Version 0.3.0

README.md

@@ -1,52 +1,61 @@
-# react-backbone.glue
-This is React add-on designed to replace Backbone views with React in existing Backbone application.
+# nestedreact
+This is React add-on designed to simplify migration to React views in large Backbone applications.
 
 It allows you:
 
-- To use React component in place of every Backbone View in your application.
-- To use your existing Backbone Views as subviews in React components.
+- To use React component in place of every Backbone View.
+- To use your existing Backbone Views from React components.
 - To use your existing Backbone Models as React component state.
 - Update React components on Backbone events.
+- Data-binding for models and collections
 
 Thus, no refactoring of your application is required. You can start writing UI with React immediately replacing your Backbone Views one-by-one, while keeping your existing models.
 
-This extension works with raw Backbone. However, in order to take full advantage of React/Backbone
-architecture you are encouraged to upgrade to `Backbone.NestedTypes`. It will give you following 
+# Breaking changes introduced in 0.3
+- `component.createView( props )` doesn't work any more, use `new component.View( props )` instead.
+- module and `npm` package name is now `nestedreact`.
+- Raw `backbone` is not supported any more. Upgrade to `NestedTypes` 1.1.5 or more is required. It will give you following
 features to help managing complex application state:
+	- Proper nested models and collections implementation with deep changes detection. React components will
+	update UI on nested attribute changes.
+	- Dramatic improvement in model update performance compared to Backbone. Up to 40x faster in Chrome. Important for mobile devices.
+	- Type safety. Attributes are guaranteed to hold values of declared types all the time.
 
-- Proper nested models and collections implementation with deep changes detection. React components will
-update UI on nested attribute changes.
-- Dramatic improvement in model update performance compared to Backbone. Up to 40x faster in Chrome. Imprortant for mobile devices.
-- Type safety. Attributes are guaranteed to hold values of declared types all the time.
-
-For more information, visit
-http://volicon.github.io/backbone.nestedTypes/
-and
-https://github.com/Volicon/backbone.nestedTypes
+	For more information about `NestedTypes`, visit
+	http://volicon.github.io/backbone.nestedTypes/
+	and
+	https://github.com/Volicon/backbone.nestedTypes
 
 # Usage
-It's packed as single UMD, thus grab the module which is appropriate for you. So far, there are two of them, one for raw backbone, and one for `backbone.nestedTypes`.
+It's packed as single UMD, thus grab the module or use `npm` to install.
+	`npm install --save nestedreact`
 
-First one depends on `react` and `backbone`, so if you're using Chaplin or Marionette you will
-probably need to pass appropriate module instead of `backbone`. Don't hesitate to replace module name in the beginning of the file, or use raw factory function from `src/glue.js`.
+Module export's modified React namespace (without touching original React), and its
+safe to use it as a replacement for `react`.
 
-If you're using `NestedTypes`, you need `NestedTypes` to require appropriate framework. Report a bug if something goes wrong, we like when someone share our passion for technology and quite fast in response.
+If you're using backbone-based frameworks such as `ChaplinJS` or `Marionette`,
+you need to do following things:
+- Make sure that frameworks includes `nestedtypes` instead of `backbone`.
+- On application start, tell `nestedreact` to use proper base class for View.
+	`require( 'nestedreact' ).useView( Chaplin.View )`
 
 # Features
 ## Use React components as Backbone View
 
 ```javscript
-var backboneView = MyReactComponent.createView( props );
+var backboneView = new MyReactComponent.View( props );
 ```
 
 ## Use Backbone View in React component
 
 ```javscript
+var React = require( 'nestedreact' );
+
 var MyComponent = React.createClass({
 	render : function(){
 		return (
 			<div>
-				<React.subview 
+				<React.subview
 					className="classes for root element"
 					View={ BackboneView }
 					options={ viewOptions }
@@ -57,37 +66,64 @@ var MyComponent = React.createClass({
 });
 ```
 
+## Helper methods for easy Backbone to React transition
+
+There are `el`, `$el`, and `$( selector )` available for the React components,
+which simplifies refactoring of the existing event handlers and usage of
+`jquery` plugins.
+
+```javscript
+var React = require( 'nestedreact' );
+
+var MyComponent = React.createClass({
+	onClick : function(){
+		this.$( '#somewhere' ).html( 'Hi' );
+	}
+});
+```
+
+It is extremely dangerous and conceptually wrong to directly *modify existing*
+DOM subtree in React component. Read is safe, modify DOM when you know what you're
+doing. Lets say, integrating `jQuery` plugins.
+
+*You must not use these methods in render*. `jquery` plugins can be initialized
+ in `componentDidMount` method or in event handlers.
+
 ## Use Existing Backbone Model as component's state
 
 ```javscript
+var React = require( 'nestedreact' );
+
 var MyComponent = React.createClass({
 	Model : BackboneModel,
 
 	render : function(){
 		return (
 			<div onClick={ this.onClick }>
-				{ this.state.get( 'count' ) }
+				{ this.state.count }
 			</div>
 		);
 	},
 
 	onClick : function(){
-		this.state.set( 'count', this.state.get( 'count' ) + 1 );
+		this.state.count = this.state.count + 1;
 	}
 });
 ```
 
 If Model is specified for the component,
-- `this.state` is backbone model. Usage of `setState` is not allowed.
+- `this.state` and `this.model` holds backbone model. Usage of `setState` is *not allowed*.
 - React component will update itself whenever model emit `change` event.
 	- You can customize UI update events supplying `listenToState` property. For example, `listenToState : 'change:attr sync'`.
 	- You can disable UI updates on state change, supplying `listenToState : false` option.
 
 ## Managing state with ad-hoc Backbone model
 
 ```javscript
+var React = require( 'nestedreact' );
+
 var MyComponent = React.createClass({
-	//Model : BackboneModel, 
+	//Model : BackboneModel,
 
 	attributes : { // Model defaults
 		count : 0
@@ -96,43 +132,103 @@ var MyComponent = React.createClass({
 	render : function(){
 		return (
 			<div onClick={ this.onClick }>
-				{ this.state.get( 'count' ) }
+				{ this.state.count }
 			</div>
 		);
 	},
 
 	onClick : function(){
-		this.state.set( 'count', this.state.get( 'count' ) + 1 );
+		this.state.count = this.state.count + 1;
 	}
 });
 ```
 
-- New Model definition will be created, using `attributes` as Model.defaults.
+- New `NestedTypes` Model definition will be created, using `attributes` as Model.defaults.
 - If Model property is specified, it will be used as base model and extended.
 - `attributes` property from mixins will be properly merged.
-- if you're using `Backbone.NestedTypes` models, it's far superior to react state in every aspect. It handles updates much faster, it detects nested elements changes, and it has type specs for state elements in a way like react's `propTypes`.
+- Since `state` is `NestedTypes` model in this case,
+	- All attributes *must* be declared using `NestedTypes` standard type specs.
+	- `state` attributes allows direct assignments - treat it as regular object.
+	- Every `state` modification (including direct assignments and nested attributes changes) will
+	cause automagical react update.
 
 ## Passing Backbone objects as React components props
 ```javscript
 var MyComponent = React.createClass({
-	listenToProps : {
+	listenToProps : { // or just string with property names, separated by space
 		model : 'change'
 	},
 
 	render : function(){
 		return (
 			<div onClick={ this.onClick }>
-				{ this.props.model.get( 'count' ) }
+				{ this.props.model.count }
 			</div>
 		);
 	},
 
 	onClick : function(){
-		this.props.model.set( 'count', this.props.model.get( 'count' ) + 1 );
+		this.props.model.count = this.props.model.count + 1;
 	}
 });
 ```
 
 You can update react component on backbone events from component props.
-
 Event subscription is managed automatically. No props passed - no problems.
+
+## Data binding
+
+`nestedreact` supports data binding links compatible with standard React's `valueLink`.
+Links are "live" in a sense that they always point to actual value based on current model or collection state.
+It doesn't break anything in React, rather extends possible use cases.
+
+- `var link = model.getLink( 'attr' )` creates link for model attribute. 
+- `var link = collection.getLink( model )` creates boolean link, toggling model in collection. True if model is contained in collection, assignments will add/remove given model. Useful for checkboxes.
+
+### Value access methods
+
+In addition to standard members `link.requestChange( x )` and `link.value`, links supports all popular property access styles:
+
+- jQuery property style: setter `link.val( x )`, getter `link.val()`
+- Backbone style: setter `link.set( x )`, getter `link.get()`
+- plain assugnments style: setter `link.value = x`, getter `link.value`
+- `link.toggle()` is a shortcut for `link.requestChange( !link.value )`
+
+Most efficient way to work with link is using `link.val()` function, that's how its internally implemented. `val` function is bound, and can be passed around safely.
+
+### Link transformations
+
+Attribute's link can be further transformed using extended link API. Link transformations allowing you to use new `stateless functions` component definition style introduced in React 0.14 in most cases.
+
+For links with any value type:
+
+- `link.equals( x )` creates boolean link which is true whenever link value is equal to x. Useful for radio groups.
+- `link.update( x => !x )` creates function transforming link value (toggling boolean value in this case). Useful for `onClick` event handlers.
+
+For link enclosing array:
+
+- `arrLink.contains( x )` creates boolean link which is true whenever x is contained in an array in link value. Useful for checkboxes. Avoid long arrays, currently operations has O(N^2) complexity.
+
+For link enclosings arrays and plain JS objects:
+- `arrOrObjLink.at( key )` creates link to array of object member with a given key. Can be applied multiple times to work with object hierarchies; on modifications, objects will be updated in purely functional way (modified parts will be shallow copied). Useful when working with plain JS objects in model attributes - updating them through links make changes visible to the model.
+- `arrOrObjLink.map( ( itemLink, key ) => <input key={ key } valieLink={ itemLink } /> )` iterates through object or array, wrapping its elements to links. Useful for JSX transofrmation.
+
+### Links and components state
+
+Link received through component props can be mapped as state member using the following declaration:
+```javascript
+attributes : {
+   selected : Nested.link( '^props.selectedLink' )
+}   
+```
+It can be accessed as a part of state, however, in this case it's not true state. All read/write operations will be done with link itself, and local state won't be modified. 
+
+Also, links can be used to declaratively expose real component state to upper conponents. In this example, link optionally received in props will be updated every time `this.state.selected` object is replaced. In this case, updates are one way, from bottom component to upper one, and stateful component will render itself when state is changed.
+
+```javascript
+attributes : {
+   selected : Item.has.watcher( '^props.selectedLink.val' )
+}   
+```
+
+Technically, "watcher" - is just a callback function with a single argument receiving new attribute value, so links are not required here.

example/test.html

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+<html>
+    <head>
+        <script src="../node_modules/jquery/dist/jquery.js"></script>
+        <script src="../node_modules/underscore/underscore.js"></script>
+        <script src="../node_modules/nestedtypes/nestedtypes.js"></script>
+        <script src="../node_modules/react/dist/react.js"></script>
+        <script src="../node_modules/react-dom/dist/react-dom.js"></script>
+        <script src="../nestedreact.js"></script>
+
+    </head>
+    <body></body>
+    <script>
+        var State = Nested.Model.extend({
+            defaults : {
+                who : 'me'
+            }
+        });
+
+        var Hello = React.createClass({
+            Model : State,
+
+            attributes : {
+                what : 'hi'
+            },
+
+            render : function(){
+                return React.createElement( 'div', { onClick : this.click }, this.model.what + this.model.who );
+            },
+
+            click : function(){
+                this.$el.html( 'Whoaa!' );
+            }
+        });
+
+        var c = ReactDOM.render( React.createElement( Hello ), document.body );
+        c.state.set( 'who', 'he' );
+
+    </script>
+</html>