Auto-Sync Overview

Auto-sync helps keep your coverage links consistent across test files. It can add missing links and remove orphaned ones.

What Sync Does

The sync command scans your test files for #[LinksAndCovers] / #[Links] attributes (PHPUnit) and linksAndCovers() / links() method chains (Pest), then helps synchronize them.

Basic Workflow

1. Add Links to Tests

Pest

test('creates user', function () {
    // Test implementation
})->linksAndCovers(UserService::class.'::create');

test('validates email', function () {
    // Test implementation
})->linksAndCovers(UserService::class.'::create');

PHPUnit

use TestFlowLabs\TestingAttributes\LinksAndCovers;

class UserServiceTest extends TestCase
{
    #[LinksAndCovers(UserService::class, 'create')]
    public function test_creates_user(): void
    {
        // Test implementation
    }

    #[LinksAndCovers(UserService::class, 'create')]
    public function test_validates_email(): void
    {
        // Test implementation
    }
}

2. Preview Changes

testlink sync --dry-run

3. Apply Changes

testlink sync

Sync Options

Option	Description
--dry-run	Preview changes without applying
--path=<dir>	Limit to specific directory
--link-only	Use links() / #[Links] instead of linksAndCovers() / #[LinksAndCovers]
--prune	Remove orphaned link calls
--force	Required with --prune for safety
--framework=<fw>	Target framework (pest, phpunit, auto)

Idempotent Operations

Sync is idempotent - running it multiple times produces the same result:

• Existing links are preserved
• Only missing links are added
• No duplicates are created

Error Handling

Sync will report errors for:

• Test files that don't exist
• Test cases that can't be found
• Parse errors in test files

These errors are reported but don't stop processing of other files.