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ikat

object pattern-matching for node.

node Twitter

Use Case Examples

Data Validation

Use pattern-matching to validate data passed into your system, rejecting invalid objects and allowing valid objects to pass through. Below is a simple example dealing with Player objects that include name, birthday and age.

const ikat = require('ikat');

let PlayerPattern = {
  name: String, // `name` must be string
  birthday: Date, // `birthday` must be a Date
  age: [Number, ikat.gt(13)], // `age` must be a Number and greater than 13
}

let onSuccess = (player) => {
  return player;
};

let onFailure = () => {
  throw new Error('invalid player');
}

let validatePlayer = ikat.build(
  [PlayerPattern, onSuccess],
  [ikat.default(), onFailure] // will execute if PlayerPattern is not matched
)

let player1 = {
  name: 'Kevin',
  birthday: new Date(),
  age: 23,
};

let player2 = {
  name: 'Steve',
  birthday: new Date(),
  age: 11, // will not match because it is less than 13
};

// the `PlayerPattern` will be matched for player1, so
// onSuccess will be executed, which will return the object passed into
// the `validatePlayer()` function
let player = validatePlayer(player1); // player is set to player1

// the `PlayerPattern` will not be matched for player2, so
// onFailure will be executed, which will throw an Error
let player = validatePlayer(player2); // an Error is thrown

Mongoose Query Index Selection

A real-world example, and from which ikat was sprung. Instead of letting Mongo attempt to select the correct query, we can dictate which index we want based on the keys included in the query object to make sure our query uses the most efficient index. We'll use an example of User that has indexed keys of email, and company, with a compound index on firstName and lastName.

npm package for this use case: mongoose-hint

const ikat = require('ikat');

const emailExists = { email: ikat.notUndefined() };
const emailIndex = { email: 1 };

const companyExists = { company: ikat.notUndefined() };
const companyIndex = { company: 1 };

const emailExists = {
  firstName: ikat.notUndefined(),
  lastName: ikat.notUndefined(),
};
const nameIndex = {
  firstName: 1,
  lastName: 1,
};

const default = emailIndex;

let chooseIndex = ikat.build(
  [nameExists, nameIndex],
  [emailExists, emailIndex],
  [companyExists, companyIndex]
);

let query1 = {
  firstName: 'Ron'
  company: 'Google',
};

let query2 = {
  firstName: 'Dave'
  lastName: 'Roberts',
  email: '[email protected]',
};

let query3 = {
  email: '[email protected]',
  company: 'Tablelist',
};

// queryHint1 will choose the company index. While firstName is on the query, ikat will only match if both firstName and lastName are not undefined
let queryHint1 = {
  hint: chooseIndex(query1),
};

// queryHint2 will choose the firstName - lastName compound index
let queryHint2 = {
  hint: chooseIndex(query2),
};

// queryHint3 will choose the email index. While both the emailExists and companyExists objects are matched, ikat works in order, so it will choose the first index it matches with. This way, you can determine which indexes you'd prefer to use if multiple conditions are matched
let queryHint3 = {
  hint: chooseIndex(query3),
};

Motivation

Inspiration initially taken from functional languages that use pattern-matching, primarily Elixir. Primary use case is branching based on the qualities of a plain old javascript object. While there is certainly a way to achieve the same behavior with numerous if/else statements, switch cases, and other code that would be messy to maintain or easily understandable to a developer new to the project, pattern-matching seemed to be the obvious way to tackle this particular use case.

Why not argument pattern matching?

The honest answer is that argument matching is quite hard in JavaScript due to the flexibility of the language. There's no such thing as really overloading functions - sure, you can pass a variable number of arguments to a function no matter what the function definition is, but you can't create multiple function signatures with alternative number of arguments and argument types.

One's first thought might be to use the first undefined as an end of input indicator. However, undefined might be a valid (and desired) input. Using objects as the primary medium to match against should support most use cases, and with a little tinkering can (hopefully) support all use cases.

Current Status

Under development & currently experimental.

Warning: Syntax is subject to change. Features will be added, and existing capabilities may be altered.

Usage

Introduction

ikat can generate a function that you can pass an object to, and will execute its associated function and return the function's value. Functions are executed and returned synchronously - if you need async behavior, I suggested returning a Promise.

In addition to associating a function, you can associate a value to be returned as well. It is essentially a convenience method for a function that returns the value. This is shown in the example below.

Patterns will be matched in the order they are passed into the ikat.build function - i.e., the first pattern to match will execute the associated function.

Pattern matching is not strict - matching will still occur if additional keys exist on an object. Only the keys defined in the pattern will be checked.

Pattern validators can be passed in as a single value, or if multiple are required, passed in as an Array.

Syntax

A pattern is an object that allows validators to be assigned to keys within the object.

const pattern = {
  score: Number, // the score key has a "Number" type validator
  username: String,
};

// this object will match the pattern
let validObject = {
  score: 6,
  username: 'kevin',
};

// this object will not match the pattern
let invalidObject = {
  score: 'N/A',
  username: 'alex',
}

Multiple validators can be assigned on a key. These validators are AND'd together, as in they will all need to be true for the key to be matched.

const pattern = {
  score: [Number, ikat.lt(10)], // the score key has a "Number" type validator and a less-than 10 validator
  username: String,
};

// this object will match the pattern
let validObject = {
  score: 8,
  username: 'kevin',
};

// this object will not match the pattern
let invalidObject = {
  score: 18,
  username: 'alex',
}

Patterns are associated with success functions that will be executed if the pattern is matched.

ikat will create a matching function based on the patterns it is provided via the build() function. The arguments to the build() function are Arrays of 2 elements. The first element is the pattern while the second element is the success function.

const pattern = {
  score: Number,
  username: String,
};

const onSuccess = () => {
  console.log('Awesome! Nice score.');
};

// match() is a function create by ikat.build()
// it will execute the function associated with the patterm
// that is matched with the object passed into the function
const match = ikat.build([
  [pattern, onSuccess]
]);

// this object will match the pattern
let validObject = {
  score: 8,
  username: 'kevin',
};

// this object will not match the pattern
let invalidObject = {
  score: 'N/A',
  username: 'alex',
};

match(validObject); // prints "Awesome! Nice score"

match(invalidObject); // does not print anything

These success functions take in the object passed to the match function.

const pattern = {
  score: Number,
  username: String,
};

const onSuccess = validObject => {
  return {
    scoreMultiplier: 2,
    totalScore: validObject.score * 2,
  };
};

// match() is a function create by ikat.build()
// it will execute the function associated with the patterm
// that is matched with the object passed into the function
const match = ikat.build([
  [pattern, onSuccess]
]);

// this object will match the pattern
let validObject = {
  score: 8,
  username: 'kevin',
};

let score = match(validObject);
// score is now:
// {
//    scoreMultiplier: 2,
//    totalScore: 16,
// }

More examples:

const ikat = require('ikat');

// pattern 1
let pattern1 = {
  a: Number,
  b: Number,
};

let patternFn1 = object => object.a;

// pattern 2
let pattern2 = {
  a: String,
  b: String,
};

let patternFn2 = object => object.b;

// pattern 3
let pattern3 = {
  a: [Number], // square brackets are optional - see note below
  b: String,
};

let patternFn3 = 'Some value.';

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern1, patternFn1],
  [pattern2, patternFn2],
  [pattern3, patternFn3],
);

// execution
let data1 = {
  a: 10,
  b: 100,
}

let data2 = {
  a: 'foo',
  b: 'bar',
}

let data3 = {
  a: 118,
  b: 'hello',
}

console.log(patternMatcher(data1)); // 18

console.log(patternMatcher(data2)); // bar

console.log(patternMatcher(data3)); // 'Some value.'

Primitives

Primitive types can be used as validators. Current types supported are:

  • Number
  • String
  • Boolean
let pattern = {
  a: Number,
  b: String,
  c: Boolean,
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 1,
  b: 'foobar',
  c: false,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

Types

Primitive types can be used as validators. Current types supported are:

  • Function
  • Array
  • Object
    • Note: This will only match POJO and not Object-inherited types (Arrays, Dates, Functions, etc)
let pattern = {
  a: Object,
  b: Function,
  c: Array,
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: {
    k: 1,
  },
  b: () => 10,
  c: [1],
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

equal

Compare strict equality (===). Values will not be coerced. Use the ikat.equal(...) function to add a strict equal validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.equal(3),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 3,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

notEqual

Compare strict inequality (!==). Values will not be coerced. Use the ikat.notEqual(...) function to add a strict not equal validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.notEqual(3),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: '3',
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

gt

Numbers can be compared to be greater than. Strings will not be coerced to Numbers. Use the ikat.gt(...) function to add a greater than validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.gt(3),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 4,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

gte

Numbers can be compared to be greater than or equal. Strings will not be coerced to Numbers. Use the ikat.gte(...) function to add a greater than or equal validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.gt(3),
  b: ikat.gt(3),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 3,
  b: 4,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

lt

Numbers can be compared to be less than. Strings will not be coerced to Numbers. Use the ikat.lt(...) function to add a less than validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.gt(3),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 2,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

lte

Numbers can be compared to be less than or equal. Strings will not be coerced to Numbers. Use the ikat.lte(...) function to add a less than or equal validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.gt(3),
  b: ikat.gt(3),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 3,
  b: 2,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

undefined

Key is either === undefined or not defined on the object. Use the ikat.undefined() function to add an undefined validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.undefined(),
  b: ikat.undefined(),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: undefined,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

notUndefined

Key is !== undefined. Use the ikat.notUndefined() function to add an not undefined validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.notUndefined(),
  b: ikat.notUndefined(),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 1,
  b: null,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

null

Key is === null. Use the ikat.null() function to add an null validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.null(),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: null,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

notNull

Key is !== null. Use the ikat.notNull() function to add an not null validator.

let pattern = {
  a: ikat.notNull(),
  b: ikat.notNull(),
  c: ikat.notNull(),
};

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 1,
  b: undefined,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

default

If not pattern is matched, pass in a default function. This function will run when there's no pattern match. Use the ikat.default() rather than a pattern-object along with a success function to create a default function.

Warning: The default function must be the last pattern passed in. It is a bug to define a default function that is not the last pattern, and an Error will be thrown.

let pattern = {
  a: String,
};

let defaultMarker= ikat.default();

let patternMatcher = ikat.build(
  [pattern, () => 'first pattern'],
  [defaultMarker, () => 'it works!'],
);

let data = {
  a: 1,
};

patternMatcher(data); // 'it works!'

Tests

Tests can be run via the npm test command. We aim to write tests for all supported behaviors.

Linting

Linting can be run via the npm run lint command. All code must pass the code quality checks provided by eslint.

Contributing

Contributions are always welcome! This may come in the form of constructive criticism via GitHub issues, or direct PRs. Contributions will be required to pass all tests and must adhere to the guidelines set forth by the eslint style guide. This includes source files & test files.

TODO:

  • Support validators
    • gt
    • gte
    • lt
    • lte
    • undefined
    • notUndefined
    • null
    • notNull
    • default
    • Map, Set, Date type matching
    • instanceof
    • contains (Array)
    • contains (String)
    • regex
    • Custom validators
    • Pretty errors
    • Non-happy path tests for proper handling
  • Support single field patterns
    • { a: Number } instead of { a: [Number] }
  • Success return values
  • Add benchmarking
  • Add code coverage
  • Add CI integration
  • Nested object support

Have suggestions? Add them via a GitHub issue!