object-path

What is object-path?

The object-path npm package provides utilities for accessing and manipulating deep properties of objects using a string path notation. It simplifies the process of getting, setting, and deleting nested properties in JavaScript objects.

What are object-path's main functionalities?

Get a nested property

This feature allows you to retrieve the value of a deeply nested property within an object using a string path.

const objectPath = require('object-path');
const obj = { a: { b: { c: 42 } } };
const value = objectPath.get(obj, 'a.b.c');
console.log(value); // 42

Set a nested property

This feature allows you to set the value of a deeply nested property within an object using a string path.

const objectPath = require('object-path');
const obj = { a: { b: { } } };
objectPath.set(obj, 'a.b.c', 42);
console.log(obj); // { a: { b: { c: 42 } } }

Delete a nested property

This feature allows you to delete a deeply nested property within an object using a string path.

const objectPath = require('object-path');
const obj = { a: { b: { c: 42 } } };
objectPath.del(obj, 'a.b.c');
console.log(obj); // { a: { b: { } } }

Check if a nested property exists

This feature allows you to check if a deeply nested property exists within an object using a string path.

const objectPath = require('object-path');
const obj = { a: { b: { c: 42 } } };
const exists = objectPath.has(obj, 'a.b.c');
console.log(exists); // true

Other packages similar to object-path

lodash

Lodash is a popular utility library that provides a wide range of functions for manipulating arrays, objects, and other data types. It includes methods like _.get, _.set, and _.has for working with nested properties, similar to object-path. However, Lodash offers a broader set of utilities beyond just object manipulation.

dot-prop

Dot-prop is a lightweight package that provides similar functionality to object-path for getting, setting, and deleting nested properties using dot notation. It is simpler and more focused on object property manipulation compared to the more feature-rich Lodash.

deepdash

Deepdash is an extension of Lodash that adds deep traversal and manipulation capabilities. It provides methods for working with deeply nested properties, similar to object-path, but with additional features for deep operations on arrays and objects.

README

object-path

Access deep properties using a path

Changelog

0.11.5

• SECURITY FIX. Fix a prototype pollution vulnerability in the set() function when using the "inherited props" mode (e.g. when a new object-path instance is created with the includeInheritedProps option set to true or when using the withInheritedProps default instance. The vulnerability does not exist in the default instance exposed by object path (e.g objectPath.set()) if using version >= 0.11.0.

0.11.0

• Introduce ability to specify options and create new instances of object-path
• Introduce option to control the way object-path deals with inherited properties (includeInheritedProps)
• New default object-path instance already configured to handle not-own object properties (withInheritedProps)

0.10.0

• Improved performance of get, set, and push by 2x-3x
• Introduced a benchmarking test suite
• BREAKING CHANGE: del, empty, set will not affect not-own object's properties (made them consistent with the other methods)

Install

Node.js

npm install object-path --save

Bower

bower install object-path --save

Typescript typings

typings install --save dt~object-path

Usage

var obj = {
  a: {
    b: "d",
    c: ["e", "f"],
    '\u1200': 'unicode key',
    'dot.dot': 'key'
  }
};

var objectPath = require("object-path");

//get deep property
objectPath.get(obj, "a.b");  //returns "d"
objectPath.get(obj, ["a", "dot.dot"]);  //returns "key"
objectPath.get(obj, 'a.\u1200');  //returns "unicode key"

//get the first non-undefined value
objectPath.coalesce(obj, ['a.z', 'a.d', ['a','b']], 'default');

//empty a given path (but do not delete it) depending on their type,so it retains reference to objects and arrays.
//functions that are not inherited from prototype are set to null.
//object instances are considered objects and just own property names are deleted
objectPath.empty(obj, 'a.b'); // obj.a.b is now ''
objectPath.empty(obj, 'a.c'); // obj.a.c is now []
objectPath.empty(obj, 'a'); // obj.a is now {}

//works also with arrays
objectPath.get(obj, "a.c.1");  //returns "f"
objectPath.get(obj, ["a","c","1"]);  //returns "f"

//can return a default value with get
objectPath.get(obj, ["a.c.b"], "DEFAULT");  //returns "DEFAULT", since a.c.b path doesn't exists, if omitted, returns undefined

//set
objectPath.set(obj, "a.h", "m"); // or objectPath.set(obj, ["a","h"], "m");
objectPath.get(obj, "a.h");  //returns "m"

//set will create intermediate object/arrays
objectPath.set(obj, "a.j.0.f", "m");

//will insert values in array
objectPath.insert(obj, "a.c", "m", 1); // obj.a.c = ["e", "m", "f"]

//push into arrays (and create intermediate objects/arrays)
objectPath.push(obj, "a.k", "o");

//ensure a path exists (if it doesn't, set the default value you provide)
objectPath.ensureExists(obj, "a.k.1", "DEFAULT");
var oldVal = objectPath.ensureExists(obj, "a.b", "DEFAULT"); // oldval === "d"

//deletes a path
objectPath.del(obj, "a.b"); // obj.a.b is now undefined
objectPath.del(obj, ["a","c",0]); // obj.a.c is now ['f']

//tests path existence
objectPath.has(obj, "a.b"); // true
objectPath.has(obj, ["a","d"]); // false

//bind object
var model = objectPath({
  a: {
    b: "d",
    c: ["e", "f"]
  }
});

//now any method from above is supported directly w/o passing an object
model.get("a.b");  //returns "d"
model.get(["a.c.b"], "DEFAULT");  //returns "DEFAULT"
model.del("a.b"); // obj.a.b is now undefined
model.has("a.b"); // false

How object-path deals with inherited properties

By default object-path will only access an object's own properties. Look at the following example:

var proto = {
  notOwn: {prop: 'a'}
}
var obj = Object.create(proto);

//This will return undefined (or the default value you specified), because notOwn is
//an inherited property
objectPath.get(obj, 'notOwn.prop');

//This will set the property on the obj instance and not the prototype.
//In other words proto.notOwn.prop === 'a' and obj.notOwn.prop === 'b'
objectPath.set(obj, 'notOwn.prop', 'b');

To configure object-path to also deal with inherited properties, you need to create a new instance and specify the includeInheritedProps = true in the options object:

var objectPath = require("object-path");
var objectPathWithInheritedProps = objectPath.create({includeInheritedProps: true})

Alternatively, object-path exposes an instance already configured to handle inherited properties (objectPath.withInheritedProps):

var objectPath = require("object-path");
var objectPathWithInheritedProps = objectPath.withInheritedProps

Once you have the new instance, you can access inherited properties as you access other properties:

var proto = {
  notOwn: {prop: 'a'}
}
var obj = Object.create(proto);

//This will return 'a'
objectPath.withInheritedProps.get(obj, 'notOwn.prop');

//This will set proto.notOwn.prop to 'b'
objectPath.set(obj, 'notOwn.prop', 'b');

Immutability

If you are looking for an immutable alternative of this library, you can take a look at: object-path-immutable

Credits

• Mario Casciaro - Author
• Paulo Cesar - Major contributor