CouchDB.php

<?php
class CouchDB
{
    /**
     * @param string $id
     *
     * @return stdClass
     */
    public function getDocument($id)
    {
        $uri = 'http://server:5984/db/' . $id;
        $response = $this->makeRequest($uri);
        return $this->parseResponse($response);
    }

    /**
     * @param string $uri
     */
    protected function makeRequest($uri)
    {
        // use an http client to do a request
        $response = my_super_duper_client($uri);
    }

    /**
     * @param string $response Most likely JSON.
     *
     * @return stdClass
     * @throws RuntimeException On 404.
     */
    protected function parseResponse($response)
    {
        $obj = json_decode($response);
        if (isset($obj->error)) {
            throw new RuntimeException("Not found: {$obj->reason}", 404);
        }
        return $obj;
    }
}

btw this works because phpunit mock builder internally creates a new class that extends the original class and then overloads the stubbed methods. So it works for public/protected methods, but f. e. not for final methods.

oops now it's gist-salad :D