Pattern for Javascript Module Pattern and Sub-Module Initialization

Question

I am starting up a new project and I am reviewing my best-practices to try to prevent any problems, and also to see what bad habits I have gotten into.

I am not terribly pleased with how I am handling initialization sequences in Javascript using the module / submodule pattern.

Let's say, my code ends up with something like

FOO.init()
FOO.module1.init()
FOO.module2.init()
FOO.module3.init()
FOO.module4.init()

at the global scope.

I am essentially doing (error checking and details omittied for brevity):

var FOO = (function (me) {
    me.init = function () {
        for (var i in me.inits) {
            me.inits[i]();
        }
    }

    return me; 
}(FOO || {}));

var FOO = (function (parent) {
    var me = parent.module1 = parent.module1 || {};

    me.init = function () {
    }

    parent.inits.push(me.init);

    return parent;
}(FOO || {}));

$(document).ready(FOO.init);

for initialization.

I know I have read up on this before, but I can't come up with the right search terms to find the articles now. Is there a well thought out and tested pattern that handles initialization in sitiation like this?

Thanks.

EDIT: Upon re-reading this, I think a little context will inform answers.

In my case, each module / submodule is in its own file. The base module defines the basic functionality of the site, and sub-modules enable different features. For example, a sub-module may wire up auto-completion on a search box, and another may turn a static header image into a rotating banner. Sub-modules are enabled/disabled by the CMS, so I really do want to divorce explicit calls inside the base module so everything can be managed by the CMS. I also that there are CMS specific ways to accomplish this, but I looking for a generic Javascript pattern for doing this to provide consistency and resuablity between projects that may use a different CMS.

Raynos · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-22 21:35:17Z

I personally have a different coding style to that. This is one of them. The other is basically an imitation of the style used in backbone.js

var myProgram = (function() {
   var someGlobal, someGlobal2;   

   var subModule1 = (function() {
       ...       

       var init = function() {

       };

       ...

       init();

       return { 
           "someMethod": someMethod,
           ...
       };
   }());

   var OtherSubModule = (function() {
       ...
       var init = function(param) { ... };
       ...
       return { 
           "init": init,
           ...
       };
   }());

   var init = function(param) {
       ...

       OtherSubModule.init({
           "foo": param.foo,
           "bar": param.bar,
           ...
       });
   };


   return { 
       "init": init,
       "somePublic": OtherSubModule.foobar, 
       ...
   }
}());

Depends whether I need to supply a public API to other users, which backbone does a lot better. I prefer to make modules driven by an init function for initial configuration and for the rest completely event driven.

[Edit]

Given the edited question I have a different pattern for this. Each file defines a function on some object in my case it was $.FooBar.plugins

(function() {

    var foo = function() { ... };

    var bar = (function() { ... }());

    myNamespace.plugins["MyPlugin"] = function() {

        ... do stuff
        ... bind to evevnts
    };

}());

Then we use a boot strapper that was something like this :

(function() {

    var needed = function() {
         // Feature detection
    };

    var load = function() { ... };

    var getOptions = function() {
         // Call something on a page by page basis.
    };

    for (var plugin in pluginList) {
         if (needed(plugin)) {
               load(plugin, function() {
                    // get page specific options
                    var options = getOptions();
                    // run plugin
                    myNameSpace.plugins[plugin](options);
                    // If all have been loaded trigger ready handlers
                    if (pluginCurrentCount == pluginCount) {
                         readyTrigger();
                    }
               });
               pluginCount++;
         }
    }

    // start loading plugins after all have been counted
    load.startLoading();

    var readyTrigger = function() {
         // Run all ready handlers
    }

    // Implement your own DOM ready function to run when all plugins
    // have loaded.
    myNameSpace.ready = function(handler) {
         if (isReady) {
             handler();
         } else {
             readyList.push(handler);
         }

    };
}());

That's a lot of gaps and pseudo code but you should get the idea. If it's not obvouis feel to question it.

Then on the page we have something like this

<html>
<head>
  <script type="text/javascript">

    var pageSpecific = {
         "pluginName": {
              "cssClass": "foobar",
              "submitOnEnter": false,
              ...
         },
         ...
    };

  </script>
  <script src="bootstrapper.js" />
  ...
</head>
<body>
  ...
</body>
</html>

Thanks. My real code is somewhat closer to your second example, which makes me feel better about my approach. Your example did also give me a few ideas for improvement, too.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Pattern for Javascript Module Pattern and Sub-Module Initialization

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related