Tonto
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Quickstart

Install Tonto, create a project, validate it, and generate output.

This guide creates a small Tonto project and runs the common validation and generation commands.

Prerequisites

  • Node.js 20.17.0 or newer for the current Tonto packages and Next.js documentation site.
  • npm 7.7.0 or newer.
  • Visual Studio Code if you want the editor extension.

1. Install the tools

Install the VS Code extension from the Marketplace:

Lenke.tonto

Install the CLI and package manager when you want terminal workflows:

npm install -g tonto-cli
npm install -g tpm

2. Create a project

Use the CLI project initializer:

tonto-cli init

The initializer asks for project metadata, guidance target, and template. It creates a project folder with tonto.json, src/, guidance files, ignore files, and starter .tonto sources.

You can also create a minimal project manually:

mkdir university-model
cd university-model
mkdir src

Create tonto.json:

{
  "projectName": "university-model",
  "displayName": "University Model",
  "publisher": "example",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "license": "MIT",
  "dependencies": {},
  "outFolder": "out",
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Your Name"
    }
  ]
}

Create src/main.tonto:

package university

kind Person {
  name: string [1]
}

role Student specializes Person
kind University {
  @componentOf [1] <>-- enrolls -- [0..*] Student
}

3. Validate

Run local validation:

tonto-cli validate .

Add OntoUML API validation when you want server-side checks too:

tonto-cli validate . --with-api

4. Generate JSON

Generate OntoUML JSON into the manifest outFolder:

tonto-cli generate .

Use -d or --destination when you want a custom output directory:

tonto-cli generate . --destination generated

5. Generate diagrams or gUFO

Generate PlantUML:

tonto-cli plantuml .
tonto-cli plantuml . --per-package
tonto-cli plantuml . --layout left-to-right

Transform to gUFO Turtle:

tonto-cli transform .

6. Open in VS Code

Open the project folder in VS Code. The extension activates when it sees a tonto.json file or a Tonto source. It provides syntax highlighting, completion, validation, commands, and diagram views.

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