best-practices.md

Current "Best Practice" Conventions

• ES6 class rather than ES5 to create class.
• CSS declaration using csjs-inject.
• CSS files:

 if the CSS section of an UI component is too important, CSS declarations should be put in a different file and in a different folder.

The folder should be named styles and the file should be named with the extension -styles.css.

 e.g: file-explorer.js being an UI component file-explorer-styles.css is created in the styles folder right under file-explorer.js

if the CSS section of an UI component is rather limited it is preferable to put it in the corresponding JS file.

• HTML declaration using yo-yo.

• opt is an input parameter, it contains the api and event object.

• self._api = opts.api opts.api is an object which contains functions/features that the module needs.

• opts.events contains events manager the module will listen on.

• A module trigger events using event property:  self.event = new EventManager(). Events can then be triggered:  self.event.trigger('eventName', [param1, param2])

• self._view is the HTML view renderered by yo-yo in the render function.

• render() this function should be called:

  • At the first rendering (make sure that the returned node element is put on the DOM).

  • When some property has changed in order to update the view.

• self.state contains state properties of the module. These properties are either given from the parent through òpts or   computed during the life of the object.

• update(state) allow the parent to easily update some of the state properties.

• for all functions / properties, prefixing by underscore (_) means the scope is private.

• look them up, discuss them, update them.    

Module Definition (example)

// user-card.js
var yo = require('yo-yo')
var csjs = require('csjs-inject')
var EventManager = require('remix-lib').EventManager

var css = csjs`
  .userCard        {
    position       : relative;
    box-sizing     : border-box;
    display        : flex;
    flex-direction : column;
    align-items    : center;
    border         : 1px solid black;
    width          : 400px;
    padding        : 50px;  
  }
  .clearFunds { background-color: lightblue; }
`

class UserCard {
  constructor (opts = {}) {
    var self = this

    self.event = new EventManager()
    self._api = opts.api
    self._view = undefined
    self.state = {
      title: opts.title,
      name: opts.name,
      surname: opts.surname,
      totalSpend: 0,
      _nickname: opts.nickname,
      _funds: self._api.getUserFunds()
    }
    var events = opts.events

    events.funds.register('fundsChanged', function (amount) {
      if (amount < self.state._funds) self.state.totalSpend += self.state._funds - amount
      self.state._funds = amount
      self.render()
    })
    self.event.trigger('eventName', [param1, param2])
  }
  render () {
    var self = this
    var el = yo`
      <div class=${css.userCard}>
        <h1> @${self.state._nickname} </h1>
        <h2> Welcome, ${self.state.title || ''} ${self.state.name || 'anonymous'} ${self.state.surname} </h2>
        <ul> <li> User Funds: $${self.state._funds} </li> </ul>
        <ul> <li> Spent Funds: $${self.state.totalSpend} </li> </ul>
        <button class=${css.clearFunds} onclick=${e=>self._spendAll.call(self, e)}> spend all funds </button>
      </div>
    `
    if (self._view) yo.update(self._view, el)
    else self._view = el
    return self._view
  }
  update (state = {}) {
    var self = this
    if (!self._view) self._constraint('first initialize view by calling `.render()`')
    if (state.hasOwnProperty('title')) self.state.title = state.title
    if (state.hasOwnProperty('name')) self.state.name = state.name
    if (state.hasOwnProperty('surname')) self.state.surname = state.surname
    self.render()
  }
  getNickname () {
    var self = this
    return `@${self.state._nickname}`
  }
  getFullName () {
    var self = this
    return `${self.state.title} ${self.state.name} ${self.state.surname}`
  }
  _spendAll (event) {
    var self = this
    self._appAPI.clearUserFunds()
  }
  _constraint (msg) { throw new Error(msg) }
}

module.exports = UserCard

Module Usage (example)

/*****************************************************************************/
// 1. SETUP CONTEXT
var EventManager = require('remix-lib').EventManager
var funds = { event: new EventManager() }
var userfunds = 15
function getUserFunds () { return userfunds }
function clearUserFunds () {
  var spent = userfunds
  userfunds = 0
  console.log(`all funds of ${usercard.getFullName()} were spent.`)
  funds.event.trigger('fundsChanged', [userfunds])
  return spent
}
setInterval(function () {
  userfunds++
  funds.event.trigger('fundsChanged', [userfunds])
}, 100)

/*****************************************************************************/
// 2. EXAMPLE USAGE
var UserCard = require('./user-card')

var usercard = new UserCard({
  api: { getUserFunds, clearUserFunds },
  events: { funds: funds.event },
  title: 'Dr.',
  name: 'John',
  surname: 'Doe',
  nickname: 'johndoe99'
})

var el = usercard.render()
document.body.appendChild(el)
setTimeout(function () { usercard.update({ title: 'Prof.' }) }, 5000)