getting_started.md

Getting started

In this short tutorial, we'll create a new project in a copy-paste manner, and launch NoColor on it.

Step 0 — install NoColor if you haven't

Installation. The easiest way is just to download a ready binary.

Step 1 — create a folder with index.php

Create a folder testcolors:

mkdir testcolors
cd testcolors

Create a file index.php inside it:

<?php

class ApiRequestHandler {
  /**
   * We want this function to be as fast as possible
   * Let's assume that "fast" functions are green
   * @color green
   */
  function handleRequest() {
    $logger = new Logger;
    $logger->debug('Processing request');
  }
}

class Logger {
  function debug(string $msg) {
    DBLayer::instance()->addToLogTable([
      'time'    => time(),
      'message' => $msg,
    ]);
  }
}

class DBLayer {
  static public function instance() {
    return new DBLayer;
  }

  /**
   * We know this function is slow due to DB insertion
   * Let's assume that "slow" functions are red
   * @color red
   */
  function addToLogTable(array $kvMap) {
    // suppose we insert to DB here
  }
}

Look closer to this file: handleRequest() calls debug(), which calls addToLogTable().

We also have green and red colors marking two functions using the @color PHPDoc tag.

Step 2 – nocolor init

Just run

nocolor init

This command will create the palette.yaml file with default contents. Those default contents is a starter, to do by analogy with. In particular, it contains a rule for green and red colors, that's why this demo works.

Step 3 — nocolor check

Just run

nocolor check

This will lead to an error:

Why did this error appear? Examine the code in index.php, and you'll see that the green handleRequest() implicitly calls the red appendLogToTable(), which is forbidden by this rule in palette.yaml:

green red: calling red from green is prohibited

NoColor has found this call chain and has shown exactly the same it was asked about.

Step 4 — further reading

Proceed to the next page — Introducing colors.

While reading, you will be hinted to modify index.php several times, so keep it as a live demo.

Step 5 — console options, etc.

They can be found in the Configuration page.