data-tier

Overview

data-tier ('tier' from 'to tie') is a two way binding (MVVM) library targeting client (browser) HTML/Javascript applications. data-tier relies on an Observable-driven event cycle, having an embedded object-observer as the default Observable provider.

It is highly advised to briefly review the library's Lifecycle documentation for a main concepts. Once ready, data-tier's approach to client app architecture will also have a bunch of useful information on when and how to employ data binding in a modern client applications in a non-intrusive, non-prisoning, managable and extensible way.

Support matrix

₆₁₊ | ₆₀₊ | ₇₉₊

Versions (full changelog)

• 3.1.0

  • implemented Issue #58 - allowed to create/update ties with primitive model (boolean, number, string)
  • implemented Issue #59 - capable of create/update ties with null
  • nullish model values (null, undefined) transformation into an empty string is now limited to only:
    • textContent target property for any element
    • value target property for these: INPUT, SELECT, TEXTAREA

• 3.0.0

  • implemented Issue #60:
    • removed defaultTieTarget property support (less intrusive approach aggenda)
    • removed changeEvent property support (less intrusive approach aggenda)
    • added new syntax to specify the event to listen to per tied property
    • added support for multiple events as per multiple properties tied

• 2.12.0

  • upgaded dependencies
  • implemented Issue #61 - release version automation

Loading the library

data-tier provided as an ES6 module:

import * as DataTier from './dist/data-tier.min.js';

Basic example

There is a growing number of examples and ready to run tutorials in the repo self (docs/tutorials), but even more convenient is to play with the CodePen snippets below:

• DataTier binding with regular DOM elements - simple input element, its change event and span reflecting the changed value
• WebComponent scoped binding - this time we have input tied to the reflecting span by an input event (immediate changes), while all of those scoped within a web-component, each instance of which has its own encapsulated model
• ... more to come :)

As many similar libraries do, data-tier also employes the two:

• declarative part of binding views to model found in HTML
• functional part of defining and operating on the model in JavaScript

Let's see how it plays in the code.

functional (JS) part

Having data model defined, for example, as:

let bands = [
    {
        id: 1234,
        name: 'Dream Theater',
        since: 1985,
        albums: [
            { id: 2345, year: 1988, name: 'When Dream and Day Unite' },
            { id: 2346, year: 1991, name: 'Images and Words' }
        ]
    }
];

one can create a tie keyed, say, 'bandsTie', having its data set to the bands array:

const bandsModel = DataTier.ties.create('bandsTie', bands);

create API returns an Observable clone of the provided object/array.

If no model provided, data-tier will create an empty object model by default.

bandsModel from our example may be operated on as a usual JS object/array, but it is also being observed by data-tier for any (deep) changes.

Any direct (JS driven) change will be reflected in the tied views. Also, any relevant changes from the views will be reflected in the bandsModel back.

declarative (HTML) part

Any UI element may be tied to the model using the key and the path:

<span data-tie="bandsTie:length"></span>

<div>
    <span data-tie="bandsTie:0.albums.1.name"></span>
    <custom-album-viewer data-tie="bandsTie:0.albums.1 => data"></custom-album-viewer>
</div>

For more details see API reference.

Extensions

I believe, that data-tier as a framework should serve a single purpose of tying the model with the view in its very basic form: propagating the changes/values to the relevant recipient/s (more conceptual details and examples here).

Functionalities like repeater, router and other well known UI paradigms should be provided by a dedicated components, probably, yet not necessary, built on top of data-tier or any other framework.

Me myself investing some effort in building data-tier oriented components. I'll maintain the list below, updating it from time to time (please update me if you have something to add here).

• data-tier-list - repeater-like component to render a list of a similar items based on a single template
• i18n - internationalization library, mostly concerned with translation, where dynamic replacement of the localized texts upon active locale change is driven by data-tier

Documentation

API

WebComponents, ShadowDOM, MicroFrontends

Tutorials