spirals, how do they work?

spirals.js

"use strict";

let directions = [[-1,0], [0,1], [1,0], [0,-1]];

function spiral(n) {
  let matrix = [], total = n * n;
  let x = 0, y = 0, val = 1;

  /// initialize matrix
  for (let i = 0; i < n; i++)
    matrix[i] = new Array(n);

  /// get center
  if (n % 2 !== 0)
    x = y = Math.floor(n / 2);
  else {
    x = (n / 2) ;
    y = (n / 2) - 1;
  }

  let path = generatePath(n);

  /// step thru matrix
  for (let step = 1, pindex = 0; step <= total; step++, pindex++) {
    if (val % 10 === 0)
      val = 0;

    matrix[x][y] = val;

    if (pindex < total - 1) {
      x += directions[path[pindex]][0];
      y += directions[path[pindex]][1];
    }
    val += 1;
  }
  return matrix;
}

function generatePath(n) {
  let steps = [],
      path = [],
      count = 0;

  for (let i = 0, val = 1; i <= (n*2-3); i += 2, val++)
    steps[i] = steps[i+1] = val;

  steps[steps.length] = (n - 1); // add a final leg

  steps.forEach((step) => {
    for (let i = 0; i < step; i++) path.push(count); // go for x amount of steps
    count += 1; // make a turn
    if (count % 4 === 0) count = 0; // reset count (only 4 directions)
  });
  return path;
}

let kek = spiral(5);
kek.forEach((row) => { console.log(row); });