JavaInspect - Utility to visualize java software
-Table of Contents
--
-
- 1. General -
- 2. Example graphs -
- 3. Usage
-
-
-
- 3.1. example 1: individually picked objects -
- 3.2. example 2: scan java code, apply filters -
- 3.3. example 3: GraphViz embedded in another project +
- This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify +it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as +published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the +License, or (at your option) any later version. + + +
- Program authors:
+
-
+
- Svjatoslav Agejenko
+
-
+
- Homepage: https://svjatoslav.eu + +
- Email: mailto://svjatoslav@svjatoslav.eu + +
- Other software projects hosted at svjatoslav.eu + +
+
+ - Tony Bargnesi
+
-
+
- GitHub fork for the project: +https://github.com/abargnesi/javainspect + +
- - Svjatoslav Agejenko
+
- 4. Embedding JavaInspect in your Maven project -
- 5. Requirements -
- 6. TO DO
- download latest snapshot +
- Download latest snapshot in TAR GZ format + -
- This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify -it under the terms of version 3 of the GNU Lesser General Public -License or later as published by the Free Software Foundation. +
- Browse Git repository online + -
- Program author:
-
-
-
- Svjatoslav Agejenko -
- Homepage: http://svjatoslav.eu/ -
- Email: mailto://svjatoslav@svjatoslav.eu/ -
+ - Clone Git repository using command:
+
+git clone https://www2.svjatoslav.eu/git/javainspect.git -
- other applications hosted at svjatoslav.eu + +
- Add JavaInspect library in your project as a dependency. -
- Create new Java project for the purpose visualizing your other -projects and include JavaInspect and your projecs binary artifacts -(Jar's) into new project classpath. Built binary Jar's (with no -source code) are sufficient because JavaInspect operates via -reflection. -
- JavaInspect is developed and tested so far only on GNU/Linux. + +
- See: Madge - similar tool for JavaScript + +
-A very simple example: -
+- A very simple example:
-
+
Graph legend:
--+
+
+
+ - Example visualization of Sixth project: architecture graphs. +
- Add JavaInspect library in your project as a dependency. + + +
- Create new Java project for the purpose visualizing your other +projects and include JavaInspect and your projecs binary artifacts +(Jar's) into new project classpath. Built binary Jar's (with no +source code) are sufficient because JavaInspect operates via +reflection. + +
- Create graph object. +
- Create graph object. +
- Java reflection/classloaders does not provide mechanism for
discovering all classes under given package. Therefore you need to
-declare at least some classes to be added to the graph by:
-
-
-
- Manually adding individual classes to the graph. -
- and/or: Let GraphViz recursively scan and parse specified -directories with Java source code files to discover class names. -
- For every class added to the graph, GraphViz will recursively -inspect it and add all referecned classes to the graph as well. -
+declare at least some classes to be added to the graph by manually
+adding individual classes to the graph. For every class added to
+the graph, GraphViz will recursively inspect it and add all
+referecned classes to the graph as well.
+
- Graphs easilly get very big and complex so optionally we filter -important code using classname wildcards patterns based blacklist -and/or whitelist. +important code using classname glob patterns based blacklist and/or +whitelist. +
- Optionally we can tune some rendering parameters like:
- Possibility to remove orphaned classes (classes with no -references) from the graph. +references) from the graph. +
- Specify target directory for generated visualization -files. (Default is user desktop directory) -
- Keep intermediate GraphViz dot file for later inspection. - -
- Render graph. +files. (Default is current directory) + +
- Keep intermediate GraphViz dot file for later inspection. + + + +
- Render graph. +
- Generated DOT file: JavaInspect.dot -
- Generated PNG image: JavaInspect.png -
- Generated PNG image: JavaInspect full project.png +
- Generated DOT file: JavaInspect.dot + +
- Generated PNG image: JavaInspect.png +
- Download project Sixth code snapshot. -
- Inspect and run *DataGraph.java*. +
- Download project Sixth code snapshot. + +
- Inspect and run DataGraph.java. +
- BUG: Should not hide references if there are too many of them to +classes if referring classes are not visible anyway because of +blacklist/whitelist rules. Basically reference counting should +exclude not visible classes. + + +
- BUG: Orphaned class removal does not work always. There are many +bugs and corner cases to find and fix still. + + +
- BUG: Code is not very readable. Document and refactor for better +maintainability. + + +
- FEATURE: Create installable DEB package.
-
-
- BUG: Should not hide references if there are too many of them to classes if -referring classes are not visible anyway because of blacklist/whitelist rules. -Basically reference counting should exclude not visible classes. -
- FEATURE: add dark theme -
- FEATURE: sort Class fields by alphabet -
- FEATURE: visualize also concrete field values so it could be used as -ultra cool runtime logging framework -
- FEATURE: possibility to visualize structure and data from JVM -snapshot -
- FEATURE: possibility to attach to remote process to visualize -data/structure using JVM debug port and mechanism. -
- FEATURE: possibility to attach to JVM using JVM agent -
- FEATURE: possibility to script javainspect behavior -
- FEATURE: possibility to select classes/fields/values to be -visualized in SQL like syntax -
- FEATURE: configurable maven plugin to generate graphs as part of the -project build/release process +
- Submit it to some Debian developer for integration or become +Debian package maintainer. +
+
+ - FEATURE: Make it modular. That is: central part, an application
+model could be standalone and serializable.
+
+
-
+
- There could be multiple ways to acquire model:
+
-
+
- By introspecting application via Java reflections (current mode +of operation). + +
- By parsing java source. (unfinished) + +
+
+ - There could be ways to manipulate model:
+
-
+
- Store/load/compare. + +
- Trim uninteresting parts. + +
- Highlight important parts. + +
+
+ - There could be multiple ways to render model:
+
-
+
- PNG/SVG (currently implemented) + +
- PlantUML (TODO) + +
- Interactive 3D visualization (TODO) + +
+
+
+ - There could be multiple ways to acquire model:
+
- FEATURE: Implement (or integrate existing java parser +https://javaparser.org/) to be able to produce code visualizations +based on source code (in addition to current reflection based +approach). + + +
- FEATURE: Integarte with PlantUML. + + +
- FEATURE: Add dark theme for generated graphs. + + +
- FEATURE: Sort Class fields by alphabet. + + +
- FEATURE: Visualize also concrete field values so it could be used as +ultra cool runtime logging/debugging framework. + + +
- FEATURE: Possibility to visualize structure and data from JVM +snapshot. + + +
- FEATURE: Possibility to attach to remote process to visualize +data/structure using JVM debug port and mechanism. + + +
- FEATURE: Possibility to attach to JVM using JVM agent. + + +
- FEATURE: Possibility to inspect graphs in 3D using Sixth 3D engine. + + +
- FEATURE: Possibility to select classes/fields/values to be +visualized in some graph query language. For greater flexibility in +comparison to currently supported glob syntax. + + +
- FEATURE: Add option to control JavaInspect via JSON or XML config +file. For example different graphs for given project could be +defined once in plain text config, possibly with the aid of some +interactive utility. Then defined graphs could be updated as part of +project build or release process. + + +
- FEATURE: Configurable maven plugin to generate graphs as part of the +project build/release process. + +
+-JavaInspect - Utility to visualize java software
+ ++-1 General
++--
+
+ +++1.1 Source code
+-
-
-1 General
-++-2 Goal and operating principle
+Goal: simplify/speed up understanding the computer program code by automatically visualizing its structure.
-JavaInspect is a Java library that primarily uses Java reflection to -discover and visualize any part of Java program provided that -classes to be visualised are available in the classpath. +See example produced graphs for Sixth 3D - 3D engine project.
-JavaInspect currently has no GUI, configuration files, embedded -scripting support, direct Maven or Ant integration. The only way to -instuct Javainspect what to do is by using its Java API. +JavaInspect can be used as a standalone commandline utility as well as +java library. JavaInspect uses primarily Java built-in reflection to +discover and visualize any part of Java program.
-To get JavaInspect into same classpath with your projecs I so far came -up with 2 solutions: +JavaInspect currently has no GUI, configuration files, embedded +scripting support, direct Maven or Ant integration. See usage to learn +how to instuct Javainspect what to do.
--
-
After discovering application structure and optionally filtering out unimportant parts, JavaInspect produces GraphViz dot file that -describes data to be visualized. Then launches GraphViz to generate -bitmap graph in PNG format. By default on your Desktop directory. +describes data to be visualized. Then launches GraphViz to generate +bitmap graph in PNG or SVG format.
-Note: GraphViz is developed and tested so far only on GNU Linux. +Notes:
+-
+
-2 Example graphs
-++-3 Example graphs
+-
-
-3 Usage
-++4 Usage
+++ ++JavaInspect can be controlled in 2 different ways: +
+ +++4.1 usage as commandline utility
++++To enable commandline support, (study and) execute script: +
++commandline launcher/install + +
+ ++Warning: It was tested only on Debian Stretch linux. +
+-Currently the only way to control JavaInspect is by using Java -API. Simple Java based control/configuration code needs to be written -for each project. I usually put such code into directories devoted for +Available commandline arguments: +
++-j (existing files)…
+
+ JAR file(s) to render.
+
+-n (mandatory, string)
+ Graph name.
+
+–debug
+ Show debug info.
+
+-k
+ Keep dot file.
+
+-h
+ Hide orphaned classes.
+
+-w (one to many strings)…
+ Whitelist glob(s).
+
+-b (one to many strings)…
+ Blacklist glob(s).
+
+-d (existingdirectory)
+ Target directory. Default is current directory.
+
+-t (options: png, svg)
+ Target image type. Default is: svg.
++4.2 usage via Java API
++-+Requires that classes to be visualised are available in the classpath. +
+ ++To get JavaInspect into same classpath with your projecs I so far came +up with 2 solutions: +
+ +-
+
+Simple Java based control/configuration code needs to be written for +each project. I usually put such code into directories devoted for JUnit tests. Because it needs not to be compiled/embedded into final product or project artifact I'm just willing to visualize.
@@ -273,36 +425,40 @@ product or project artifact I'm just willing to visualize. Control code in general does the following:-
-
-3.1 example 1: individually picked objects
-++- -4.2.1 example 1: individually picked objects
+This example demonstrates generating of class graph from hand picked classes and visualizing GraphViz itself. @@ -310,22 +466,23 @@ classes and visualizing GraphViz itself.
-@@ -334,8 +491,8 @@ Note: if desired, more compact version of the above:// Create graph -final ClassGraph graph = new ClassGraph(); +
// Create graph +final ClassGraph graph = new ClassGraph(); -// Add some random object to the graph. GraphViz will detect Class from -// the object. -graph.add(graph); +// Add some random object to the graph. GraphViz will detect Class from +// the object. +graph.add(graph); -// Also add some random class to the graph. -graph.add(Utils.class); +// Also add some random class to the graph. +graph.add(Utils.class); -// Keep intermediary GraphViz DOT file for reference. -graph.setKeepDotFile(true); +// Keep intermediary GraphViz DOT file for reference. +graph.setKeepDotFile(true); + +// Produce bitmap image titled "JavaInspect.png" to the user Desktop +// directory +graph.generateGraph("JavaInspect"); -// Produce bitmap image titled "JavaInspect.png" to the user Desktop -// directory -graph.generateGraph("JavaInspect");
-@@ -344,72 +501,43 @@ Note: if desired, more compact version of the above: Result:new ClassGraph().add(randomObject, RandomClass.class) - .setKeepDotFile(true).generateGraph("JavaInspect"); +
new ClassGraph().add(randomObject, RandomClass.class) + .setKeepDotFile(true).generateGraph("JavaInspect");
-
-
--3.2 example 2: scan java code, apply filters
--- --// Create graph -final ClassGraph graph = new ClassGraph(); - -// Recursively scan current directory for Java source code and attempt -// to detect class names from there to be added to the graph. -graph.addProject("."); - -// Blacklist example classes from being shown on the graph -graph.blacklistClassPattern("eu.svjatoslav.inspector.java.structure.example.*"); - -// do not show single classes with no relationships on the graph -graph.hideOrphanedClasses(); - -// Produce bitmap image titled "JavaInspect full project.png" to the -// user Desktop directory. -graph.generateGraph("JavaInspect full project"); -
--Result: -
--
-
-+3.3 example 3: GraphViz embedded in another project
-+-+-4.2.2 example 2: GraphViz embedded in another project
+-
-
--4 Embedding JavaInspect in your Maven project
-++++4.2.3 Embedding JavaInspect in your Maven project
+Declare JavaInspect as dependency:
-@@ -419,22 +547,24 @@ Add Maven repository to retrieve artifact from:<dependencies> +
<dependencies> ... - <dependency> - <groupId>eu.svjatoslav</groupId> - <artifactId>javainspect</artifactId> - <version>1.5</version> - </dependency> + <dependency> + <groupId>eu.svjatoslav</groupId> + <artifactId>javainspect</artifactId> + <version>1.7</version> + </dependency> ... -</dependencies> +</dependencies>
-<repositories> +
<repositories> ... - <repository> - <id>svjatoslav.eu</id> - <name>Svjatoslav repository</name> - <url>http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/maven/</url> - </repository> + <repository> + <id>svjatoslav.eu</id> + <name>Svjatoslav repository</name> + <url>http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/maven/</url> + </repository> ... -</repositories> +</repositories>
--5 Requirements
++5 Requirements
GraphViz - shall be installed on the computer. @@ -450,35 +580,167 @@ On Ubuntu/Debian use:
-6 TO DO
+++6 TO DO
++Note: Because this is side project (and I have many of them) I can +only contribute few hours per year at average. Any help is welcome. A +LOT of cool ideas could be implemented. For intstance: +
+ +-
+
+-7 See also
+++Similar or alternative solutions: +
+--Created: 2016-11-09 Wed 12:09
- ++