reflectionjs v1.0.0

ReflectionJS

Although there are no classes in JavaScript, therefore the term "reflection" wouldn't be very accurate, this is an attempt to bring some of the features from languages like C# and Java to JavaScript.

Getting Started

Install the module with: npm install --save reflectionjs

var reflection = require("reflectionjs");

Documentation

call(functionName, [args])

Execute a function by name.

var obj = {
  print: function () {
    console.log("it works!");
  },
  sum: function (a, b) {
    return a + b;
  }
};

reflection(obj).call("print"); // "it works!"
reflection(obj).call("sum", 5, 5); // 10

clone()

Creates an exact copy of the object without keeping a reference to it.

var obj = {
  a: "a"
};

var copy = reflection(obj).clone();
copy.a = "b";

console.log(obj.a); // "a"
console.log(copy.a); // "b"

get(propertyName)

Returns a reference to a property. Also accepts a namespace as argument like "my.cool.namespace".

var obj = {
  name: "jose",
  company: {
    name: "Reflectors Inc"
  },
  print: function () {
    console.log(this.name);
  }
};

var ref;

ref = reflection(obj).get("name");
console.log(ref); // "jose"

ref = reflection(obj).get("company.name");
console.log(ref); // "Reflectors Inc"

You can also run methods like:

ref = reflection(obj).get("print");
ref(); // "jose"

methods()

Returns an array with all methods names. In this case, properties are ignored.

var obj = {
  name: "jose",
  print: function () {
    console.log(this.name);
  },
  sayHello: function () {
    console.log("hello!");
  }
};

var methods = reflection(obj).methods();
console.log(methods); // ["print", "sayHello"]

owns(propertyName)

Check if the object owns a property. Also accepts a namespace as argument like "my.cool.namespace".

var obj = {
  name: "jose",
  company: {
    name: "Reflectors Inc"
  }
};

reflection(obj).owns("name"); // true
reflection(obj).owns("company.name"); // true
reflection(obj).owns("age"); // false

properties()

Returns an array with all properties names. In this case, methods are ignored.

var obj = {
  name: "jose",
  age: 32,
  sayHello: function () {
    console.log("hello!");
  }
};

var properties = reflection(obj).properties();
console.log(properties); // ["name", "age"]

set(propertyName, value)

Sets a property value. If the property does not exists, it will be created, even if it is an nested property. Also accepts a namespace as argument like "my.cool.namespace".

var obj = {
  name: "jose",
  company: {
    name: null
  }
};

reflection(obj).set("name", "bob");
console.log(obj.name); // "bob"

reflection(obj).set("company.name", "Reflectors Inc");
console.log(obj.company.name); // "Reflectors Inc"

reflection(obj).set("company.website", "www.getreflectors.com");
console.log(obj.company.website); // "www.getreflectors.com"

type()

Returns a string containing the type of the current object.

var obj = {};

var type;

type = reflection(obj).type();
console.log(type); // "Object"

type = reflection(null).type();
console.log(type); // "Null"

type = reflection(1).type();
console.log(type); // "Number"

type = reflection(/abc/).type();
console.log(type); // "RegExp"