# 2026-01-05

I would very much like to start using Pest4 as it has a lot of nice things in it like browser testing with some of the latest screen shot visual testing and more

for now I know Dusk and have been able to use this in previous projects before Pest4

so initially at least I intend to use Dusk and build on to migrate to Pest4 where I can

# test isolation and setup 

in the past I now realize, I was introducing brittle tests by first doing setup to then rely on a configuration for further tests

I think this is a pattern that some follow but as a generalist, devops and hybrid person I can and do make mistakes. I suppose we all do.

Mine was to not fully embrace test isolation 

Each test therefor needs to be set up from scratch so to speak

I then have each subsequent test re-setting up say, a user, a database table, whatever is required but each time from a blank slate

That way, when a test fails, it should be obvious what has been broken without having to traverse through a bunch of setup and dependencies to find I broke a setup step, not a test.

Let us hope so anyway. That is the approach I am going with with Dusk for now. Lets see how I get on and if I get the setup code as non repeated by abstraction as I can

I think testing and particulary automated testing is essential for success. 

It has been disappointing to find in my time working with others in the past that there seems resistance to testing and to automation of testing for reasons I believe not technical but that which time does not allow for me to digress

## confusing config

In config files: Just use the key name without any prefix

In your code: Use config('filename.keyname')

The filename becomes the first part automatically - you never type it inside the config file itself.



