https://github.com/jedireza/flux-constant

:package: Unique constants for Flux apps
https://github.com/jedireza/flux-constant

flux flux-constant javascript

Last synced: about 21 hours ago
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:package: Unique constants for Flux apps

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/jedireza/flux-constant
• Owner: jedireza
• License: mit
• Created: 2015-01-11T01:26:35.000Z (over 9 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2016-09-08T06:16:52.000Z (about 8 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-08-09T23:07:08.447Z (about 2 months ago)
• Topics: flux, flux-constant, javascript
• Language: JavaScript
• Homepage:
• Size: 15.6 KB
• Stars: 18
• Watchers: 4
• Forks: 1
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

        
# flux-constant

Unique constants for Flux apps.

[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/jedireza/flux-constant.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/jedireza/flux-constant)

[![devDependency Status](https://david-dm.org/jedireza/flux-constant/dev-status.svg?theme=shields.io)](https://david-dm.org/jedireza/flux-constant#info=devDependencies)

## Install

```js

$ npm install flux-constant

```

## Usage

Create constants one at a time.

```js

var FluxConstant = require('flux-constant');

var IMPORTANT_THING = new FluxConstant('IMPORTANT_THING');

console.log(IMPORTANT_THING);

// { name: 'IMPORTANT_THING' }

console.log(IMPORTANT_THING.toString());

// IMPORTANT_THING

```

Or create a set of them.

```js

var FluxConstant = require('flux-constant');

var Set = FluxConstant.set([

    'SEND_REQUEST',

    'RECEIVE_RESPONSE'

]);

console.log(Set);

/*

{

    SEND_REQUEST: { name: 'SEND_REQUEST' },

    RECEIVE_RESPONSE: { name: 'RECEIVE_RESPONSE' }

}

*/

console.log(Set.SEND_REQUEST instanceof FluxConstant);

// true

```

## Why

With a Flux application you may have a set of constants such as:

```js

var ContactConstants = {

    ActionTypes: {

        SEND_REQUEST: 'SEND_REQUEST',

        RECEIVE_RESPONSE: 'RECEIVE_RESPONSE'

    }

};

module.exports = ContactConstants;

```

You may have another set of constants that are really similar, but unreleated.

```js

var SignupConstants = {

    ActionTypes: {

        SEND_REQUEST: 'SEND_REQUEST',

        RECEIVE_RESPONSE: 'RECEIVE_RESPONSE'

    }

};

module.exports = SignupConstants;

```

We just created action types that could collide though. Let's compare a bit:

```js

var ContactConstants = require('./ContactConstants');

var SignupConstants = require('./SignupConstants');

ContactActionTypes = ContactConstants.ActionTypes;

SignupActionTypes = SignupConstants.ActionTypes;

console.log(ContactActionTypes.SEND_REQUEST === SignupActionTypes.SEND_REQUEST);

// true

```

That's not exactly what we wanted. This could bite us if we use these two sets

of constants in the same process.

For example, if a Flux store was depending on these constants, it may take

action on a payload it didn't intend to. This happens because we're just

comparing strings.

One way to fix this is creating longer, more unique names:

```js

var ContactConstants = {

    ActionTypes: {

        CONTACT_SEND_REQUEST: 'CONTACT_SEND_REQUEST',

        CONTACT_RECEIVE_RESPONSE: 'CONTACT_RECEIVE_RESPONSE'

    }

};

module.exports = ContactConstants;

```

This doesn't seem like a great way to move forward though. These names can get

out of control as the application grows. Also, prefixing with `CONTACT_` feels

like duplicating unnecessary information.

So instead of passing around strings let's create objects that are unique

(`new`). And best of all we can keep the simpler naming conventions.

```js

var FluxConstant = require('flux-constant');

var ContactConstants = {

    ActionTypes: {

        SEND_REQUEST: new FluxConstant('SEND_REQUEST'),

        RECEIVE_RESPONSE: new FluxConstant('RECEIVE_RESPONSE')

    }

};

module.exports = ContactConstants;

```

We'll do the same thing as above but demonstrate the `set` shortcut.

```js

var FluxConstant = require('flux-constant');

var SignupConstants = {

    ActionTypes: FluxConstant.set([

        'SEND_REQUEST',

        'RECEIVE_RESPONSE'

    ])

};

module.exports = SignupConstants;

```

And now they won't collide.

```js

var ContactConstants = require('./ContactConstants');

var SignupConstants = require('./SignupConstants');

ContactActionTypes = ContactConstants.ActionTypes;

SignupActionTypes = SignupConstants.ActionTypes;

console.log(ContactActionTypes.SEND_REQUEST === SignupActionTypes.SEND_REQUEST);

// false

```

## License

MIT

## Don't forget

What you create with `flux-constant` is more important than `flux-constant`.