OO.js

A few simple helper methods to help you do object-oriented javascript

Author: Arjan van der Gaag
URL: http://avdgaag.github.com/oo
License: MIT license
Version: 0.1.0

Installation

Simple include the script on your page:

<script src="oo.js"></script>

...or require it in your node.js project:

var OO = require('oo.js');

This library is not yet published as an NPM package, but you can download it manually and install it yourself if you want to using npm install. Once I can think of a better name, I might release it as a package.

Usage example

var Parent = (function() {
    function Parent(foo) {
        this.foo = foo;
        this.getFoo = OO.bind(this, this.getFoo);
    }
    Parent.prototype.getFoo = function() {
        return this.foo;
    };
    return Parent;
})();

var Module = {
    getBar: function() {
        return this.bar;
    }
};

var Child = (function() {
    OO.inherits(Child, Parent);
    OO.include(Child, Module);
    function Child(foo, bar) {
        Child.__super__.constructor.call(this, foo);
        this.bar = bar;
    }
    Child.prototype.getFoo = function() {
        return Child.__super__.getFoo.call(this) + '!';
    };
})();

Use properties like normal, even those that are set using the parent's constructor function:

var c = new Child('a', 'b');
c.foo; // => 'a'
c.bar; // => 'b'

Note how the child object decorates the parent object:

c.getFoo(); // => 'a!'

Also note that a method can be bound to an object:

c.getFoo.call({ foo: 'c' }); // => 'a!'

Finally, we have mixed in a module, so its properties become available:

c.getBar(); // => 'b'

Generics

Publish the current version of the library, should you ever need it at runtime.

OO helper methods

Extend one object with the properties of another.

This essentially mixes in all properties of guest into host, which is not only great for merging hashes but also allowing objects to include modules.

Include a module into this class

This is a variety of extend that works on an objects prototype property rather than the object itself. The following are equivalent:

extend(Host.prototype, Module);
include(Host, Module);

Simulate inheritence of one object (child) from another (parent).

This creates a ghost-class that shares its prototype with the parent, and an instanceof which acts as prototype for the child. This allows the child to share the prototype properties of the parent, without being able to modify them directly (we don't want them to be the same properties).

Furthermore, this extends the child constructor itself with any properties of the parent constructor, and it sets a __super__ property that allows access to the parent functions, enabling the child to decorate its parent's functions.

Bind a function to a particular context.

Being able to dynamically set the execution context of a function using call or apply is really handy, but when your functions are assumed to be method objects, they really need to maintain access to their object's state. Using bind you can force a context on a function.

Example:

var obj = {
  foo: 'bar',
  speak: function() { return this.foo; }
};
obj.speak(); // => 'bar'
obj.speak.call({ foo: 'qux' }) // => 'qux'
obj.speak = bind(obj, obj.speak);
obj.speak.call({ foo: 'qux' }) // => 'bar'

Observable

Observable is a really simple mixin implementing the observer pattern, allowing arbitrary observers to attach themselves to an object and be notified of events that occur in that object.

You can include the Observable behaviour in your own objects by mixing it in:

var obj = {};
OO.extend(obj, OO.Observable);

Or, when using the class pattern, include it in every instance:

var Obj = (function() {
  OO.include(Obj, OO.Observable);

  function Obj() {
  }

  return Obj;
});

Once mixed in, your object can use the trigger function to notify all observers of a particular event -- passing along any extra arguments. Observers can register callback functions for named events using on or remove callback functions using off.

The internal list of callback functions is stored in the _callbacks property.

Bind a callback function to a given event on this object

Example:

var my_callback = function() {
  console.log('The object has been initialized');
};
my_object.on('initialize', my_callback);

Remove a callback function from the list of event handlers of this object.

When not given a particular event name, all observers will be removed. When not given a particular callback function, all callback functions will be removed.

Example:

my_object.off('initialize', my_callback);

Invoke all observers of this object for the given event name

Any extra arguments passed to trigger will be passed on to the callback function.

Example:

var obj = {
  change: function() {
    this.trigger('change', 'Hello, world!');
  }
};
obj.on('change', function(msg) {
  alert(msg);
};

Exporting to gobal object

Make the OO object available on the window object -- the global object when running inside a browser -- or as an export, so you can use it as a CommonJS module.