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diff --git a/addon-sdk/source/lib/method/Readme.md b/addon-sdk/source/lib/method/Readme.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..9584c9160 --- /dev/null +++ b/addon-sdk/source/lib/method/Readme.md @@ -0,0 +1,117 @@ +# method + +[![Build Status](https://secure.travis-ci.org/Gozala/method.png)](http://travis-ci.org/Gozala/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 + +```js +var method = require("method") + +// Define `isWatchable` method that can be implemented for any type. +var isWatchable = method("isWatchable") + +// 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.define(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.define(null, function() { return false }) +isWatchable.define(undefined, function() { return false }) + +// Or simply define default implementation: +isWatchable.define(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.define(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.implement(objct, function() { return true }) +} + +isWatchable(watchable({})) // => true + +// Full protocols can be defined with such methods: +var observers = "observers@" + module.filename +var watchers = method("watchers") +var watch = method("watch") +var unwatch = method("unwatch") + +watchers.define(Watchable, function(target) { + return target[observers] || (target[observers] = []) +}) + +watch.define(Watchable, function(target, watcher) { + var observers = watchers(target) + if (observers.indexOf(watcher) < 0) observers.push(watcher) + return target +}) +unwatch.define(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") +emit.define(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" +``` |