How do I run `PHPUnit` tests with Atlas and ensure all output is captured?

You can run `PHPUnit` using `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit --timeout=60000"`. Atlas will execute the command and, if the output exceeds terminal limits, it will save the complete log to a file and provide you with its path. You can then use `atlas read ` to view the full output for comprehensive analysis.

Can Atlas help me prioritize `PHPUnit` failures by root cause?

Yes, Atlas is designed for this. After running your `PHPUnit` suite, you can use the `grep` tool on the complete log file to search for recurring error messages or stack trace patterns. This allows you to group multiple failing tests under a single, distinct root cause, enabling more efficient prioritization and debugging in your PHP project.

How does Atlas integrate with `Composer` and PHP project structure?

Atlas is built to understand PHP project contexts. When you run Atlas in a directory containing a `composer.json` file, it reads your namespaces, autoload configuration, and dependencies. This allows Atlas to provide intelligent assistance, whether you're running `PHPUnit` tests, applying `PHP-CS-Fixer` formatting, or navigating your codebase.

What safety measures does Atlas have for modifying PHP code?

Atlas employs several safety measures. All tool calls are permission-gated, requiring your explicit approval. It drafts plans in a read-only agent before making changes. Crucially, for every proposed edit to a PHP file, Atlas computes and displays a unified diff, allowing you to review and approve the exact changes before they are written, ensuring you maintain full control over your codebase.

Can Atlas help me track the fixes for `PHPUnit` failures?

Absolutely. Once you identify a distinct root cause for a `PHPUnit` failure, you can create a `todowrite` entry in Atlas, such as `atlas todowrite "Fix database connection issue in config.php"`. These entries are tracked with a 'pending' status, providing a clear, prioritized list of tasks to ensure all identified issues are systematically addressed and resolved.

Does Atlas support re-running specific `PHPUnit` tests after a fix?

Yes, Atlas supports this workflow. After using the `edit` tool to fix a bug in a PHP file, you can use the `bash` tool to re-run only the relevant `PHPUnit` test file or method. For example, `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit tests/Feature/MyFeatureTest.php --filter testSpecificCase"`. This allows for rapid iteration and verification of fixes without the overhead of running the entire test suite.

Run the PHP Test Suite and Triage Failures with Atlas in 2026

In 2026, PHP developers can leverage Atlas to transform a daunting wall of `PHPUnit` test failures into a prioritized list of distinct root causes, streamlining the debugging process. Atlas integrates directly with your `Composer`-managed PHP projects, allowing you to run tests, analyze logs, and track fixes efficiently, all within your terminal.

How to run PHPUnit tests with Atlas and capture full output?

Running your `PHPUnit` test suite with Atlas in 2026 ensures that even the largest output logs are fully captured for analysis. Atlas's `bash` tool executes `vendor/bin/phpunit` with a generous timeout, preventing premature termination and writing the complete output to a retained file, typically exceeding the 2000-line terminal limit.

When a `PHPUnit` test suite runs, especially in a large `Composer`-managed project, the output can easily exceed what a terminal can display or what an AI model can process directly. Atlas addresses this by using its `bash` tool to execute the `vendor/bin/phpunit` command. You can specify a generous timeout, for example, `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit --timeout=60000"`, ensuring that even slow-running tests complete without being killed mid-run. If the output is truncated in the terminal, Atlas automatically writes the complete log to a retained file and provides the exact path. This means PHP developers always have access to the entire `PHPUnit` output, regardless of its size, which is crucial for comprehensive failure analysis and triage.

How does Atlas identify distinct PHPUnit failure causes?

After executing `PHPUnit` tests, Atlas helps PHP developers in 2026 group failures by distinct root causes, rather than just by test name. The `grep` tool scans the complete, saved log file, allowing for pattern-based identification of underlying issues across multiple failing tests, which is crucial for efficient triage.

A common challenge in triaging `PHPUnit` failures is distinguishing between symptoms and root causes. Multiple failing tests might stem from a single underlying bug in a shared dependency or a core service. Atlas's `grep` tool is instrumental here. Instead of sifting through individual test names, you can use `grep` on the complete `PHPUnit` log file (obtained via the `read` tool if truncated) to identify recurring error messages, stack trace patterns, or specific file paths that indicate a common origin. For instance, searching for a specific `PDOException` message or a particular class name in the stack trace can quickly reveal a distinct root cause affecting many tests, allowing for more targeted and efficient debugging in your PHP codebase.

How to track and fix PHPUnit failures with Atlas?

Atlas streamlines the process of tracking and fixing `PHPUnit` failures in 2026 by converting distinct root causes into actionable `todowrite` entries. Each entry, initially marked 'pending', ensures that every identified issue is systematically addressed, preventing forgotten fixes and maintaining a clear development roadmap.

Once distinct root causes for `PHPUnit` failures are identified, Atlas helps you manage the remediation process. For each unique cause, you can create a `todowrite` entry, for example, `atlas todowrite "Fix 'Undefined property' in User.php"`. These entries are tracked with a 'pending' status, ensuring that no identified issue is overlooked. When you're ready to fix a specific issue, Atlas's `edit` tool allows you to modify the relevant PHP files, such as `src/User.php`. After making changes, you can re-run only the affected `PHPUnit` tests using the `bash` tool, like `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit tests/Unit/UserTest.php"`, to quickly verify the fix without running the entire suite. This iterative approach, supported by Atlas's tools, significantly accelerates the debugging cycle in PHP projects.

How Atlas ensures safe code changes in PHP projects?

Atlas prioritizes safety in PHP development workflows, offering multiple layers of review before any code modification is applied. In 2026, every Atlas tool call is permission-gated, and all proposed file edits generate a unified diff for explicit user approval, ensuring changes align with `PSR-12` standards and project requirements.

Atlas is designed with developer control and safety at its core, especially when modifying critical PHP code. Before any tool, such as `edit` or `bash`, executes a command that could alter your project, Atlas consults permission-gated rules (allow, ask, deny). Furthermore, Atlas drafts a plan in a read-only agent, asking for approval before switching to a build agent that can make changes. Crucially, for every file edit, Atlas computes and surfaces a unified diff, allowing you to review the exact changes to your `.php` files, `composer.json`, or `phpunit.xml` before they are written. This granular control, combined with Atlas's ability to read `git` branches and status, and even stage and create commits on your behalf, ensures that all modifications, whether fixing a `PHPUnit` failure or applying `PHP-CS-Fixer` formatting, are intentional and thoroughly vetted by the PHP developer.

Step by step

01Run your `PHPUnit` test suite using the Atlas `bash` tool, providing a generous timeout: `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit --timeout=120000"`.
02If the `PHPUnit` output was truncated, use the Atlas `read` tool to view the complete log file path provided in the output header.
03Group the `PHPUnit` failures by distinct root cause using the Atlas `grep` tool on the saved log file, rather than by individual test name.
04Record one `todowrite` entry for each distinct root cause identified, setting its status to 'pending' to track the fix, e.g., `atlas todowrite "Fix 'Undefined method' in src/Service.php"`.
05Select a `todowrite` entry and use the Atlas `edit` tool to modify the relevant PHP files, such as `src/Service.php`, to address the specific failure.
06After editing, re-run only the affected `PHPUnit` tests via the Atlas `bash` tool to quickly verify your fix, e.g., `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit tests/Unit/ServiceTest.php"`.
07Review and approve the unified diff presented by Atlas for your PHP file changes before they are written to disk.
08Once satisfied, use Atlas's `git` integration to stage and commit your changes, ensuring proper version control for your PHP project.

Frequently asked questions

How do I run `PHPUnit` tests with Atlas and ensure all output is captured?: You can run `PHPUnit` using `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit --timeout=60000"`. Atlas will execute the command and, if the output exceeds terminal limits, it will save the complete log to a file and provide you with its path. You can then use `atlas read <path_to_log_file>` to view the full output for comprehensive analysis.
Can Atlas help me prioritize `PHPUnit` failures by root cause?: Yes, Atlas is designed for this. After running your `PHPUnit` suite, you can use the `grep` tool on the complete log file to search for recurring error messages or stack trace patterns. This allows you to group multiple failing tests under a single, distinct root cause, enabling more efficient prioritization and debugging in your PHP project.
How does Atlas integrate with `Composer` and PHP project structure?: Atlas is built to understand PHP project contexts. When you run Atlas in a directory containing a `composer.json` file, it reads your namespaces, autoload configuration, and dependencies. This allows Atlas to provide intelligent assistance, whether you're running `PHPUnit` tests, applying `PHP-CS-Fixer` formatting, or navigating your codebase.
What safety measures does Atlas have for modifying PHP code?: Atlas employs several safety measures. All tool calls are permission-gated, requiring your explicit approval. It drafts plans in a read-only agent before making changes. Crucially, for every proposed edit to a PHP file, Atlas computes and displays a unified diff, allowing you to review and approve the exact changes before they are written, ensuring you maintain full control over your codebase.
Can Atlas help me track the fixes for `PHPUnit` failures?: Absolutely. Once you identify a distinct root cause for a `PHPUnit` failure, you can create a `todowrite` entry in Atlas, such as `atlas todowrite "Fix database connection issue in config.php"`. These entries are tracked with a 'pending' status, providing a clear, prioritized list of tasks to ensure all identified issues are systematically addressed and resolved.
Does Atlas support re-running specific `PHPUnit` tests after a fix?: Yes, Atlas supports this workflow. After using the `edit` tool to fix a bug in a PHP file, you can use the `bash` tool to re-run only the relevant `PHPUnit` test file or method. For example, `atlas bash "vendor/bin/phpunit tests/Feature/MyFeatureTest.php --filter testSpecificCase"`. This allows for rapid iteration and verification of fixes without the overhead of running the entire test suite.

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