Structured Concurrency Patterns for JavaScript

[oleksii-shepel]

streamix 2.0.46: Big Changes in @epikodelabs/streamix/coroutines

The coroutines package grew up.

Instead of one fuzzy cluster of worker tools, it now has three clear jobs:

• coroutine(...) for one dedicated worker and queued tasks
• compute(...) for worker-pool throughput
• actor(...) for long-lived stateful workers with messaging

That split is the whole story. The package is simpler because each tool now has a cleaner lane.

Why It Feels Better

coroutine(...) is now the straightforward "do this work off the main thread" tool.

compute(...) is the "give me parallel throughput" tool.

actor(...) is the new "this worker behaves like a little service" tool.

If your worker has state, sends events, makes requests, or stays alive on purpose, it probably wants to be an actor.

One Nice Cleanup

The main-thread API is centered on main:

main.outbox.send(...)
main.outbox.request(...)
main.outbox.publish(...)
main.outbox.stop(...)
main.inbox.subscribe(...)

That is easier to teach and easier to read.

main.inbox.subscribe(...) is also now just one subscribe form. If you only want messages addressed to the main thread, filter inside the handler:

main.inbox.subscribe((message) => {
  if (message.to !== "main") return;
  console.log(message.topic, message.payload);
});

In Practice

• Want one worker? Use coroutine(...).
• Want many workers? Use compute(...).
• Want a worker with a memory and a social life? Use actor(...).

That is the new shape of the package, and it is much nicer.

Read More

• Coroutines
• Actors
• Changelog