agentia-asset-manager

A lazy dependency-injection framework for Node.js

Installation

agentia-asset-manager is available on npm.

npm install --save agentia-asset-manager

Usage

var AssetManager = require('agentia-asset-manager');
var container = AssetManger.create();
 

Concepts

agentia-asset-manager allows you to create an asset container where you can register assets. Some assets (ie. dependency-injectable function or factory) can require/depend on other assets. Since dependencies are lazily resolved, assets can be registered in any order, so long as all required dependencies are registered prior to asset resolution.

Within agentia-asset-manager there are four (4) times assets that can be registered:

Asset Type	Description
function	This can be either a dependecy-injectable function (factory) or a simple non-injenctable function. This is determined by the injectable parameter during asset registration.
module	Any requirable Node.js module. If the module returns a function, it can also be treated as a factory or a simple function (see function above.) If the module returns anything other than a function, it will be registered as a instance (see below).
hash	Any object hash, the properties of which will be treated and registered as individually registered. If the property is a function it be treated as a function asset (see explanation above), otherwise it will be treated as an instance asset (see explanation below).
instance	Anything other than what is listed above (ie. string, number, date, array or object). Objects registered as an instance will be registered as a single asset, unlike a hash which will register every property as a distinct asset.

NOTE: Simple (non-injectable) function assets will always resolve to the actual function, where as factory (injectable) function assets will be injected with their required dependencies prior to resolution, will always resolve to their returned value.

Static API

.create()

Create a new AssetManager container instance

AssetManager.create([compatibility])

param	type	description	default
compatibility	boolean	Determines whether compatibility methods will also be added	false

Example

var instanceA = AssetManager.create(); // <-- without compatibility methods
var instanceB = AssetManager.create(true); // <-- with compatiblity methods

.mixin()

Add AssetManager functionality to an existing object

AssetManager.mixin(instance,[compatibility])

param	type	description	default
instance	object	Object instance onto which AssetManager functionality will be added	none
compatibility	boolean	Determines whether compatibility methods will also be added	false

Example

var instance = {
  fnA: function() {},
  fnB: function() {},
  key: 'value'
};
 
AssetManager.mixin(instance); // <-- without compatibility methods
 
// --- OR ---
 
AssetManager.mixin(instance, true); // <-- with compatibility methods

.attach()

Attach AssetManager functionality to an existing class

AssetManager.attach(class,[compatibility])

param	type	description	default
class	function	Class onto which AssetManager functionality will be added	none
compatibility	boolean	Determines whether compatibility methods will also be added	false

Example

function MyClass() {
  this.__key = 'value';
  return this;
}
MyClass.prototype.fnA = function() {};
MyClass.prototype.fnB = function() {};
 
AssetManager.attach(MyClass); // <-- without compatibility methods
 
// --- OR ---
 
AssetManager.attach(MyClass); // <-- with compatibility methods

Core API

.registerFunction()

Used to register a function asset.

container.registerFunction(id, fn[, injectable]);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none
fn	function	Function to be registered as an asset	none
injectable	boolean	When true, the asset will be treated as a factory, otherwise it will be treated as a simple function	false

Example

var fn = function(a, b) {
  return a + b;
};
 
// register as a dependency injectable factory
container.registerFunction('myFactory', fn, true);
 
// register as a non-injectable function
container.registerFunction('myFunction', fn, false);

.registerHash()

Used to register a hash asset.

container.registerHash(hash[, injectable]);

param	type	description	default
hash	object	An object hash, the properties of which will all be individually registered as assets.	none
injectable (optional)	boolean	When true, the asset will be treated as a factory, otherwise it will be treated as a simple function	false

NOTE: injectable is applicable to object property that return a function. It will be ignored for all other properties.

Example

var hash = {
  assetA: 'string',
  assetB: 12345,
  assetC: {
    key1: 'value1',
    key2: 'value2'
  },
  assetD: function(a, b) {
    return a + b;
  }
};
 
container.registerHash(hash, true); // <-- with di enabled
// assetA --> registered as `instance` assets
// assetB --> registered as `instance` assets
// assetC --> registered as `instance` assets
// assetD --> registered as a factory `function` asset
 
container.registerHash(fn, false); // <-- with di disabled
// assetA --> registered as `instance` assets
// assetB --> registered as `instance` assets
// assetC --> registered as `instance` assets
// assetD --> registered as a simple `function` asset

.registerModule()

Registers any Node.js requirable module as an asset. If it can be required using require() it can be registered using .registerModule().

container.registerModule([id,] module[, injectable]);

param	type	description	default
id (optional)	string	Used to identify the registered the asset. When not specified, the module name (or its basename if it is path to a file), will be converted to camel case and used as the id	none
module	string	Path to module to be registered	none
injectable (optional)	boolean	When true, the asset will be treated as a factory, otherwise it will be treated as a simple function.	false

NOTE: injectable is applicable when the registered module returns a function. It will otherwise be ignored.

Example

// register as a dependency injectable module
var pathToModuleA = require.resole('./path/to/my/module');
container.registerModule('moduleA', pathToModuleA, true);
 
// register as a non-injectable function
container.registerModule('moduleB', 'npm-module', false);
 
var pathToModuleC = require.resolve('./path/to/my/my-fancy-module');
container.registerModule(pathToModuleC); // <-- will use myFancyModule as the asset id
 
// register as a non-injectable function
container.registerModule('npm-module'); // <-- will use npmModule as the asset id

NOTE: You should typically (if not always) turn off dependency injection, when registering an NPM module.

.registerInstance()

Register any string, number, date, array, or object as an instance asset.

container.registerInstance(id, instance);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none
instance	any	Asset to be registered. Can be a string, number, date, array, or object.	none

Example

container.registerInstance('a', 'string');
container.registerInstance('b', 12345678);
container.registerInstance('c', new Date());
container.registerInstance('d', { key: 'value' });
container.registerInstance('e', ['value1', 'value2']);

.registerFiles()

Searches for any .js files in a folder and registers each as a module .

container.registerFiles(pattern[, injectable);

param	type	description	default
pattern	string	A glob pattern string specifying files to register	none
injectable (optional)	boolean	When true, the asset will be treated as a factory, otherwise it will be treated as a simple function.	false

Example

var pathToFolder = path.join(__dirname, './path/to/folder')
container.registerFiles(pathToFolder, true); // <-- will treat exported functions as factories

.inject()

Inejcts a function with dependencies and returns its value. F

container.inject(ifn[, overrides][, context]);

param	type	description	default
fn	function	Function to inject with dependencies and resolve.	none
overrides (optional)	object	Optional object hash providing values with which to override dependencies	none
context (optional)	object	Optional object that will be used as a context when resolving the asset, when the asset is a factory	none

var fn1 = function(a, b) {
  return a + b;
};
 
var fn2 = function(a, b) {
  return a + b + this.c;
};
 
// register assets
container.registerInstance('a', 5);             // <-- instance asset
container.registerInstance('b', 10);            // <-- instance asset
var
 
// resolve assets
var result = container.inject(fn1); // <-- resolved to 15
var withOverride = container.inject(fn1, { a: 1, b: 2}); // <-- resolves to 3
var withContext = container.inject(fn2, { a: 1, b: 2}, { c: 3 }); // <-- resolves to 6

.resolve()

Resolve a registered asset. For dependency-injectable factories (functions and modules), it resolves all it's dependencies before calling the factory function, resolving to it's return value. All other assets are returned "as-is".

container.resolve(id[, overrides][, context]);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none
overrides (optional)	object	Optional object hash providing values with which to override dependencies	none
context (optional)	object	Optional object that will be used as a context when resolving the asset, when the asset is a factory	none

var fn1 = function(a, b) {
  return a + b;
};
 
var fn2 = function(a, b, sum) {
  return a * b + sum;
};
 
// register assets
container.registerFunction('sum', fn, true);    // <-- factory asset
container.registerInstance('a', 5);             // <-- instance asset
container.registerInstance('b', 10);            // <-- instance asset
container.registerFunction('fn1', fn1, false);  // <-- simple function asset
 
// resolve assets
var resultA = container.resolve('a');     // <-- resolves to 5
var resultB = container.resolve('b');     // <-- resolves to 10
var resultSum = container.resolve('sum'); // <-- resolved to 15
var resultFn1 = container.resolve('fn1'); // <-- resolve to function "fn"
var resultFn2 = container.resolve(fn2);   // <-- resolves to 65
var override = container.resolve(fn1, { a: 1, b: 2}); // <-- resolves to 3

Helpers

.isRegistered()

Determines if an asset is registered.

container.isRegisterd(id);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none

Example

container.registerInstance('id', 'data');
if (container.isRegisted('id')) {
  doSomething();
}

.isInjectable()

Determines if an asset is a dependency-injectable factory.

container.isInjectable(id);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none

Example

var fn = function(a, b) {
  returns a + b;
};
container.registerInstance('factory', fn, true);
if (container.isInjectable('factory')) {
  doSomething();
}

.isInstance()

Determines if an asset is an instance.

container.isInstance(id);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none

Example

container.registerInstance('id', 'data');
if (container.isInstance('id')) {
  doSomething();
}

.isFunction()

Determines if an asset is a function. It returns true for both factories and non-injectable functions.

container.isFunction(id);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none

Example

var fn = function(a, b) {
  returns a + b;
};
container.isFunction('myFunction', fn);
if (container.isFunction('myFunction')) {
  doSomething();
}

.isModule()

Determines if an asset is module.

container.isModule(id);

param	type	description	default
id	string	Used to identify the registered the asset.	none

Example

container.registerModule('module', 'npm-module');
if (container.isModule('module')) {
  doSomething();
}

Compatibility API

The following API was include solely to maintain compatibility with dependable. These methods may be deprecated in future versions.

WARNING: I DO NOT guarantee that these methods are IDENTICAL to their dependable counterparts. They are only provided to ease the transition from dependable to agentia-asset-manager. If you're a dependable consumer, I suggest you transition to our core API as soon as possible.

.register()

Register assets. This is functionally equivalent to the .register() method in dependable.

Note: .register() as dependency-injection enabled by default, to mimic it behavior in dependable

container.register(id, fn);
container.register(id, value);
container.register(hash);

When called with	Functionally equivalent to
.register(id, fn)	container.registerFunction(id, fn, true).
.register(id, value)	container.registerInstance(id, instance)
.register(hash)	container.registerHash(hash, true)

.get()

Returns a resolve asset by id.

container.get(id[, overrides]);

This method is functionally equivalent to container.resolve(id[, overrides]);.

.load()

Registers a file, or all the files in a folder.

Note: .load() as dependency-injection enabled by default, to mimic it behavior in dependable

container.load(file|pattern);

When called with	Functionally equivalent to
.load(file)	container.registerModule('file', 'file', true).
.load(folder)	container.registerFiles(path.join(folder, '*.js'), true))

Attributions

agentia-asset-manager is loosely based, and greatly inspired by dependable.

dependable
Copyright (c) 2013 [i.TV LLC][idottv-url]
https://github.com/idottv/dependable

Since the dependable project appears to be abandoned, I've decided to make the initial version of agentia-asset-manager backwards compatible (as much as possible) with the last version of dependable. This way existing dependable consumers can easily transition to agentia-asset-manager.

License

agentia-asset-manager is free and open source under the MIT License.

Copyright (c) 2015 Johnny Estilles, http://www.agentia.asia

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the 'Software'), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED 'AS IS', WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

[idottv-url]: https://github.com/idottv)