@itrocks/plugin

plugin

A structure that allows classes to be extended with new behaviors via plugin.

Installation

npm i @itrocks/plugin

Usage

Creating your Feature Class

• Extend your feature class from HasPlugins.
• Call super(), constructPlugins() and initPlugins() in its constructor.
• If additional initialization phases are needed in your plugins, call initPlugins('initPhase') for each phase.

Example

class Feature extends HasPlugins<Feature>
{
	
	constructor(options: Partial<Options<Feature>> = {})
	{
		super(options)
		this.constructPlugins()
		this.initPlugins()
	}

	do()
	{
		console.log('your feature does something')
	}

}

Creating a plugin

• Extend your plugin class from Plugin.
• implement the constructor() of your plugin.
• implement the init() phase of your plugin.

Example

class FeatureExtension extends Plugin<Feature>
{

	constructor(of: Feature)
	{
		super(of)
		console.log('Your feature has been extended')
	}

	init()
	{
		console.log('FeatureExtension.init()')
	}

}

Overloading functions

A common way to add new features to your orignal feature is by overriding some of its functions during the constructor() phase.

This common AOP design pattern can be implemented very simply:

Example

class FeatureExtension extends Plugin<Feature>
{

	constructor(of: Feature)
	{
		super(of)
		console.log('Your feature has been extended')

		const superDo = this.of.do
		this.of.do    = function() {
			console.log('Your plugin does something before your feature does')
			return superDo.call(this)
		}
	}

}

Be sure to follow the SOLID principles: your override can add features but should not alter the main feature's original behavior.

Instantiating your feature

Choose the options and plugins for each of your feature class instances.

Example

new Feature({ plugins: [FeatureExtension] }).do()

API

HasPlugins

The class your feature class should inherit from.

options

The options property receives the instance options, including the plugin list.

plugins

The plugins property is an object where each property name corresponds to a plugin type name, and the value is the plugin instance associated with your feature.

HasPlugins constructor()

Stores the options passed to your feature's constructor in the options property.

constructPlugins()

Instantiates each plugin listed in options.plugins. The instances are stored in the plugins property.

initPlugins()

Calls init() for each plugin instance stored in the plugins property if it is instantiated.

initPlugins(initFunction = 'init')

Your feature class constructor can call this method with different values for initFunction. The matching functions in your plugins will be called, if they are instantiated.

Options

The options for your feature link an option name to its value.

One specific option is the plugins applied to your feature:

plugins

The plugins property consists of an array of Plugin types you want to apply to your feature.

These plugins will be instantiated during the constructPlugins() phase, and their instances will be stored in the feature's plugins property.

Plugin

The class your plugin classes must extend.

of

The of property stores the main feature object, which extends HasPlugins.

You can access other plugins you depend on through of.plugins once the constructorPlugins() phase is complete, for example, during the init() phase or when executing overloaded functions.

Plugin constructor()

Your plugin can execute code during its constructor phase.

At this stage, not all feature plugins are instantiated, so avoid accessing plugins you may depend on.

init()

Your plugin can execute code during its init phase.

At this stage, all feature plugins are instantiated, so you can access dependencies.