POJOD

A minimalist Plain Old Javscript Object Dictionary utility.

Useful when using plain objects as dictionaries in Javascript and Typescript. Also supplements Typescript's Record<K,V> object type.

This library does not attempt to replicate the functionality of libraries like lodash or ramda, nor does it intend to be a substitute for ES6 Map. It is a small (1KB minified) utility that smooths some of the rough edges when working with plain objects and types.

Install

npm i pojod

Typescript types are included.

Usage

import D from 'pojod'

The default export can be used as a type and a factory function. It also provides some static helper functions as properties.

The generic type D<T> can be used as a shorthand alias for {[id: string]: T}.

The factory function D always returns a plain JS object without a prototype by using Object.create(null).

Helper functions (D.isEmpty, D.size, D.has, etc.) are safe to use on objects with or without prototypes. Only the object's own properties are considered. Properties on the prototype chain are ignored.

import D from 'pojod'
// var D = require('pojod').default
 
// Create an empty dictionary object without a prototype having any values.
const d = D() // Equivalent to const d: {[id: string]: any} = Object.create(null)
 
// Create an empty dictionary object without a prototype having string values.
const d = D<string>() // Equivalent to const d: {[id: string]: string} = Object.create(null)
 
// Create an empty Record object without a prototype and typed keys
const d = D<'a' | 'b', number>() // Equivalent to const d: Record<'a' | 'b', number> = Object.create(null)
 
// Create a Record object without a prototype having typed keys from another object.
// (Only the source object's own properties will be copied.)
const d = D({a: 1, b: 2}) // d: Record<'a' | 'b', number>
 
// Create a dictionary with string keys from another object (allows adding arbitrary keys)
const d = D<number>({a: 1, b: 2}) // d: {[id: string]: number}
 
// Create a dictionary object from a Map (the map must have string keys)
const m = new Map<string, number>()
m.set('a', 1)
const d = D(m) // {a: 1}
 
// Create a Record from a Map with typed keys (map keys must extend string)
const m = new Map<'a' | 'b', number>()
m.set('a', 1)
m.set('b', 2)
const d = D(m) // {a: 1, b: 2}
 
// Check if object is empty (excluding prototype)
D.isEmpty({}) // true
 
// Count (own) keys in object (excluding prototype)
D.size({a: 1, b: 2}) // 2
 
// Shorthand for Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call
// (Safe to use on objects lacking a prototype)
D.has({a: 1}, 'b') // false
 
// Find first key having value (like Array indexOf)
D.keyOf({a: 1, b: 2}, 1) // 'a'
 
// Return the nth key
D.keyAt({a: true, b: false}, 1) // 'b'
 
// Return the first key
D.firstKey({a: 1, b: 2}) // 'a'
 
// Return the last key
D.lastKey({a: 1, b: 2}) // 'b'
 
// Return typed keys
D.keys({a: 1, b: 2}) // array with elements of type 'a' | 'b'
 
// Iterate through typed keys of an object
const d = {a: 1, b: 2}
D.keys(d).forEach(k => {
    console.log(d[k]) // type checks ok
})
 
// Convert object to Map
const m = D.toMap({a: 1, b: 2})
 
// Invert keys and values
const d = {a: 'x', b: 'y'}
const dr = D.invert(d) // {x: 'a', y: 'b'}
 
// Clear all (own) properties
const d = D<number>({a: 1, b: 2})
D.clear(d) // {}
 
// D can be used as a shorthand alias for type {[id: string]: T}
const d: D<number> = {}
d.a = 1

Compatibility

Requires support for Object.create and Object.keys, so IE9 and up. Converting to and from Maps requires Map support. You will need to provide polyfills if targeting older browsers.

Performance-wise, pojod favours modern browsers where Object.keys is as fast as or faster than for…in loops.

Caveats

Beware of relying on type inference when using the factory function on (typed) objects having properties on the prototype chain. For example:

const d = D(new Date())

Will result in a Record<K,V> type with all of the prototype property names in the key (K) type, however those properties will not be copied to the resulting object.