Modello, JavaScript Class Framework

JavaScript Class Framework

Modello is a lightweight framework that enables you to write JavaScript class like other class-based object-oriented programming language. It introduces class, class-based inheritance, multi-inheritance, private members, RTTI and more into JavaScript. Modello can help you write more readable, reusable and maintainable JavaScript code.

Usage

Create a class

var Concrete = Class.create();

Register a class

Class.register(Concrete, 'Concrete');
// or
Class.register(Concrete, 'modello.Concrete');
// or
Concrete.register('modello.Concrete');
// or
Class.create().register('modello.Concrete');

Retrieve a class

var Concrete = Class.get('modello.Concrete');

Class-based inheritance

var Building = Class.create('modello.Concrete');

var Bridge = Class.create(Concrete);

Multi-inheritance

var Steel = Class.create();
var Building = Class.create(Steel, Concrete);

Constructor, public member, private member, static member and more

var Person = Class.create();
Person.construct = function() {
    this.name = ""; // use "this" to define public member
    var _sex;       // use "var" to define private member

    // define initialize method
    this.initialize = function(name, sex) {
        this.name = name;
        _sex = sex;
    }
    this.getSex = function() {
        return _sex;
    }
    this.setSex = function(sex) {
        _sex = sex;
    }
    this.toString = function() {
        return '[' + this.name + ' Person]';
    }
}

var Student = Class.create(Person);
Student.count = 0; // static member
// $self is use for accessing the super's public member
// $class is use for accessing the class's static member
// If you do need these two functions, add them into the constructor parameter list
Student.construct = function($self, $class) {
    this.school = "";
    var _major;

    this.initialize = function(name, sex, school, major) {
        // initialize super class
        // use "$self.superN.methodName.call(this[, ...])"
        // to call super class's method
        // the first super is $self.super0, second is $self.super1, ...
        $self.super0.initialize.call(this, name, sex);
        this.school = school;
        _major = major;
        $class.count += 1;
    }
    this.getMajor = function() {
        return _major;
    }
    this.setMajor = function(major) {
        _major = major;
    }
    this.toString = function() {
        return '[' + this.name + ' Student]';
    }
}

Abstract class and Interface

This example is taken from Atlas. The original example is here.

var IPet = Class.create();
IPet.construct = function() {
    this.returnFriendlyName = Class.abstractMethod;
}

var Animal = Class.create();
Animal.construct = function() {
    var _name;

    this.initialize = function(name) {
        _name = name;
    }
    this.returnName = function() {
        return _name;
    }
    this.toStringCustom = function() {
        return this.returnName();
    }
    this.speak = Class.abstractMethod;
}

var Pet = Class.create(Animal, IPet);
Pet.construct = function($self) {
    var _friendlyName;

    this.initialize = function(name, friendlyName) {
        $self.super0.initialize.call(this, name);
        _friendlyName = friendlyName;
    }
    this.returnFriendlyName = function() {
        return _friendlyName;
    }
}

var Cat = Class.create(Pet);
Cat.construct = function($self) {
    this.initialize = function(friendlyName) {
        $self.super0.initialize.call(this, 'Cat', friendlyName);
    }
    this.speak = function() {
        alert('meow');
    }
    this.toStringCustom = function() {
        return 'Pet ' + $self.super0.toStringCustom.call(this);
    }
}

var Felix = Class.create(Cat);
Felix.construct = function($self) {
    this.initialize = function() {
        $self.super0.initialize.call(this, 'Felix');
    }
    this.toStringCustom = function() {
        return $self.super0.toStringCustom.call(this) + ' ... its Felix!';
    }
}

var Dog = Class.create(Pet);
Dog.construct = function($self) {
    this.initialize = function(friendlyName) {
        $self.super0.initialize.call(this, 'Dog', friendlyName);
    }
    this.speak = function() {
        alert('woof');
    }
}

var Tiger = Class.create(Animal);
Tiger.construct = function($self) {
    this.initialize = function() {
        $self.super0.initialize.call(this, 'Tiger');
    }
    this.speak = function() {
        alert('grrr');
    }
}

Run this example here: Modello Example: Interface

Create an instance

var p1 = new Person('Java', 'male');
var p2 = Person.create('JavaScript', 'female');

Runtime Type Identification

var Star = Class.create();
var Earth  = Class.create(Star);
var Sun  = Class.create(Star);

Earth.subclassOf(Star);   // return true
Star.superclassOf(Sun);   // return true
Sun.superclassOf(Star);   // return false

var star = new Star;
var earth = new Earth;
var sun = new Sun;

earth.instanceOf(Earth);  // return true
sun.instanceOf(Star);     // return false

earth.isA(Star);          // return true
sun.isA(Star);            // return true
star.isA(Earth);          // return false

Download

modello.tar.gz(version: 0.0.3) tutorial

modello.ajax.tar.gz(version: 0.0.6) tutorial

Contact

Feel free to report bugs via my email. Enjoy!

Usage

Download

Contact

Play