# Methods

This page lists all the methods available on the `ray()` function in PHP.

## Available methods

| Call | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `ray($variable)` | Display a string, array or object |
| `ray($variable, $another, …)` | Ray accepts multiple arguments |
| `ray()->backtrace()` | Check entire backtrace |
| `ray(…)->blue()` | Output in blue |
| `ray()->caller()` | Discover where code is being called |
| `ray()->carbon($carbon)` | Send `Carbon` instances to Ray |
| `ray($callable)->catch([$callable, $classname, …])` | Handle any exceptions encountered by `try` |
| `ray()->className($object)` | Send the classname of an object to Ray |
| `ray()->clearScreen()` | Clear current screen |
| `ray()->clearAll()` | Clear current and all previous screens |
| `ray()->confetti()` | Shoot confetti in the current screen. |
| `ray()->count()` | Count how many times a piece of code is called |
| `ray()->counterValue(name)` | Return the value of a named counter |
| `ray(…)->die()` or `rd(…)` | Stop the PHP process |
| `ray()->disable()` | Disable sending stuff to Ray |
| `ray()->disabled()` | Check if Ray is disabled |
| `ray()->enable()` | Enable sending stuff to Ray |
| `ray()->enabled()` | Check if Ray is enabled |
| `ray()->exception($e)` | Display information about an Exception |
| `ray()->file($path)` | Display contents of a file |
| `ray(…)->gray()` | Output in gray |
| `ray(…)->green()` | Output in green |
| `ray(…)->hide()` | Display something in Ray and make it collapse immediately |
| `ray()->hideApp()` | Hide the app |
| `ray()->html($html)` | Render a piece of HTML |
| `ray()->image($path)` | Display an image from a path or URL |
| `ray()->if(true, callback)` | Conditionally show things based on a truthy value or callable |
| `ray()->invade(object)->privateProperty` | Display the value of a private property or the result of a private method |
| `ray()->json($json, $another, …)` | Send one or more valid JSON strings to Ray |
| `ray(…)->label($name)` | Set the label name |
| `ray(…)->large()` | Output text bigger |
| `ray()->limit(N)->…` | Limit the number of payloads that can be sent to Ray to N; used for debugging within loops |
| `ray()->link($url, $label = null)` | Display a clickable URL in Ray |
| `ray()->measure()` | Display runtime and memory usage. When measure is called again, the time between this and previous call is also displayed |
| `ray()->newScreen()` | Start a new screen |
| `ray()->newScreen('title')` | Start a new named screen |
| `ray(…)->notify($message)` | Display a notification |
| `ray()->once($arg1, …)` | Only send a payload once when in a loop |
| `ray(…)->orange()` | Output in orange |
| `ray(…)->pass($variable)` | Display something in Ray and return the value instead of a Ray instance |
| `ray()->pause()` | Pause execution |
| `ray()->phpinfo()` | Display PHP info |
| `ray()->phpinfo($key, $another, …)` | Display specific parts of PHP info |
| `ray(…)->purple()` | Output in purple |
| `ray()->rateLimiter()->max(int $maxCalls)` | Limits the amount of calls sent to Ray |
| `ray()->rateLimiter()->perSecond($maxCalls)` | Limits the amount of calls sent to Ray in a second |
| `ray()->rateLimiter()->clear()` | Clears the rate limits |
| `ray()->raw($value)` | Send raw output of a value to Ray without fancy formatting |
| `ray(…)->red()` | Output in red |
| `ray()->separator()` | Add a visual separator |
| `ray()->showApp()` | Bring the app to the foreground |
| `ray(…)->small()` | Output text smaller |
| `ray()->table($array, $label)` | Format an associative array with optional label |
| `ray()->text($string)` | Display the raw text for a string while preserving whitespace formatting |
| `ray()->toJson($variable, $another, … )` | Display the JSON representation of 1 or more values that can be converted |
| `ray()->trace()` | Check entire backtrace |
| `ray()->url($url, $label = null)` | Display a clickable URL in Ray |
| `ray()->xml($xmlString)` | Display formatted XML in Ray |

## Methods applied to Ray instances

Create a Ray instance by moving it to a variable, e.g. `$ray = ray('Hello')`.

| Call | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `$ray->large()` | Update the size of a Ray instance. Use `large()` or `small()`. |
| `$ray->red()` | Update the color of a Ray instance. Use `green()`, `yellow()`, `red()`, `blue()`, `purple()` or `gray().` |
| `$ray->remove()` | Remove the Ray instance from the window. |
| `$ray->removeIf(true)` | Conditionally remove an item based on a truthy value or callable |
| `$ray->removeWhen(true)` | Conditionally remove an item based on a truthy value or callable |
| `$ray->send()` | Update the content of a Ray instance |

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