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https://github.com/iliasbhal/chai-latte

Toolkit to build expressive & readable fluent interface libraries.
https://github.com/iliasbhal/chai-latte

fluent interface toolkit

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Toolkit to build expressive & readable fluent interface libraries.

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README 

        



## ✨ What is chai-latte?



It's a tool for building expressive fluent interface libraries. 


Think of it as a simple tool to buid libraries à la [chaijs](https://www.chaijs.com/) but not necessarly related to testing. It can be about anyhting :).



## 🤔 Motivation



Building expressive fluent interfaces isn't easy. the more expressions you add the more it becomes un-maintainable. You'll quickly run into conflicts between expressions.


This tool will do all the heavy lifting for you, removing all the repetitive and soul crushing tasks needed to create such libraries. Now, you can just focus on adding expressions and it will just work! ✨.



## 🔌 Installation

It's available on npm. To install it, type:



```sh

npm i chai-latte

```

or

```sh

yarn add chai-latte

```



## :rocket: Quick Start!



Lets create a library that will be able to create arrays and add number to it.

I know... The example is not exiting 😅. But let's create it anyway! The library we'll create should be able to execute the command below:



```tsx

import example from './the/library/we/will/create';



const { create, add } = example;



const arr = create.an.array();

add(4).to.this.array(arr)

add(5).to(arr)



const arr2 = create.a.copy.of(arr);

add(5).to(arr2);

```



1. Let's create our first expression. The `expression` function takes two arguments. The first argument should be a function that shows how to use the expression. The second argument is the callback. See example below:



```ts

import { expression } from 'chai-latte';



const ourFirstExpression = expression(

  ({ create }) => create.an.array(), 

  () => {

    console.log('Array Created!');

    return [];

  }

);

```



2. Make the expression executable. `expression` alone just returns a configuration object. we should `compile` it in order to use it. See example:



```ts

import { expression, compile } from 'chai-latte';



const ourLibrary = compile(

  expression(

    ({ create }) => create.an.array(), 

    () => {

      console.log('Array Created!');

      return [];

    }

  )

);



// 



const { create } = ourLibrary;

const arr = create.an.array(); // [] and logged 'Array Created!'.

```



3. Add the other expressions! In order to do so, just add them as extra argument to the `compile` function. See example:



```ts

const addNumToArray = (num: number, arr: any[]) => arr.push(num);

const createArray = () : any[]=> [];

const cloneArray = (arr: any[]) : any[] => [...arr];



const ourLibrary = compile(

  expression(({ create }) => create.an.array(), createArray),

  expression(({ create }) => create.a.copy.of(Array), cloneArray),

  expression(({ add }) => add(Number).to.this.array(Array), addNumToArray),

  expression(({ add }) => add(Number).to(Array), addNumToArray),

);

```

4. Congratulations!! 🎉 You can now use your library! See example:



```ts

const { create, add } = ourLibrary;



const arr = create.an.array();

add(4).to.this.array(arr)

add(5).to(arr)

console.log(arr) // logs [4, 5]



const arr2 = create.a.copy.of(arr);

add(12).to(arr2);

console.log(arr2) // logs [4, 5, 12]

```



## 📚 Typescript

To make your library type-safe, you can generate the corresponding typings using the command line. It will create a new file called `generated.ts` that will export the same fluent interface but fully typed. Then simply use this new file as your entry file!



To create the `generated.ts` type this in the terminal:



```sh

npx chai-latte ./index.ts

```



## 🙈 Things to know & Limitations



1. When creating expressions, you have to provide a class for each callable parts. This is how the engine avoid conflicts.

```tsx

// example

class Human {}

class Child extends Human {}



the(Human).can.jump(); // expression 1

the(Child).will.play(); // expression 2



// if we try to call

const human = new Human();

const child = new Child();

the(child).can.jump(); // <-- will work since Child inherits Human

the(human).will.play(); // <- won't work because .will.play() isn't defined for expression 1

```

2. The last word on an expression has to be function. It can accept an argument.

```tsx

// example

the(Human).works.up.until(Number);

the(Human).can.jump();

the(Human).is.alive // <- won't compile because it doesn't end with a function

```



3. Expressions that share the exact same code path and argument types cannot co-exist. Here is an example of 3 expressions to illustrate the issue:

```tsx

// example

the(Human).can.say('Hi!');

the(Baby).can.say('Hi!'); // <- will work, because Human and Baby are different classes

the(Baby).can.say('Hi!').and.say('I\'m hungry'); // <- won't compile

```



## 📚 Typescript

You can generate the corresponding typings using the command line. It will create a new file called `generated.ts` next to `index.ts`.

This file will export yout same fluent interface but fully typed. Use this new file as your entry file to enjoy the typngs!



Ensure `ts-node` is installed locally then type this in the terminal:



```sh

npx chai-latte

```

## :handshake: Contributing



Thank you very much for considering to contribute! 


Please don't hesitate to create issues and PRs. Your contribution is very much welcome!.



## :book: License



The MIT License



Copyright (c) 2022 Chai-Latte



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.