What to set up in a Kernel test to get custom content type to be available

Question

I have a custom module that defines a service and a custom content type. I have successfully written a Functional test for the service. Now, I'm seeing if I can write a Kernel test instead.

The issue that I'm encountering is that my custom content type has custom fields (naturally). When I create a piece of content of that type in the Kernel test environment, Drupal is not recognizing the custom fields.

• I am using the EntityKernelTestBase.
• I have set public static $modules = array('my_custom_module', 'node');

What piece(s) am I missing? I'm guessing there is some schema I need to say to install or some other method I need to call so that those custom fields are recognized.

<?php

namespace Drupal\Tests\my_custom_module\Kernel;

use Drupal\KernelTests\Core\Entity\EntityKernelTestBase;
use Drupal\node\Entity\Node;

/**
 * Tests the my custom service.
 *
 * @group my_custom_module
 */
class MyCustomServiceKernelTest extends EntityKernelTestBase {

  /**
   * Modules to install.
   *
   * @var array
   */
  public static $modules = array('my_custom_module', 'node');

  /**
   * {@inheritdoc}
   */
  public function setUp() {

    parent::setup();

    $user = $this->createUser();

    $container = \Drupal::getContainer();
    $container->get('current_user')->setAccount($user);

    // Create some aquifer pieces of content
    $node = Node::create(array(
      'title' => t('Some title'),
      'type' => 'my_custom_content_type',
      'language' => 'en',
      'field_my_custom_field_1' => 'Put stuff here',
      'field_my_custom_field_2' => 'more stuff',
      'field_my_custom_field' => 1000000,
    ));
    $node->save();
    $reloaded_entity = $this->reloadEntity($node);
    $this->assertSame('debug', $reloaded_entity);
  }
}

The debug assert statement shows that the reloaded entity does not contain my custom fields.

If I put a $node->set('field_my_custom_field_1', 'some value') statement in the code instead of passing those fields in the Node::create logic I get an error that the field name is not valid.

Answer 1

For kernel tests you need to specify which configurations you want installed. For instance, you'll need something like this in your test's setUp() method:

$this->installConfig(['my_custom_module']);

That takes an array of modules, so you'll probably need to specify additional modules (like filter, node, and field potentially).

This assumes your field configurations are bundled in your module's config/install directory.

Answer 2

1. It's not necessary to put your modules configs to config/install. Let the config in config/optional

2. Important: check the module dependencies

   a) for your content type ('my_custom_content_type') by opening the config file node.type.my_custom_content_type.yml,

   b) for the special fields like 'text' (that need additional modules) by opening field.storage.node.MY_SPECIAL_FIELD.yml

yaml field

dependencies:
  module:
    - DEP_MODULE_N

3. Add installing modules 'DEP_MODULE_N' and 'my_custom_module' and needed schema:

class ImportBatchKernelTest extends KernelTestBase {

  protected static $modules = [
    'system',
    'user',
    'DEP_MODULE_1',
    'field',
    'node',
    'DEP_MODULE_2',
    'my_custom_module',
  ];

protected function setUp() : void {
    parent::setUp();

    $this->installEntitySchema('user');
    $this->installEntitySchema('node');
    $this->installSchema('node', 'node_access'); // <-- needed at least for entity reference fields, just test :-)
    $this->installConfig(['node', 'my_custom_module']);
  }

...
...

4. The modules 'system', 'user', 'field', 'node' are needed for testing manipulations of nodes.