MODULE helps me write robust, configrable JS libraries declaratively. I incorporate any best practices for library and module creation that I find here, rather than leaving delicate, magical code in every library I write.
Here's an example of how you can can use MODULE:
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### awesome_tools.js ###
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/*
* My Awesome Tools
* by Fabulous McGee
*/
MODULE('awesomeTools', {
// Define your module's default configuration here.
// you can specify any other settings you like, and the user may override them elsewhere
option1: 'blue',
option2: 100,
exposeLocals: false,
// the attachTo property is handled specially by MODULE
// if set to object, your module will be attached to that object
// if set to a string, the string will be interpreted as a path
// from global scope where the parent object can be found
// By default, it is attached to the global object
// In this example, awesome_tools will act as a jQuery plugin
attachTo: 'jQuery'
}, function(moduleConfig){
// This anonymous function scope provides you a local namespace that will not pollute the global one
var a=1, b=2, c=3;
// However, to help manage private local variables, MODULE also provides a _VARS function
// Putting things here rather than declaring them with as var statments allows turnkey
// debugging access to sensitive data as well as important properties that you would
// like to keep hidden because they are simply unsupported by your API
var _ = _VARS({
secretSauce: 'peanutButter',
});
// You can now define your module's public interface
// The methods of this object will have privilaged scope access to this anonymous function
var myModule = {
handyTool: function(){},
usefulWidget: function(){
// You can easily access your private variables using the "_." notation:
return someRPC(_.secretSauce);
}
}
// if you would like to provide access to the local variables, you can do so by augmenting the module with your _ object
// in this example, such behavior has been parameterized, to allow the original importer of the module exclusive control of this feature
if(moduleConfig.exposeLocals){
myModule._ = _;
}
// the result returned from this function will be added the value at moduleConfig.attachTo[ moduleconfig.key || 'awesomeTools' ]
return result;
});
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### elsewhere/awesome_tools.config.js ###
-----------------------------------------
// Your module can be configured by the user without editing your source code, simply by calling MODULE.configure()
// any settings provided here will mask the ones defined in the call to MODULE() at the top of awesome_tools.js
MODULE.configure('awesomeTools', {
option1: 'red',
option2: 26
});
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TODO
- add tests
- add support for dependencies