php - Laravel route and controller testing -

so trying test routes , controller functions have created. other routes return views work fine, , told professor test routes putting vardump in controller function pointing to.

now, doesn't make sense me, because functions never return view or ui data, return json responses.

am correct there no way test routes using vardumps? confused here.

when developing rest api's laravel (which tend return json default), use postman client testing. var_dump() pretty ugly when looking @ response if have xdebug installed (which do), tend use print_r instead.

for example, morning testing out, added line in controller:

print_r($files); exit; 

and postman showed me:

you can use var_dump if choose to. if don't include exit() statement, application continue run , depending , how have things setup, may more looking for. me, easier dump need , stop application can see need to.