cakephp · markstory · Feb 4, 2026 · Feb 2, 2026
diff --git a/docs/en/seeding.rst b/docs/en/seeding.rst
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ Idempotent Seeds
 
 Some seeds are designed to be run multiple times safely (idempotent), such as seeds
 that update configuration or reference data. For these seeds, you can override the
-``isIdempotent()`` method to skip tracking entirely:
+``isIdempotent()`` method:
 
 .. code-block:: php
 
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ that update configuration or reference data. For these seeds, you can override t
     {
         /**
          * Mark this seed as idempotent.
-         * It will run every time without being tracked.
+         * It will run every time it is invoked.
          */
         public function isIdempotent(): bool
         {
@@ -280,8 +280,9 @@ that update configuration or reference data. For these seeds, you can override t
 
 When ``isIdempotent()`` returns ``true``:
 
-- The seed will **not** be tracked in the ``cake_seeds`` table
 - The seed will run **every time** you execute ``seeds run``
+- The last execution time is still tracked in the ``cake_seeds`` table
+- The ``seeds status`` command will show the seed as ``(idempotent)``
 - You must ensure the seed's ``run()`` method handles duplicate executions safely
 
 This is useful for:

diff --git a/src/Command/SeedCommand.php b/src/Command/SeedCommand.php
@@ -190,16 +190,33 @@ protected function executeSeeds(Arguments $args, ConsoleIo $io): ?int
 
             // Skip confirmation in quiet mode
             if ($io->level() > ConsoleIo::QUIET) {
+                $force = (bool)$args->getOption('force');
+
+                // Determine which seeds will actually run
+                $willRun = [];
+                foreach ($availableSeeds as $seed) {
+                    $displayName = Util::getSeedDisplayName($seed->getName());
+                    if ($seed->isIdempotent()) {
+                        $willRun[] = $displayName . ' <info>(idempotent)</info>';
+                    } elseif ($force || !$manager->isSeedExecuted($seed)) {
+                        $willRun[] = $displayName;
+                    }
+                }
+
                 $io->out('');
+                if (!$willRun) {
+                    $io->out('All seeds have already been executed. Use --force to re-run.');
+                    $io->out('');
+
+                    return self::CODE_SUCCESS;
+                }
+
                 $io->out('<info>The following seeds will be executed:</info>');
-                foreach ($availableSeeds as $seed) {
-                    $io->out('  - ' . Util::getSeedDisplayName($seed->getName()));
+                foreach ($willRun as $name) {
+                    $io->out('  - ' . $name);
                 }
                 $io->out('');
-                if (!(bool)$args->getOption('force')) {
-                    $io->out('<info>Note:</info> Seeds that have already been executed will be skipped.');
-                    $io->out('Use --force to re-run seeds.');
-                } else {
+                if ($force) {
                     $io->out('<warning>Warning:</warning> Running with --force will re-execute all seeds,');
                     $io->out('potentially creating duplicate data. Ensure your seeds are idempotent.');
                 }

diff --git a/src/Command/SeedStatusCommand.php b/src/Command/SeedStatusCommand.php
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ public function execute(Arguments $args, ConsoleIo $io): ?int
                 'plugin' => $plugin,
                 'status' => $executed ? 'executed' : 'pending',
                 'executedAt' => $executedAt,
+                'idempotent' => $seed->isIdempotent(),
             ];
         }
 
@@ -168,14 +169,15 @@ public function execute(Arguments $args, ConsoleIo $io): ?int
         foreach ($statuses as $status) {
             $seedName = str_pad($status['seedName'], $maxNameLength);
             $plugin = $status['plugin'] ? str_pad($status['plugin'], $maxPluginLength) : str_repeat(' ', $maxPluginLength);
+            $idempotent = $status['idempotent'] ? ' <info>(idempotent)</info>' : '';
 
             if ($status['status'] === 'executed') {
                 $statusText = '<info>executed</info>';
                 $date = $status['executedAt'] ? ' (' . $status['executedAt'] . ')' : '';
-                $io->out("  {$statusText} {$plugin}  {$seedName}{$date}");
+                $io->out("  {$statusText} {$plugin}  {$seedName}{$date}{$idempotent}");
             } else {
                 $statusText = '<comment>pending</comment> ';
-                $io->out("  {$statusText} {$plugin}  {$seedName}");
+                $io->out("  {$statusText} {$plugin}  {$seedName}{$idempotent}");
             }
         }
 

diff --git a/src/Migration/Environment.php b/src/Migration/Environment.php
@@ -150,11 +150,13 @@ public function executeSeed(SeedInterface $seed): void
         // Run the seeder
         $seed->{SeedInterface::RUN}();
 
-        // Record the seed execution (skip for idempotent seeds)
-        if (!$seed->isIdempotent()) {
-            $executedTime = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
-            $adapter->seedExecuted($seed, $executedTime);
+        // Record the seed execution
+        // For idempotent seeds, remove old record first to update the timestamp
+        if ($seed->isIdempotent()) {
+            $adapter->removeSeedFromLog($seed);
         }
+        $executedTime = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
+        $adapter->seedExecuted($seed, $executedTime);
 
         // commit the transaction if the adapter supports it
         if ($atomic) {

diff --git a/src/Migration/Manager.php b/src/Migration/Manager.php
@@ -545,39 +545,34 @@ public function executeMigration(MigrationInterface $migration, string $directio
      */
     public function executeSeed(SeedInterface $seed, bool $force = false, bool $fake = false): void
     {
-        $this->getIo()->out('');
-
         // Skip the seed if it should not be executed
         if (!$seed->shouldExecute()) {
+            $this->getIo()->out('');
             $this->printSeedStatus($seed, 'skipped');
 
             return;
         }
 
-        // Check if seed has already been executed (skip for idempotent seeds)
+        // Silently skip non-idempotent seeds that have already been executed
         if (!$force && !$seed->isIdempotent() && $this->isSeedExecuted($seed)) {
-            $this->printSeedStatus($seed, 'already executed');
-
             return;
         }
 
+        $this->getIo()->out('');
+
         // Ensure seed schema table exists
         $adapter = $this->getEnvironment()->getAdapter();
         if (!$adapter->hasTable($adapter->getSeedSchemaTableName())) {
             $adapter->createSeedSchemaTable();
         }
 
         if ($fake) {
-            // Idempotent seeds are not tracked, so faking doesn't apply
-            if ($seed->isIdempotent()) {
-                $this->printSeedStatus($seed, 'skipped (idempotent)');
-
-                return;
-            }
-
             // Record seed as executed without running it
             $this->printSeedStatus($seed, 'faking');
 
+            if ($seed->isIdempotent()) {
+                $adapter->removeSeedFromLog($seed);
+            }
             $executedTime = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
             $adapter->seedExecuted($seed, $executedTime);
 

diff --git a/src/SeedInterface.php b/src/SeedInterface.php
@@ -218,9 +218,10 @@ public function shouldExecute(): bool;
      *
      * Returns false by default, meaning the seed will be tracked and only run once.
      *
-     * If you return true, the seed will NOT be tracked in the cake_seeds table,
-     * allowing it to run every time. Make sure your seed is truly idempotent
-     * (handles duplicate data safely) before returning true.
+     * If you return true, the seed will run every time it is invoked.
+     * The last execution time is still tracked in the cake_seeds table.
+     * Make sure your seed is truly idempotent (handles duplicate data safely)
+     * before returning true.
      *
      * @return bool
      */

diff --git a/tests/TestCase/Command/SeedCommandTest.php b/tests/TestCase/Command/SeedCommandTest.php
@@ -457,10 +457,9 @@ public function testSeedStateTracking(): void
         $query = $connection->execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM numbers');
         $this->assertEquals(1, $query->fetchColumn(0));
 
-        // Second run should skip the seed (already executed)
+        // Second run should silently skip the seed (already executed)
         $this->exec('seeds run -c test NumbersSeed');
         $this->assertExitSuccess();
-        $this->assertOutputContains('Numbers seed:</info> <comment>already executed');
         $this->assertOutputNotContains('seeding');
 
         // Verify no additional data was inserted
@@ -543,9 +542,9 @@ public function testIdempotentSeed(): void
         $query = $connection->execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM numbers WHERE number = 99');
         $this->assertEquals(2, $query->fetchColumn(0));
 
-        // Verify the seed was NOT tracked in cake_seeds table
+        // Verify the seed WAS tracked in cake_seeds table (only one record, updated each run)
         $seedLog = $connection->execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cake_seeds WHERE seed_name = \'IdempotentTestSeed\'');
-        $this->assertEquals(0, $seedLog->fetchColumn(0), 'Idempotent seeds should not be tracked');
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $seedLog->fetchColumn(0), 'Idempotent seeds should track last execution');
     }
 
     public function testNonIdempotentSeedIsTracked(): void
@@ -564,10 +563,9 @@ public function testNonIdempotentSeedIsTracked(): void
         $seedLog = $connection->execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cake_seeds WHERE seed_name = \'NumbersSeed\'');
         $this->assertEquals(1, $seedLog->fetchColumn(0), 'Regular seeds should be tracked');
 
-        // Run again - should be skipped
+        // Run again - should be silently skipped
         $this->exec('seeds run -c test NumbersSeed');
         $this->assertExitSuccess();
-        $this->assertOutputContains('already executed');
         $this->assertOutputNotContains('seeding');
     }
 
@@ -594,10 +592,10 @@ public function testFakeSeedMarksAsExecuted(): void
         $seedLog = $connection->execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cake_seeds WHERE seed_name = \'NumbersSeed\'');
         $this->assertEquals(1, $seedLog->fetchColumn(0), 'Fake seeds should be tracked');
 
-        // Running again should show already executed
+        // Running again should be silently skipped
         $this->exec('seeds run -c test NumbersSeed');
         $this->assertExitSuccess();
-        $this->assertOutputContains('already executed');
+        $this->assertOutputNotContains('seeding');
     }
 
     public function testFakeSeedWithForce(): void
@@ -692,7 +690,7 @@ public function testResetNonExistentSeed(): void
         $this->assertErrorContains('Seed `NonExistent` does not exist');
     }
 
-    public function testFakeIdempotentSeedIsSkipped(): void
+    public function testFakeIdempotentSeedIsTracked(): void
     {
         $this->createTables();
 
@@ -702,12 +700,15 @@ public function testFakeIdempotentSeedIsSkipped(): void
         // Run idempotent seed with --fake flag
         $this->exec('seeds run -c test -s TestSeeds IdempotentTest --fake');
         $this->assertExitSuccess();
-        $this->assertOutputContains('skipped (idempotent)');
-        $this->assertOutputNotContains('faking');
-        $this->assertOutputNotContains('faked');
+        $this->assertOutputContains('faking');
+        $this->assertOutputContains('faked');
+
+        // Verify NO data was inserted
+        $query = $connection->execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM numbers WHERE number = 99');
+        $this->assertEquals(0, $query->fetchColumn(0), 'Fake seed should not insert data');
 
-        // Verify the seed was NOT tracked (idempotent seeds are never tracked)
+        // Verify the seed WAS tracked
         $seedLog = $connection->execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cake_seeds WHERE seed_name = \'IdempotentTestSeed\'');
-        $this->assertEquals(0, $seedLog->fetchColumn(0), 'Idempotent seeds should not be tracked even when faked');
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $seedLog->fetchColumn(0), 'Idempotent seeds should be tracked when faked');
     }
 }