What is Codeception and why did you decide to use it?

Codeception is a PHP testing framework that allows for automated functional and acceptance testing. I decided to use it because I needed a way to ensure my website would work properly after updates, and it helped me catch issues before deploying changes.

How did you set up your testing environment?

I installed Composer, PHP’s package manager, to manage dependencies. Then, I executed the following commands in my website’s directory to install Codeception and set up my testing environment: composer require codeception/codeception --dev and vendor/bin/codecept bootstrap.

What was the first test you wrote, and what did it check for?

My first test was a simple homepage check. It navigated to the homepage, checked for a welcome message, verified the existence of the navigation menu, and ensured that the footer was present.

How did you test the contact form on your website?,

I wrote a test for the contact form to ensure it worked properly. The test filled out the name, email, and message fields, submitted the form, and verified that a "Thank you for your message" confirmation appeared.

What lessons did you learn while writing tests for your site?,

Start small and build complexity gradually, prioritize testing core features first, keep tests simple and specific, and always run tests before deploying updates to the live site.

What challenges did you face during the setup of automated testing?

Setting up the test database was tricky at first, understanding the correct structure for test files took time, and finding the right selectors for elements on my site was challenging.

How do you run your tests before pushing updates to your live site?

I created a Bash script to run my acceptance tests. Here’s the script I use: #!/bin/bash and vendor/bin/codecept run acceptance.

What are your next steps in expanding automated testing on your site?

I plan to expand tests for the blog section, set up automated testing using GitHub Actions, evaluate the site’s responsiveness, and write tests for admin functions.

Do you have any tips for developers starting with automated testing?

Take it one step at a time, start with simple tests and work your way up, don’t worry about perfection at the beginning, and organize your test code from the start for better maintainability.

My First Steps with Codeception by Mike Kipruto

Last Updated on April 3, 2025 by Mike Kipruto

As a developer, upskilling is essential for growth. Wanting to deepen my understanding of automated testing, I enrolled in a Codeception course on Udemy. Since then, I’ve been applying it to my website, mike.co.ke. If you’re exploring testing for your projects, my journey might offer some useful insights!

Setting Up My Testing Environment

The first step was to set up Codeception on my development machine. Here’s what I did:

Installed Composer: This is PHP’s package manager, which is essential for managing dependencies.
Executed Commands in My Website’s Directory:composer require codeception/codeception --dev vendor/bin/codecept bootstrap

My First Test: Homepage Check

To get started, I wrote a simple test to verify if my homepage was loading correctly. Below is the basic test I created:

<?php
$i = new AcceptanceTester($scenario);
$i->amOnPage('/');
$i->see('Welcome to Mike\'s website');
$i->seeElement('.main-navigation');
$i->seeElement('.footer');

This test essentially:

Navigates to my homepage.
Checks for the welcome message.
Verifies the existence of the navigation menu.
Ensures that the footer is present.

Testing My Contact Form

The contact form on my site had always shown some quirks, so I decided to write a test for it as well:

<?php
$i = new AcceptanceTester($scenario);
$i->amOnPage('/contact');
$i->fillField('name', 'test user');
$i->fillField('email', 'test@example.com');
$i->fillField('message', 'This is a test message');
$i->click('submit');
$i->see('Thank you for your message');

What I Learned

Writing these tests provided me with several insights:

Start Small: It’s crucial to begin with small cases and gradually build complexity.
Prioritize Important Features: Focus on testing the core functionalities first.
Keep It Simple: Ensure tests are straightforward and target specific outcomes.
Run Tests Pre-Update: Always execute tests before deploying changes to the live environment.

A Few Challenges I Faced

Setting Up the Test Database: This was initially tricky, but I learned to handle it.
Structuring Test Files: Understanding the correct structure took some time.
Finding the Right Selectors: Locating suitable selectors for elements wasn’t always easy.

How I Run My Tests

I created a simple Bash script to automate running my tests:

#!/bin/bash
vendor/bin/codecept run acceptance

Now, I execute this script before pushing any updates to my live site.

Next Steps

Moving forward, I plan to:

Expand tests for my blog section.
Set up automated testing using GitHub Actions.
Evaluate my site’s responsiveness.
Write tests specifically for admin functions.

Tips for Beginners

If you’re diving into testing like I did, here are some tips:

Take it one step at a time.
Start with simple tests.
Don’t strive for perfection right away.
Organize your test code from the beginning.

Embracing testing might feel like extra work initially, but it has saved me from deploying broken code to my live site multiple times. It’s worth every minute spent learning!

My First Steps with Codeception: Testing Mike.co.ke