Why does request()->path() return '/' in routes/api.php during Laravel HTTP Feature Tests?

This behavior is usually due to the timing of when the request is being accessed in your application. When you call request() directly inside your routes/api.php, you’re often accessing an early instance of the request—one that hasn’t yet been fully “populated” with the information coming from the test (or even from an actual HTTP request, as in Postman).

What’s Happening

• In Feature Tests:
  When you run your test method with:

  PHPCopied
  $this->actingUser($user)
       ->withHeaders([/* ... */])
       ->post(uri: '/api/foo/bar', data: [/* ... */]);

  Laravel’s testing helpers build a request and then dispatch it through the application's HTTP Kernel. However, if you call request() in your route file (outside the context of a route callback or controller), that request instance is created very early—before the middleware and routing have been applied. This early instance does not reflect the actual path from the test, so request()->path() will show '/'.

• In Controllers / After Middleware Processing:
  By the time your controller or middleware gets the Request instance, Laravel has properly "hydrated" it and attached routes information. That’s why when you dump the request in your controller, you see the expected path (/foo/bar).

Recommendation

Avoid calling request() directly in your routes file (or doing so outside a closure) when you depend on the fully processed request information. Instead, delay accessing request details until after the request has been handled by the router or injected into your controllers/middleware.

For example, define your route as follows:

PHPCopied
use Illuminate\Http\Request;

Route::post('/foo/bar', function (Request $request) {
    // At this point, request() (or $request->path()) will be the fully resolved instance.
    return response()->json(['path' => $request->path()]);
});

This approach ensures you’re working with the request after Laravel has processed it.

Summary

• In Feature Tests, the request instance available too early (e.g., in the route files) may not reflect the actual test request.
• Use controller methods or route closures (with dependency injection) to work with a fully populated Request instance.
• Consequently, retrieving request()->path() in these contexts will yield the correct illuminated path (/foo/bar).

By adjusting when and where you access the request, you’ll see consistent behavior between your tests and your actual HTTP requests (e.g., via Postman).