# Boa Debug Object The `$boa` object contains useful utilities that can be used to debug JavaScript in JavaScript. It's injected into the context as global variable with the `--debug-object` command-line flag, the object is separated into modules. ## Module `$boa.gc` This module contains functions that are related the garbage collector. It currently has the `.collect()` method. ```JavaScript $boa.gc.collect() ``` This force triggers the GC to scan the heap and collect garbage. ## Module `$boa.function` In this module are untility functions related to execution and debugging function. ### Function `$boa.function.bytecode(func)` This function returns the compiled bytecode of a function as a string, ```JavaScript >> function add(x, y) { return x + y } >> $boa.function.bytecode(add) " ------------------------Compiled Output: 'add'------------------------ Location Count Opcode Operands 000000 0000 DefInitArg 0000: 'a' 000005 0001 DefInitArg 0001: 'b' 000010 0002 RestParameterPop 000011 0003 GetName 0000: 'a' 000016 0004 GetName 0001: 'b' 000021 0005 Add 000022 0006 Return 000023 0007 PushUndefined 000024 0008 Return Literals: Bindings: 0000: a 0001: b Functions: " >> ``` ### Function `$boa.function.trace(func, this, ...args)` It only traces the specified function. If the specified function calls other functions, their instructions aren't traced. ```JavaScript >> const add = (a, b) => a + b >> $boa.function.trace(add, undefined, 1, 2) 5μs DefInitArg 0000: 'a' 2 4μs DefInitArg 0001: 'b' 0μs RestParameterPop 3μs GetName 0000: 'a' 1 1μs GetName 0001: 'b' 2 2μs Add 3 1μs Return 3 3 >> ``` The `this` value can be changed as well as the arguments that are passed to the function. ### Function `$boa.function.traceable(func, mode)` Marks a single function as traceable on all future executions of the function. Both useful to mark several functions as traceable and to trace functions that suspend their execution (async functions, generators, async generators). #### Input ```Javascript function* g() { yield 1; yield 2; yield 3; } $boa.function.traceable(g, true); var iter = g(); iter.next(); iter.next(); iter.next(); ``` #### Output ```bash 1μs RestParameterPop 1μs PushUndefined undefined 2μs Yield undefined 4μs GetName 0000: 'a' 1 0μs Yield 1 1μs GeneratorNext undefined 1μs Pop 15μs GetName 0001: 'b' 2 1μs Yield 2 1μs GeneratorNext undefined 1μs Pop 4μs GetName 0002: 'c' 3 1μs Yield 3 ``` ## Function `$boa.function.flowgraph(func, options)` It can be used to get the instruction flowgraph, like the command-line flag. This works on the function level, allows getting the flow graph without quiting the boa shell and adding the specified flags. Besides the function it also takes an argument that, can be a string or an object. If it is a string it represets the flowgraph format, otherwire if it's an object: ```JavaScript // These are the defaults, if not specified. { format: 'mermaid' direction: 'LeftRight' // or 'LR' shorthand. } ``` Example: ```JavaScript $boa.function.flowgraph(func, 'graphviz') $boa.function.flowgraph(func, { format: 'mermaid', direction: 'TopBottom' }) ``` ## Module `$boa.object` Contains utility functions for getting internal information about an object. ## Function `$boa.object.id(object)` This function returns memory address of the given object, as a string. Example: ```JavaScript let o = { x: 10, y: 20 } $boa.object.id(o) // '0x7F5B3251B718' // Geting the address of the $boa object in memory $boa.object.id($boa) // '0x7F5B3251B5D8' ``` ## Module `$boa.optimizer` This modules contains getters and setters for enabling and disabling optimizations. ### Getter & Setter `$boa.optimizer.constantFolding` This is and accessor property on the module, its getter returns `true` if enabled or `false` otherwise. Its setter can be used to enable/disable the constant folding optimization. ```JavaScript $boa.optimizer.constantFolding = true $boa.optimizer.constantFolding // true ``` ### Getter & Setter `$boa.optimizer.statistics` This is and accessor property on the module, its getter returns `true` if enabled or `false` otherwise. Its setter can be used to enable/disable optimization statistics, which are printed to `stdout`. ```JavaScript >> $boa.optimizer.constantFolding = true >> $boa.optimizer.statistics = true >> 1 + 1 Optimizer { constant folding: 1 run(s), 2 pass(es) (1 mutating, 1 checking) } 2 >> ``` ## Module `$boa.realm` This modules contains realm utilities to test cross-realm behaviour. ### `$boa.realm.create` Creates a new realm with a new set of builtins and returns its global object. ```javascript let global = $boa.realm.create(); Object != global.Object; // true ``` ## Module `$boa.shape` This module contains helpful functions for getting information about a shape of an object. ### Function `$boa.shape.id(object)` Returns the pointer of the object's shape in memory as a string encoded in hexadecimal format. ```JavaScript $boa.shape.id(Number) // '0x7FC35A073868' $boa.shape.id({}) // '0x7FC35A046258' ``` ### Function `$boa.shape.type(object)` Returns the object's shape type. ```JavaScript $boa.shape.type({x: 3}) // 'shared' $boa.shape.type(Number) // 'unique' ``` ### Function `$boa.shape.same(o1, o2)` Returns `true` if both objects have the same shape. ```JavaScript // The values of the properties are not important! let o1 = { x: 10 } let o2 = {} $boa.shape.same(o1, o2) // false o2.x = 20 $boa.shape.same(o1, o2) // true o2.y = 200 $boa.shape.same(o1, o2) // false ```