Скачать или смотреть Resolving the Invalid JSON was returned from the route Error in Laravel 8 Unit Testing

Learn how to fix the `Invalid JSON` error in your Laravel 8 unit tests with step-by-step guidance on returning proper JSON responses from your controller.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64697593/ asked by the user 'SouhiStack' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/13988876/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64697837/ provided by the user 'mmabdelgawad' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/10110528/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Invalid JSON was returned from the route , Laravel 8 Unit Testing

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Resolving the Invalid JSON was returned from the route Error in Laravel 8 Unit Testing

If you're new to testing in Laravel and are encountering the frustrating Invalid JSON was returned from the route error, you're not alone. This issue often arises during unit testing when the response returned from your controller doesn't meet the expected JSON format. In this post, we'll walk through the possible reasons for this error and how to fix them effectively.

Understanding the Error

When you see the error during your test runs, it typically indicates that the HTTP response generated by your controller is either not in JSON format or is not structured properly. This can prevent your tests from verifying the expected results. Let's delve into how to return valid JSON from your Laravel controllers and ensure your unit tests pass.

Solutions to Return Valid JSON

There are two common approaches to ensure your controller returns valid JSON responses. Each approach is explained with sample code to help you understand how to implement them.

Approach 1: Return Custom JSON Response

One way to return a well-structured JSON response is to customize the response directly in your controller. Here’s how:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

In this example, we’re building a JSON response that includes both the newly created order and a status based on a condition. This allows anyone consuming your API to receive structured data they can work with easily.

Approach 2: Return the Order Object Directly

Alternatively, if you would prefer to return the Order object directly, you can do so with the following code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This method can be simpler, but it’s crucial to ensure that your Order model or object correctly implements JSON serialization to provide meaningful data in the response.

Writing the Unit Test

Once you have your controller returning valid JSON, you need to update your unit test accordingly. Here’s a sample test case that checks for the expected JSON response:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

In this test:

We use Sanctum::actingAs() to authenticate the user.

We call the store method of OrderController with a JSON payload.

Finally, we assert that the response contains the expected status in the JSON.

Conclusion

Testing in Laravel can be daunting, especially for beginners. However, addressing issues like Invalid JSON was returned from the route can streamline your debugging process. By ensuring your controller returns valid JSON and writing appropriate tests, you'll create a robust foundation for your application's functionality.

Feel free to implement the solutions provided above and ensure your tests pass smoothly. Happy coding!