Unit testing OverflowException : Maximum retries of 10000 reached without finding a unique value

Question

So I am working on some unit testing before I implement a new feature. I run my test and it fails with OverflowException : Maximum retries of 10000 reached without finding a unique value This is the test I'm running.

    public function test_job_factory()
    {
        $client = Client::factory()->create();
        $accountHandler = AccountHandler::factory()->create();
        $user = User::factory()->create();

        $this->post('/login', [
            'email' => $user->email,
            'password' => 'password',
        ]);

        $user->givePermissionTo( 'manage jobs' );
        $clientContact = ClientContact::factory()->create();
        $job = Job::factory()->create();

        $this->assertTrue($job->id > 0);
    }

The error seems to happen while creating the job itself. Tests above this test the other factories and are working.

Heres the JobFactory.php file:

<?php

namespace Database\Factories;

use App\Models\AccountHandler;
use App\Models\Client;
use App\Models\ClientContact;
use App\Models\Job;
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\Factory;

/**
 * @extends \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\Factory<\App\Models\Job>
 */
class JobFactory extends Factory
{
    protected $model = Job::class;

    /**
     * Define the model's default state.
     *
     * @return array<string, mixed>
     */
    public function definition()
    {
        return [
            'title'              => $this->faker->company(),
            'is_active'          => 1,
            'is_draft'           => 0,
            'client_id'          => $this->faker->unique()->numberBetween(1, Client::count()),
            'account_handler_id' => $this->faker->unique()->numberBetween(1, AccountHandler::count()),
            'eclipse_contact_id' => $this->faker->unique()->numberBetween(1, User::count()),
            'client_contact_id'  => $this->faker->unique()->numberBetween(1, ClientContact::count()),
            'description'        => $this->faker->paragraphs(1),
        ];
    }
}

and the migration for this (create_jobs_table.php):

<?php

use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;

return new class extends Migration
{
    /**
     * Run the migrations.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function up()
    {
        Schema::create('jobs', function (Blueprint $table) {
            $table->id('number');
            $table->boolean( 'is_active' )->default(true);
            $table->boolean( 'is_complete' )->default(true);
            $table->string('title', 64)->nullable();
            $table->timestamps();
            $table->foreignId('author')->nullable()->constrained()->references('id')->on('users');
            $table->text('description')->nullable();
            $table->foreignId('client_id')->nullable()->constrained()->references('id')->on('clients');
            $table->foreignId('client_contact_id')->nullable()->constrained()->references('id')->on('client_contacts');
            $table->foreignId('account_handler_id')->nullable()->constrained()->references('id')->on('account_handlers');
            $table->date('expiry_date')->nullable();
            $table->date('artwork_deadline')->nullable();
            $table->date('proof_deadline')->nullable();
            $table->integer('redirect')->nullable();
            $table->boolean( 'is_draft' )->default(true);
            $table->foreignId('eclipse_contact_id')->nullable()->constrained()->references('id')->on('users');
            $table->foreignId('subscription_id')->nullable()->constrained()->references('id')->on('subscriptions');
        });
    }

    /**
     * Reverse the migrations.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function down()
    {
        Schema::dropIfExists('jobs');
    }
};

So what is wrong and why this loop here? I have added the minimum data that is needed to create a job so no idea what I've missed.

thanks

*** EDIT *** I was asked to give a link to where I found the bad practice of using unique and numberBetween here is an example Laravel factory error "Maximum retries of 10000 reached without finding a unique value" when I use unique Faker method this will not work as you expect!

Answer 1

I will recommend to follow documentation approach for this problem. https://laravel.com/docs/9.x/database-testing#factory-relationships

Looking at your migration table, there is a big chance that your factory will not work, since you indicating the relation on SQL level, which basically will force you to have records in related table, otherwise SQL will throw you with an error..

Answer 2

The problem is that when you try and get 5 values between 1 and 5 (including) and you can only fetch 4. The 5th number will never pass the unique() validation.

its because when you run the first instance of unique, for instance

$faker->unique()->numberBetween(1, 20)

then run it in another factory, laravel usually extends the previous instance(i guess), if that makes sense. But when you pass true like below

$faker->unique(true)->numberBetween(1, 20)

it starts searching from 1 to 20 again

this solved the problem for me.

so always pass true in the unique() instace