Introduction to CyanPrint Development

CyanPrint is a template-based project generator with four extensible components called artifacts.

The Four Artifacts

Templates

Templates are the primary artifact that users interact with. They:

• Define the questions to ask users
• Specify which processors to use for file transformations
• Configure plugins for post-processing

Processors

Processors handle file transformation. They:

• Read files from the template
• Apply custom file transformations based on configuration
• Write processed files to the output directory

Resolvers

Resolvers handle file conflicts when composing multiple templates. They:

• Receive multiple versions of the same file from different template layers
• Merge or resolve conflicting content
• Return a single unified output for each file

Resolver Execution Points:

Resolvers execute in two places:

1. After processors - Server-side resolution during template execution
2. On client-side during layering:
   • Vertical layering: Dependency resolution between templates
   • Horizontal layering: Merging across multiple templates

Plugins

Plugins run after files are generated. The SDK provides the interface contract - common implementation examples include:

• Executing shell commands
• Modifying file permissions
• Initializing git repositories
• Installing dependencies

How They Work Together

1. Template collects user input and generates a Cyan configuration
2. Processor transforms template files using the configuration
3. Resolver merges conflicting files from layered templates (optional)
4. Plugin applies final touches to the generated project

Choose Your Path