boomjs

A javascript loader and manager

Glossary

CLOSUSRE-MODULE - It's a piece of code isolation by closures that created by Boom.add method. The syntax is almost the same as YUI:

Boom.add('closure-module-name', function(instance) {
	// define module code ...
	// return module
}, {requires: ['other-module']});

The argument instance is the Boom or its instance which called .use method to use the module in code.

FILE-MODULE - just a javascript file(or css). Sometimes, a file-module can include one or more closure-module, otherwise just javascript code, e.g. mootools.js or underscore.js. You can add a file-module by Boom.add method too:

Boom.add('file-module-name', {
	path: '/xx.js',
	mods: ['closure-module-1', 'closure-module-2'],
	requires: ['other-module']
});

In this code, path is required, the others is optional . If the file-module includes some closure-module, set mods will make more benefits, in fact, the builder tool can set it automatically. When the file-module depend on other module you can set requires, but it's not necessary because of that when you use some module it will execute orderly one by one.

MODULE - means a closure-module or file-module.

Use Modules

As mentioned above, you know kind of modules and how add it, now we use it by .use method:

Boom.use('closure-module-name', 'or file-module-name or', 
	'just a url of file-module', function(instance) {

	// callback function
});

You can use a module by it's name or a url of file-module, Boomjs will calculate module dependence, then load it(some situlations load them parallelly, otherwise one by one) and exectute orderly.

Tricks

• Use moudles by url directly is more convenient sometimes. for example:

  // don't worry execution order.
  Boom.use('/workspace/jquery.js', '/workspace/jquery.plugin.js',
  	function(instance) {
  	// use the jquery plugin.
  });
  

• If you add many file-module, and them in one directory, you can do it like this:

  Boom.config({
  	'base': '/directory/workspace/'
  });
  
  // the file's path is  /directory/workspace/one.js
  Boom.add('file-module', {
  	'path': 'one.js'
  })
  

• Use Bomb can build project by boomjs automaticly.

Style Guide

• If closure-module created a object, the module name should be the same as object name and it like this: namespace.object ,namespace.ClassObject, object or ClassObject.

• If closure-module did not create any new object(maybe just extend a object that exists), the moudle name should be like this: namespace-feature, exsitObject-feature.

• The file name should be alway use lower case, and do not use dots(.) and space in name,use dashes(-) or underscores(_) concatenate words. So, module-name.js module-name-sub.js or modulename is GOOD, moduleName.js module.name.js is BAD.

Reinventing The Wheel?

This wheel is fit for me. First, I don't like AMD, you should define anything that you will be used even third-party libraries.(I know requirejs can use original jquery by shim configuration.) The sencond, in my practice I just need a loader to build simple projects or pages sometimes, in otherwise I need a module solution to build bigger project too. And I need both in one page for back-compatible sometimes.

When the YUI 3.0 release, I scan the source and it's amazing I think. Then I clone YUI seed solution and make this, and rewrite it over and over. Of course ,I don't know AMD yet in that time. Stupid? Maybe.