBasicExample(): void
{
    $this->browse(function (Browser $browser) {
        $browser->visit('/login')
            ->type('email', 'user@example.com')
            ->type('password', 'password')
            ->press('Login')
            ->assertPathIs('/home');
    });
}

2. Using Dusk Selectors (Recommended)

<!-- In your Blade template -->
<button dusk="login-button">Login</button>
<input dusk="email-input" name="email" />

// In your test - use @ prefix for dusk selectors
$browser->type('@email-input', 'user@example.com')
    ->click('@login-button');

3. Testing Multiple Browsers

public function testMultiUserInteraction(): void
{
    $this->browse(function (Browser $first, Browser $second) {
        $first->loginAs(User::find(1))
            ->visit('/home');

        $second->loginAs(User::find(2))
            ->visit('/home');
    });
}

4. Waiting for Elements

// Wait for element to appear
$browser->waitFor('.modal')
    ->assertSee('Confirmation Required');

// Wait for text to appear
$browser->waitForText('Hello World');

// Wait for JavaScript condition
$browser->waitUntil('App.data.servers.length > 0');

// Wait when element is available
$browser->whenAvailable('.modal', function (Browser $modal) {
    $modal->assertSee('Delete Account')
        ->press('OK');
});

5. Form Interactions

// Text input
$browser->type('email', 'user@example.com')
    ->append('notes', 'Additional text')
    ->clear('description');

// Dropdown selection
$browser->select('size', 'Large')
    ->select('categories', ['Art', 'Music']); // Multiple

// Checkboxes and radio buttons
$browser->check('terms')
    ->radio('gender', 'male');

// File upload
$browser->attach('photo', __DIR__.'/photos/profile.jpg');

6. Page Object Pattern

// Generate page object
// php artisan dusk:page Login

// app/tests/Browser/Pages/Login.php
class Login extends Page
{
    public function url(): string
    {
        return '/login';
    }

    public function elements(): array
    {
        return [
            '@email' => 'input[name=email]',
            '@password' => 'input[name=password]',
            '@submit' => 'button[type=submit]',
        ];
    }

    public function login(Browser $browser, $email, $password): void
    {
        $browser->type('@email', $email)
            ->type('@password', $password)
            ->press('@submit');
    }
}

// Use in test
$browser->visit(new Login)
    ->login('user@example.com', 'password')
    ->assertPathIs('/dashboard');

7. Browser Macros (Reusable Methods)

// In AppServiceProvider or DuskServiceProvider
use Laravel\Dusk\Browser;

Browser::macro('scrollToElement', function (string $element) {
    $this->script("$('html, body').animate({
        scrollTop: $('{$element}').offset().top
    }, 0);");

    return $this;
});

// Use in tests
$browser->scrollToElement('#footer')
    ->assertSee('Copyright 2024');

8. Database Management in Tests

use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\DatabaseMigrations;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\DatabaseTruncation;

class ExampleTest extends DuskTestCase
{
    // Option 1: Run migrations before each test (slower)
    use DatabaseMigrations;

    // Option 2: Truncate tables after first migration (faster)
    use DatabaseTruncation;

    // Exclude specific tables from truncation
    protected $exceptTables = ['migrations'];
}

9. JavaScript Execution

// Execute JavaScript
$browser->script('document.documentElement.scrollTop = 0');

// Get JavaScript return value
$path = $browser->script('return window.location.pathname');

// Wait for reload after action
$browser->waitForReload(function (Browser $browser) {
    $browser->press('Submit');
})->assertSee('Success');

10. Common Assertions

// Page assertions
$browser->assertPathIs('/dashboard')
    ->assertRouteIs('dashboard')
    ->assertTitle('Dashboard')
    ->assertSee('Welcome Back')
    ->assertDontSee('Error');

// Form assertions
$browser->assertInputValue('email', 'user@example.com')
    ->assertChecked('remember')
    ->assertSelected('role', 'admin')
    ->assertEnabled('submit-button');

// Element assertions
$browser->assertVisible('.success-message')
    ->assertMissing('.error-alert')
    ->assertPresent('button[type=submit]');

// Authentication assertions
$browser->assertAuthenticated()
    ->assertAuthenticatedAs($user);

Key Concepts

Dusk Selectors vs CSS Selectors

Dusk selectors (recommended) use HTML dusk attributes that won’t change with UI updates:

• More stable than CSS classes or IDs
• Explicitly mark elements for testing
• Use @ prefix in tests: $browser->click('@submit-button')
• Add to HTML: <button dusk="submit-button">Submit</button>

CSS selectors are more brittle but sometimes necessary:

• .class-name, #id, div > button
• Can break when HTML structure changes
• Use when you don’t control the HTML

Waiting Strategies

Always wait explicitly rather than using arbitrary pauses:

• waitFor('.selector') – Wait for element to exist
• waitUntilMissing('.selector') – Wait for element to disappear
• waitForText('text') – Wait for text to appear
• waitUntil('condition') – Wait for JavaScript condition
• whenAvailable('.selector', callback) – Run callback when available

Page Objects

Organize complex test logic into Page classes:

• Define URL, assertions, and element selectors
• Create reusable methods for page-specific actions
• Improve test readability and maintainability
• Generate with: php artisan dusk:page PageName

Browser Macros

Define reusable browser methods for common patterns:

• Register in service provider’s boot() method
• Use across all tests
• Chain like built-in methods
• Example: scrolling, modal interactions, custom assertions

Reference Files

This skill includes comprehensive documentation in references/:

• other.md – Complete Laravel Dusk documentation covering:
  • Installation and configuration
  • ChromeDriver management
  • Test generation and execution
  • Browser interaction methods
  • Form handling and file uploads
  • Waiting strategies and assertions
  • Page Objects and Components patterns
  • CI/CD integration examples

Use the reference file when you need:

• Detailed API documentation for specific methods
• Complete list of available assertions (70+)
• Configuration options for different environments
• Advanced topics like iframes, JavaScript dialogs, or keyboard macros

Working with This Skill

For Beginners

1. Start with basic tests: Use simple visit(), type(), press(), and assertSee() methods
2. Use Dusk selectors: Add dusk attributes to your HTML for stable selectors
3. Learn waiting: Always use waitFor() instead of pause() for reliable tests
4. Run tests: Execute with php artisan dusk to see results

For Intermediate Users

1. Implement Page Objects: Organize complex tests with the Page pattern
2. Use database traits: Choose between DatabaseMigrations or DatabaseTruncation
3. Create browser macros: Define reusable methods for common workflows
4. Test authentication: Use loginAs() to bypass login screens
5. Handle JavaScript: Use waitUntil() for dynamic content and AJAX

For Advanced Users

1. Multi-browser testing: Test real-time features with multiple browsers
2. Custom waiting logic: Use waitUsing() for complex conditions
3. Component pattern: Create reusable components for shared UI elements
4. CI/CD integration: Set up Dusk in GitHub Actions, Travis CI, or other platforms
5. Alternative drivers: Configure Selenium Grid or other browsers beyond ChromeDriver

Navigation Tips

• Quick examples: Check the Quick Reference section above for common patterns
• Method documentation: See other.md for complete API reference
• Assertions list: Reference file contains all 70+ available assertions
• Configuration: Check reference file for environment setup and driver options
• Best practices: Look for “Best Practices” section in reference documentation

Installation & Setup

# Install Laravel Dusk
composer require laravel/dusk --dev

# Run installation
php artisan dusk:install

# Update ChromeDriver
php artisan dusk:chrome-driver

# Make binaries executable (Unix)
chmod -R 0755 vendor/laravel/dusk/bin/

# Run tests
php artisan dusk

Common Commands

# Generate new test
php artisan dusk:make LoginTest

# Generate page object
php artisan dusk:page Dashboard

# Generate component
php artisan dusk:component Modal

# Run all tests
php artisan dusk

# Run specific test
php artisan dusk tests/Browser/LoginTest.php

# Run failed tests only
php artisan dusk:fails

# Run with filter
php artisan dusk --group=authentication

# Update ChromeDriver
php artisan dusk:chrome-driver --detect

Resources

Official Documentation

• Laravel Dusk Documentation: https://laravel.com/docs/12.x/dusk
• API Reference: See references/other.md for complete method listings

Common Patterns in Reference Files

The reference documentation includes:

• 70+ assertion methods with descriptions
• Complete form interaction API
• Waiting strategies and timing best practices
• Page Object pattern examples
• Browser macro definitions
• CI/CD configuration examples
• Environment-specific test setup

Best Practices

1. Use Dusk selectors (dusk attributes) instead of CSS classes for stability
2. Wait explicitly with waitFor() methods instead of arbitrary pause()
3. Organize with Page Objects for complex test scenarios
4. Leverage database truncation for faster test execution
5. Create browser macros for frequently repeated actions
6. Scope selectors with with() or elsewhere() for specific page regions
7. Test user behavior rather than implementation details
8. Use authentication shortcuts like loginAs() to skip login flows
9. Take screenshots with screenshot() for debugging failures
10. Group related tests and use --group flag for targeted execution

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

ChromeDriver version mismatch:

php artisan dusk:chrome-driver --detect

Elements not found:

• Use waitFor('.selector') before interacting
• Check if element is in an iframe
• Verify selector with browser dev tools

Tests failing randomly:

• Replace pause() with explicit waits
• Increase timeout: waitFor('.selector', 10)
• Use waitUntil() for JavaScript conditions

Database state issues:

• Use DatabaseTruncation trait
• Reset data in setUp() method
• Check for transactions in application code

Notes

• Laravel Dusk uses ChromeDriver by default (no Selenium/JDK required)
• Supports alternative browsers via Selenium WebDriver protocol
• Tests are stored in tests/Browser directory
• Page objects go in tests/Browser/Pages
• Screenshots saved to tests/Browser/screenshots on failure
• Console logs saved to tests/Browser/console for debugging