Be part of JetBrains PHPverse 2026 on June 9 – a free online event bringing PHP devs worldwide together.
I'm trying to add https://github.com/morawskim/faker-images to faker in Laravel.
I have a faker service provider...
<?php
namespace App\Providers;
use Faker\{Factory, Generator};
use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;
class FakerServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
{
/**
* Register services.
*
* @return void
*/
public function register()
{
$this->app->singleton(Generator::class, function () {
$faker = Factory::create();
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\PicsumProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremSpaceProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremFacesProvider($faker));
return $faker;
});
}
/**
* Bootstrap services.
*
* @return void
*/
public function boot()
{
//
}
}
This is conditionally loaded via the app service provider:
<?php
namespace App\Providers;
use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;
class AppServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
{
/**
* Register any application services.
*
* @return void
*/
public function register()
{
if (!$this->app->environment('production')) {
$this->app->register('App\Providers\FakerServiceProvider');
}
}
/**
* Bootstrap any application services.
*
* @return void
*/
public function boot()
{
//
}
}
Yet, fake()->picsumUrl() gives the error Unknown format "picsumUrl".
I've checked and the faker service provider is ran. There is no issues with the package either as I can do the following and get an image url...
$faker = \Faker\Factory::create('en_GB');
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremFacesProvider($faker));
dd($faker->loremFacesUrl(1234));
So there must be something wrong with how the package is being added to faker.
Another way you could do it. I assume you only need it in testing? If so, you can just put this in your TestCase::setUp()
$faker = app(Generator::class);
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\PicsumProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremSpaceProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremFacesProvider($faker));
This works. I tested it
@Sinnbeck thanks, but I need it in more places than testing.
@panthro ok. Just move it to a service provider then? This also works
if (!$this->app->environment('production')) {
$faker = $this->app->make(Generator::class);
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\PicsumProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremSpaceProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremFacesProvider($faker));
}
@Sinnbeck this presents the same issue as my original post.
@panthro How are you using it then? Be aware that you cannot use it with fake() as that is bound differently
@Sinnbeck it must be because of being used with fake() then causing the issues... as this works:
fake()->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\PicsumProvider(fake()));
fake()->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremSpaceProvider(fake()));
fake()->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremFacesProvider(fake()));
Should it not be used like that then?
Should I add the providers as per my original post - but call faker differently? If so, how?
Currently I m doing fake()->loremFacesUrl(1234)
@panthro The thing is that fake() binds to Generator::$locale, not just Generator :)
This is the code in the source '`` function fake($locale = null) { if (app()->bound('config')) { $locale ??= app('config')->get('app.faker_locale'); }
$locale ??= 'en_US';
$abstract = \Faker\Generator::class.':'.$locale; //here it adds the locale to the binding
if (! app()->bound($abstract)) {
app()->singleton($abstract, fn () => \Faker\Factory::create($locale));
}
return app()->make($abstract);
}
@Sinnbeck Ok, so I would need to bind it to Factory::create()?
If so, how would I use it across the app? Not use fake()-> but some other way?
@panthro you could bind it to fake() and just be sure to use that every where. Just be aware that you need to rebind if you use multiple locale
@Sinnbeck so if I binded to fake would I just do...
$faker = fake();
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\PicsumProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremSpaceProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremFacesProvider($faker));
Would this not be added inside $this->app->singleton(Generator::class, function () {?
@panthro no need. just directly in the service provider
if (!$this->app->environment('production')) {
$faker = fake();
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\PicsumProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremSpaceProvider($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new \Mmo\Faker\LoremFacesProvider($faker));
}
I just created a similar provider:
FakerServiceProvider
class FakerServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
{
public function register()
{
$locale = 'en_US';
$abstract = Generator::class . ':' . $locale;
$this->app->singleton($abstract, function () use ($locale) {
$faker = Factory::create($locale);
$faker->addProvider(new Gravatar($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new PicsumPhotosProvider($faker));
return $faker;
});
}
config/app.php
'providers' => [
// ...
App\Providers\FakerServiceProvider::class,
];
@cwhite In case, you use others locales in your project, your code won't work.
Here's a fix. $locale variable changed:
$locale = app('config')->get('app.faker_locale') ?? 'en_US';
$abstract = Generator::class . ':' . $locale;
$this->app->singleton($abstract, function () use ($locale) {
$faker = Factory::create($locale);
$faker->addProvider(new Gravatar($faker));
$faker->addProvider(new PicsumPhotosProvider($faker));
return $faker;
});
Here are two resources for more help :
https://hofmannsven.com/2021/faker-provider-in-laravel
https://gdebrauwer.dev/blog/how-to-customize-php-faker-in-laravel/
Please or to participate in this conversation.