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2024 · Creator

Picoclaw

Minimal PHP testing framework inspired by Pest — zero dependencies, 150 lines, fast enough to run in a WordPress plugin test suite without Composer.

Role

Creator

Links

Overview

Picoclaw is a micro testing framework I wrote to explore how testing libraries work internally. It has no dependencies and fits in a single file — useful for WordPress projects that cannot use Composer or that need a zero-overhead test runner in CI.

Features

  • test(), expect(), beforeEach(), afterEach() — the essentials
  • Matcher chain: toBe(), toEqual(), toThrow(), toContain(), toBeTruthy()
  • Grouped test suites with describe()
  • Colorized terminal output
  • Exit code 1 on failure (CI-safe)
  • Single file, zero dependencies

Why

Building this taught me more about testing internals in two days than years of just using Pest. Good exercise in minimalism.

Interested in working together?

I'm open to freelance engagements and consulting. Let's talk.