Package Exports
- method
- method/core
This package does not declare an exports field, so the exports above have been automatically detected and optimized by JSPM instead. If any package subpath is missing, it is recommended to post an issue to the original package (method) to support the "exports" field. If that is not possible, create a JSPM override to customize the exports field for this package.
Readme
method
Library provides an API for defining polymorphic methods that dispatch on the first argument type. This provides a powerful way for decouple abstraction interface definition from an actual implementation per type, without risks of interference with other libraries.
Motivation
- Provide a high-performance, dynamic polymorphism construct as an alternative to existing object methods that does not provides any mechanics for guarding against name conflicts.
- Allow independent extension of types, and implementations of methods on types, by different parties.
Install
npm install method
Use
var Method = require('method')
// Define `isWatchable` method that can be implemented for any type.
var isWatchable = Method()
// If you call it on any object it will
// throw as nothing implements that method yet.
//isWatchable({}) // => Exception: Method is not implemented
// If you define private method on `Object.prototype`
// all objects will inherit it.
Object.prototype[isWatchable] = function() {
return false;
}
isWatchable({}) // => false
// Although `isWatchable` property above will be enumerable and there for
// may damage some assumbtions made by other libraries. There for it's
// recomended to use built-in helpers methods that will define extension
// without breaking assumbtions made by other libraries:
isWatchable.extend(Object, function() { return false })
// There are primitive types in JS that won't inherit methods from Object:
isWatchable(null) // => Exception: Method is not implemented
// One could either implement methods for such types:
isWatchable.extend(null, function() { return false })
isWatchable.extend(undefined, function() { return false })
// Or simply define default implementation:
isWatchable.extend(Method, function() { return false })
// Alternatively default implementation may be provided at creation:
isWatchable = Method(function() { return false })
// Method dispatches on an first argument type. That allows us to create
// new types with an alternative implementations:
function Watchable() {}
isWatchable.extend(Watchable, function() { return true })
// This will make all `Watchable` instances watchable!
isWatchable(new Watchable()) // => true
// Arbitrary objects can also be extended to implement given method. For example
// any object can simply made watchable:
function watchable(object) {
return isWatchable.define(objct, function() { return true })
}
isWatchable(watchable({})) // => true
// Full protocols can be defined with such methods:
var _watchers = Method()
var watchers = Method()
var watch = Method()
var unwatch = Method()
watchers.extend(Watchable, function(target) {
return target[_watchers] || (target[_watchers] = [])
})
watch.extend(Watchable, function(target, watcher) {
var observers = watchers(target)
if (observers.indexOf(watcher) < 0) observers.push(watcher)
return target
})
unwatch.extend(Watchable, function(target, watcher) {
var observers = watchers(target)
var index = observers.indexOf(watcher)
if (observers.indexOf(watcher) >= 0) observers.unshift(watcher)
return target
})
// Define type Port that inherits form Watchable
function Port() {}
Port.prototype = Object.create(Watchable.prototype)
var emit = Method()
emit.extend(Port, function(port, message) {
watchers(port).slice().forEach(function(watcher) {
watcher(message)
})
})
var p = new Port()
watch(p, console.log)
emit(p, 'hello world') // => info: "hello world"