[](http://crystal.sh)
# Table of Contents
- [Install](#install)
- [Hello World](#hello-world)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Examples](#examples)
- [API Reference](#api-ref)
- [Official Documentation](#docs)
- [Live Editor](#live-editor)
- [Top 10 Features](#top-10-features)
# Install
Choose an Interface:
- [Command-Line](#install-cli)
- [JavaScript (Node.js)](#install-js)
## Command-Line
Use [npm](https://npmjs.com) or [Homebrew](https://brew.sh) to install the Command-Line interface of Autocode:
```sh
npm install autocode-cli -g # most popular
brew install autocode # mac only
```
## JavaScript (Node.js)
Use [npm](https://npmjs.com) to install the JavaScript interface of Autocode:
```sh
npm install autocode-js
```
# Hello World
Choose the `Hello World` tutorial for your Autocode installation:
- [Input](#example-input)
- [Command-Line](#hello-world-cli)
- [JavaScript (Node.js)](#hello-world-js)
- [Output](#output)
- [README.md](#readme)
- [LICENSE](#license)
## Input
### Command-Line
If you've installed the Command-Line interface of Autocode, create a file called `.autocode/config.yml` and add these contents:
```yaml
name: My App
description: This is my app.
path: ./output/myapp
imports:
crystal/license: ~0.3.1
crystal/readme: ~0.5.1
outputs:
- generator: license.MITGenerator
spec:
copyright: 2015 Crystal
- generator: readme.ReadmeGenerator
spec:
name: $name
description: $description
```
Then use Autocode to build your project:
```sh
autocode build
```
View the output [here](#output).
### JavaScript (Node.js)
If you've installed the JavaScript interface of Autocode, create a file called `helloworld.js` and add these contents:
```js
var Autocode = require('autocode-js');
var project = new Autocode({
name: 'My App',
description: 'This is my app.',
path: './output/myapp',
imports: {
'crystal/license': '~0.3.1',
'crystal/readme': '~0.5.1'
},
outputs: [{
// generate a LICENSE file
generator: 'license.MITGenerator',
spec: {
copyright: '2015 Crystal'
}
},{
// generate a README.md file
generator: 'readme.ReadmeGenerator',
spec: {
name: '$name',
description: '$description'
}
}]
});
```
Now run your `helloworld.js` script:
```sh
node helloworld.js
```
View the output [here](#output).
## Output
Whether you've chosen the Command-Line interface or JavaScript interface, the output will be the same:
- [README.md](#readme)
- [LICENSE](#license)
### README.md
```md
# My API
this is my API
```
### LICENSE
```md
The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Crystal
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.
```
# Usage
- [Command-Line](#usage-cli)
- [JavaScript (Node.js)](#usage-js)
## Command-Line
```
crystal [command]
Commands:
build build project
config get project's Crystal Config
help get help
init initialize project
install install module
run run project
search search for modules
update update project's modules
```
## JavaScript (Node.js)
- [Load Autocode](#load-autocode)
- [Create Project](#create-project)
- [Save Project](#save-project)
- [Load Project](#load-project)
- [Update Project](#update-project)
- [Build Project](#build-project)
- [Run Project](#run-project)
- [Modularize Project](#run-project)
## Load Autocode
```js
var Autocode = require('autocode');
```
## Create Project
```js
var project = new Autocode({
name: 'My App',
description: 'This is my app.',
path: './output/myapp',
imports: {
'crystal/license': '~0.2.4',
'crystal/readme': '~0.2.2'
},
outputs: [{
// generate a LICENSE file
generator: 'license.MITGenerator',
spec: {
copyright: '2015 Crystal'
}
},{
// generate a README.md file
generator: 'readme.ReadmeGenerator',
spec: {
name: '$name',
description: '$description'
}
}]
});
```
## Save Project
```js
project.save();
```
## Load Project
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
```
## Update Project (and its Imports)
```js
project.update();
```
## Build Project
```js
project.build({
// overwrites any manual changes
force: true
});
```
## Run Project
```js
project.run();
```
## Modularize Project
Modularize your project for other projects to use:
```js
var mod = new Autocode({
name: 'My Module',
description: 'This is my module.',
path: './output/mymod',
imports: {
'crystal/handlebars': '~0.2.3'
},
exports: {
ReadmeGenerator: {
engine: 'handlebars.HandlebarsEngine',
filename: 'README.md',
schema: {
type: 'object',
properties: {
name: {
required: true,
type: 'string'
},
description: {
required: true,
type: 'string'
}
}
},
template: "# {{{name}}}\n\n{{{description}}}",
type: 'generator'
}
}
});
```
# Examples
### JavaScript
- [Express](https://crystal.sh/editor/crystal/express)
- [npm](https://crystal.sh/editor/crystal/npm)
### Python
- [Django](https://crystal.sh/editor/crystal/django)
- [pip](https://crystal.sh/editor/crystal/pip)
### Ruby
- [Rails](https://crystal.sh/editor/crystal/rails)
### Other
- [Docker](https://crystal.sh/editor/crystal/docker)
- [README](https://crystal.sh/editor/crystal/readme)
# API Reference
- [build()](#api-ref-build)
- [cache()](#api-ref-cache)
- [generate()](#api-ref-generate)
- [init()](#api-ref-init)
- [install()](#api-ref-install)
- [load()](#api-ref-load)
- [run()](#api-ref-run)
- [search()](#api-ref-search)
- [test()](#api-ref-test)
- [update()](#api-ref-update)
- [validate()](#api-ref-validate)
## build([opts])
Builds your project.
## Options
| Name
| Type |
| `force` |
boolean |
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.build({ force: true });
```
## generate([opts])
Generates your project's files.
### Options
| Name
| Type |
| `force` |
boolean |
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.generate({ force: true });
```
## init([opts])
Initializes your project.
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.init({
name: 'My App',
description: 'This is my app.'
});
```
## install([opts])
Installs a module.
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.install({
'crystal/readme': '~0.2.2'
});
```
## load([opts])
Loads your project's configuration.
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode;
project.load('/path/to/project');
```
## run([opts])
Runs your project.
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.run({ force: true });
```
## search([opts])
Search for modules.
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.search({ keywords: 'laravel' });
```
## test([opts])
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.test();
```
Test your project.
## update([opts])
Updates your project.
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.update();
```
## validate()
Validates your project.
### Example
```js
var project = new Autocode('/path/to/project');
project.validate();
```
# Official Documentation
View Crystal's Official Documentation here:
[https://crystal.readme.io](https://crystal.readme.io)
# Live Editor
Use Crystal Editor to try Crystal online:
[https://crystal.sh/editor](https://crystal.sh/editor)
# Top 10 Features
(1) Crystal unifies all technologies with a standardized input written in YAML, JSON, CSON and/or XML.
(2) Crystal generates code for:
- Any application: APIs, Apps, Websites, Frontends, Backends + more
- Any language: JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, Python, Swift, Java + more
- Any framework: Express, Hapi, Laravel, Yii, Rails, Sinatra, Django + more
- Any platform: Twitter, Facebook, Mailchimp, Pinterest, Google + more
- Any runtime/server: Node.js, Apache, Nginx, HAPROXY + more
- Any CMS: Wordpress, Drupal, Joomla, Plone, Keystone + more
- Any datastore: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB, DynamoDB + more
- Any file: README, LICENSE, AUTHORS, HOSTS + more
- ...and any other software!!
(3) Crystal is made up of 8 elements that make code generation more flexible and powerful than ever before:
- [Specifications](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/specifications)
- [Schematics](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/schematics)
- [Generators](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/generators)
- [Engines](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/engines)
- [Helpers](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/helpers)
- [Processors](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/processors)
- [Transformers](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/transformers)
- [Injectors](https://crystal.readme.io/v0.8/docs/injectors)
(4) Crystal is meant to be used on an ongoing basis - beyond project creation and scaffolding.
(5) Crystal has its own registry (the [Crystal Hub](https://hub.crystal.sh)) and package manager built-in which makes it easy to search, install and update modules.
(6) All of Crystal's elements can be modularized and published to the Crystal Hub for you or others to use.
(7) You can use multiple modules together such as a:
- README generator for documentation
- MIT generator for licensing
- Composer generator for frontend dependencies
- Bower generator for backend dependencies
- Laravel generator for business logic
- Ember generator for UI
(8) You can add/remove modules to/from a project at anytime.
(9) To prevent vendor lock-in and becoming dependent of Crystal, it's kept in its own directory: `.autocode/`. If you wish to no longer use Crystal, simply delete this directory and continue using the generated code (and making changes) without Crystal.
(10) Crystal makes language integration and/or migration easier.