How can PHP functions be effectively mocked for testing purposes?

To effectively mock PHP functions for testing purposes, you can use a technique called function mocking. This involves creating a mock object that mimics the behavior of the original function, allowing you to control its output and behavior during testing. This can be particularly useful when testing code that relies on external functions or APIs that you want to isolate from your test environment.

// Example of mocking a PHP function for testing purposes

// Original function to be mocked
function get_current_time() {
    return time();
}

// Mocking the original function for testing
function get_current_time_mock() {
    return 1234567890; // Return a fixed timestamp for testing
}

// Using the mock function in your test code
function test_get_current_time() {
    $current_time = get_current_time_mock();
    // Assert expected behavior based on the mocked time
}