Since I strongly disagree with the current expectException implementation, I made a trait to use on my test cases. It's only 50 lines.

• Supports multiple exceptions per test
• Supports assertions called after the exception is thrown
• Robust and clear usage examples
• Standard assert syntax
• Supports assertions for more than just message, code, and class
• Supports inverse assertion, assertNotThrows

Since I wanted more than the current expectException implementation, I made a trait to use on my test cases. It's only ~50 lines of code.

• Supports multiple exceptions per test
• Supports assertions called after the exception is thrown
• Robust and clear usage examples
• Standard assert syntax
• Supports assertions for more than just message, code, and class
• Supports inverse assertion, assertNotThrows
• Supports PHP 7 Throwable errors

PHPUnit's current "best practices" for exception testing seem.. lackluster.

• Doesn't support multiple exceptions per test
• Doesn't support assertions called after the exception is thrown
• Documentation lacks robust or clear examples
• Non-standard and confusing syntax ("expect" vs "assert")
• Only supports assertions for message, code, and class
• No inverse, such as "expectNoException"

I opened a Github issue for PHPUnit and was immediately dismissed by the maintainer.

Since I strongly disagree with the current expectException implementation, I made a trait to use on my test cases.

PHPUnit's current "best practices" for exception testing seem.. lackluster (docs).

Since I strongly disagree with the current expectException implementation, I made a trait to use on my test cases. It's only 50 lines.

• Supports multiple exceptions per test
• Supports assertions called after the exception is thrown
• Robust and clear usage examples
• Standard assert syntax
• Supports assertions for more than just message, code, and class
• Supports inverse assertion, assertNotThrows

PHPUnit's current "best practices" for exception testing are.. lackluster.

• Doesn't support multiple exceptions per test, or assertions called after the exception is thrown
• Documentation lacks robust or clear examples
• Non-standard and potentially confusing syntax ("expect" vs "assert")
• Only supports assertions for message, code, and class
• No inverse, such as "expectNoException"

The AssertThrows trait is published to Github and packagist so it can be installed with composer.

<?php

// Within your test case...
$this->assertThrows(MyException::class, function() use ($obj) {
    $obj->doSomethingBad();
});

Here is an actual TestCase class that shows a more comprehensive usage example:

Comprehensive Solution

PHPUnit's current "best practices" for exception testing seem.. lackluster.

• Doesn't support multiple exceptions per test
• Doesn't support assertions called after the exception is thrown
• Documentation lacks robust or clear examples
• Non-standard and confusing syntax ("expect" vs "assert")
• Only supports assertions for message, code, and class
• No inverse, such as "expectNoException"

I published the AssertThrows trait to Github and packagist so it can be installed with composer.

<?php

// Using simple callback
$this->assertThrows(MyException::class, [$obj, 'doSomethingBad']);

// Using anonymous function
$this->assertThrows(MyException::class, function() use ($obj) {
    $obj->doSomethingBad();
});

Please see below for a more comprehensive usage example: