ARM JavaScript Library

Table of Contents

• Overview
  • Core Functionalities
  • Key Features
  • Benefits
• Basic Usage
• Installation
• Dependency Packages
  • Initialization and Configuration
    • Initialization
      • Initialization on create-react-app
      • Initialization on create-next-app
    • Configuration
• Utilization
  • Request functions from server
    • Passed Arguments: Request functions from server
    • Returned Object: Request functions from server
  • Retrieve functions from collections
  • Create collection record function
  • Remove collection record functions
  • Push collection record function
• Collection Records: Properties and Functions
• Utility Functions
  • Data Retrieval and Manipulation
  • Data Validation and Comparison

Overview

ARM (API Resource Manager) is a JavaScript library designed to centralize data management and simplify interactions with APIs. By providing a structured approach to handling and storing fetched data, ARM promotes efficient and flexible data usage throughout your application.

Core Functionalities

• Centralized Data Storage: Organizes fetched data into easily accessible collections, acting as a single source of truth for your application's data.
• API Interactions: Manages API requests and responses, providing methods for common HTTP operations (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE).
• Caching: Optimizes performance by caching frequently accessed data, reducing API calls and improving response times.
• Request Management: Tracks ongoing requests to prevent redundancy and manages their state.
• Utility Functions: Offers helper functions for data manipulation, filtering, sorting, and other common operations.

Key Features

• Collections: Stores fetched data in collections for efficient retrieval and management.
• Record Management: Provides methods to create, update, delete, and retrieve individual records within collections.
• Reactive Data: Employs observable patterns (likely through a library like Mobx) to enable real-time updates and dependency tracking.
• Asynchronous Operations: Handles API interactions asynchronously using Promises for non-blocking operations.
• Error Handling: Manages errors gracefully and provides informative feedback.
• Configurability: Allows customization of API endpoints, headers, and request behavior.
• Extensibility: Can be integrated with other libraries and frameworks to fit various application architectures.

Benefits

• Centralized Data Access: Provides a single source of truth for application data, ensuring consistency and reducing data duplication.
• Improved Performance: Caching and optimized request management enhance application speed.
• Enhanced Developer Experience: Simplifies data management and reduces boilerplate code.
• Flexibility: Can be used across different components and parts of an application.
• Maintainability: Promotes code organization and reduces potential inconsistencies.

By centralizing data management and offering flexible access to it, ARM empowers developers to build more efficient, scalable, and maintainable applications.

Basic Usage

// Example usage in ReactJS

import { observer } from 'mobx-react-lite'
import { ARM } from './index.js'

const App = observer(() => {
  const { isLoading, isError, data: address } = ARM.findRecord(
    'addresses',
    123456,
    { include: 'user' },
    { alias: 'customerAddress' }
  )

  return (
    <div className="App">
      {isLoading && <span>Loading...</span>}
      {!isLoading && (
        <div className="form">
          <label>Address1 </label>
          <input
            defaultValue={address.get('attributes.address1')}
            onChange={(event) =>
              address.set('attributes.address1', event.target.value)
            }
          />
          &nbsp;
          <button
            onClick={() => {
              address
                .save()
                .then((result) => console.log(result))
                .catch((error) => console.log(error))
            }}
          >
            {address.get('isLoading') ? 'Saving' : 'Save'}
          </button>
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  )
})

export default App

Installation

npm install arm-js-library --save

Dependency Packages

npm install mobx-react-lite --save

Initialization and Configuration

Initialization

Somewhere on your application init, create and store new ARM instance.

Initialization on create-react-app

• Store it on src/index.js here's an example

  // Create a new instance of ARM
  import ApiResourceManager from 'arm-js-library'
  
  // Create an array of collections to initialize
  const collections = ['addresses', 'users']
  
  // Export new instance of ARM for later utilization
  export const ARM = new ApiResourceManager(collections)

Initialization on create-next-app

• Store it on component wrapper src/components/arm-config-wrapper/index.js here's an example

  // Tag component wrapper as client
  'use client'
  
  // Create a new instance of ARM
  import ApiResourceManager from 'arm-js-library'
  
  // Create an array of collections to initialize
  const collections = ['addresses', 'users']
  
  // Export new instance of ARM for later utilization
  export const ARM = new ApiResourceManager(collections)
  
  //
  const ARMConfigWrapper = ({ children }) => {
    return <>{children}</>
  }
  
  export default ARMConfigWrapper

• Wrap root layout children src/app/layout.js with arm-config-wrapper component here's an example

  import dynamic from 'next/dynamic'
  
  const ARMConfigWrapper = dynamic(
    () => import('../components/arm-config-wrapper'),
    { ssr: false }
  )
  
  export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
    return (
      <html lang="en">
        <body>
          <ARMConfigWrapper>{children}</ARMConfigWrapper>
        </body>
      </html>
    )
  }

Configuration

Configure stored ARM instance from where you stored it, to be able to use it on your application.

Required configurations

• setHost(value)

  // Set API endpoint host URL
  // By default host is set to window.location.origin
  ARM.setHost('https://www.test-demo.com')

• setHeadersCommon(key, value)

  // Set common request headers required on calling API endpoints
  // ie. Authoization, Content-Type, etc.
  ARM.setHeadersCommon('Authorization', `${token}`)
  ARM.setHeadersCommon('Content-Type', 'application/vnd.api+json')
  ARM.setHeadersCommon('X-Client-Platform', 'Web')

• setNamespace(value)

  // Set namespace for API endpoint host URL
  // By default namespace is set to 'api/v1'
  ARM.setNamespace('api/v1')

Optional configurations

• setGlobal(value)

  // Set ARM instace to global
  // This will make ARM instance available on browser window object via window.ARM
  // Example:
  //  console.log(window.ARM)
  ARM.setGlobal()

• setPayloadIncludeReference(value)

  // Set payload included reference key
  // Payload included reference key serve as mapper to determine what collection
  // the data received belongs to
  // Example:
  //  {
  //    data: [...],
  //    included: [ { id: 1, type: 'addresses' } ]
  //  }
  ARM.setPayloadIncludeReference('type')

Utilization

To be able to use ARM features. You have to import the stored ARM instance from the init file of the application.

// ARM instance is stored on /src/index.js
import { ARM } from 'path-to-src/index.js'

Request functions from server

---

• query(resource, params, config)
  • Querying multiple records from the server.
  • Support query params. - required
  • Support config. - optional

  ARM.query(
    'addresses',
    {
      sort: '-id',
      include: 'user',
    },
    {
      alias: 'customerAddresses',
    }
  )

• queryRecord(resource, params, config)
  • Querying for a single record from the server.
  • Support query params. - required
  • Support config. - optional

  ARM.queryRecord(
    'addresses',
    {
      id: 123456,
      sort: '-id',
      include: 'user',
    },
    { alias: 'customerAddress' }
  )

• findAll(resource, config)
  • Retrieving multiple records from the server.
  • Support config. - optional

  ARM.findAll('addresses', {
    alias: 'customerAddresses',
  })

• findRecord(resource, id, params, config)
  • Retrieving single record from the server.
  • Params ID by default. - required
  • Support query params. - required
  • Support config. - optional

  ARM.findRecord(
    'addresses',
    123456,
    { include: 'user' },
    {
      alias: 'customerAddress',
    }
  )

Passed Arguments: Request functions from server

---

    // Example: https://www.test-demo.com/api/v1/addresses/1?include=user
    ARM.findRecord('addresses', 123456,
      { 
        include: 'user' 
      },
      {
        skip: true,
        alias: 'customerAddress',
      }
    )

• resource - String
  • https://www.test-demo.com/api/v1/ addresses /1?include=user
  • Endpoint resource name.
  • Serve as collection name defined on the collection intialization of ARM instance.
• id - Number
  • https://www.test-demo.com/api/v1/addresses/ 1?include=user
  • Endpoint id parameter.
• params - Object
  • https://www.test-demo.com/api/v1/addresses/1? include=user
  • Endpoint query string parameters.
• config - Object
  • Contains request config such as (skip, alias, autoResolve, ignorePayload, override) which are currently available.

    {
      // Skip serve as request go signal to proceed 
      // if Request B has dependency on Request A
      skip: true,
  
      // Alias serve as identifier for the records obtain from the server.
      // Can be used anywhere in your application through ARM.getAlias('customerAddress')
      alias: 'customerAddress' ,
  
      // Auto resolve serve as flag if the request functions will return 
      // 1. Promise Function
      //  - To handle success and errors on manual resolve) if autoResolve is set to false
      // 2. Observable/Reactive Data
      //  - To handle success and errors on auto resolve) if autoResolve is set to true 
      // Note: autoResolve is only available on query, queryRecord, findAll, findRecord functions.
      // By default autoResolve is set to true.
      autoResolve: false,
  
      // Ignore payload serve as list of keys to be omitted on request payload.
      ignorePayload: ['attributes.address2', 'attributes.address1'],
  
      // Override serve as request override for the default configuration of axios current request.
      // Currently support host, namespace, path and headers for the meantime.
      // Example:
      // Before override: https://www.test-demo.com/api/v1/users/1
      // After override: https://www.another-test-demo.com/api/v2/update-users/1
      override: {
        host: 'https://www.another-test-demo.com',
        namespace: 'api/v2',
        path: `update-users/${user.get('id')}`,
        headers: {
          'X-Client-Platform': 'Symbian',
        }
      }
    }

Returned Object: Request functions from server

---

• isLoading - Boolean
  • Current loading state of the request.
  • By default set to true.
  • Set to true once the request is initiated and set to false once request is done.
• isError - Boolean
  • Current error state of the request.
  • By default set to false.
  • Set to true if the request received/encountered an error and set to false if none.
• isNew - Boolean
  • Identifier if the request is newly created.
  • By default set to true.
  • Set to true if the request is already initiated once and set to false once it is already intiated before. Request functions are built with optimization, it does not repeatedly executing API request. Since it is optimized, it can be override using skip from request configuration.
• data - Array || Object
  • Contains the request returned payload.
  • By default has value of an empty array or object depending on the request function used.
• error - Object || String
  • Contains the request returned error.
  • By default has value of a null.
• included - Array
  • Contains the request returned payload property included.
  • Specifically for JSON API.
• meta - Object
  • Contains the request returned payload property meta.
  • Specifically for JSON API.

// Returned object data properties are observable
// It will automatically update once the request is already done
{
  isLoading: true,
  isError: false,
  isNew: true,
  data: [],
  error: null,
  included: [],
  meta: {},
}

Retrieve functions from collections

---

• peekAll(collectionName)
  • Retrieving multiple records from collection.

  ARM.peekAll('addresses')

• peekRecord(collectionName, collectionRecordId)
  • Retrieving single record from collection.
  • Params ID by default. - required

  ARM.peekRecord('addresses', 123456)

• getCollection(collectionName)
  • Retrieving all records from collection.

  ARM.getCollection('addresses')

• getAlias(collectionName, collectionFallbackRecord)
  • Retrieving records from aliased request results.
  • Support collectionFallbackRecord. - optional

  const addresses = ARM.getAlias('customerAddresses', [])
  
  ARM.findAll('addresses', { alias: 'customerAddresses' })
  
  <ul>
    {addresses.map((address, index) => (
      <li key={index}>{address.get('id')}</li>
    ))}
  </ul>

Create collection record function

---

• createRecord(collectionName, collectionRecord, collectionRecordRandomId)
  • Create new collection record.
  • By default collectionRecord params is set to empty object if omitted - required
  • By default collectionRecordRandomId params is set to true - optional

  // Usage #1
  // Can ommit collectionRecord on createRecord initialization
  const newAddress = ARM.createRecord('addresses')
  newAddress.set('attributes.kind', 'school')
  newAddress.set('attributes.label', 'My school')
  
  // Usage #2
  // Can ommit collectionRecord on createRecord initialization
  const newAddress = ARM.createRecord('addresses', {
    attributes: { kind: 'school', label: 'My school' }
  })
  
  // Persist collection record to server.
  // Will call POST /addresses
  newAddress.save()

Remove collection record functions

---

• unloadRecord(collectionRecord)
  • Remove record from collection only.

  // Collection record to be remove collection.
  const address = ARM.peekRecord('addresses', 123456)
  
  // This will remove the record from collection and will not
  // remove permanently from the server.
  ARM.unloadRecord(address)

• clearCollection(collectionName)
  • Remove all records from collection only.

  ARM.clearCollection('addresses')

Push collection record function

---

• pushPayload(collectionName, collectionRecords)
  • Push raw collection record/records to respective collections.

  // Retrieve raw data with barebone ajax/fetch function.
  ARM.ajax({
    method: 'get',
    url: 'addresses/12345'
  }).then(results => {
    // Will add/update collection records.
    ARM.pushPayload('addresses', results.data.data)
  })

Collection Records: Properties and Functions

---

// Example response data from API
// See available properties, getter and  setter functions and request functions below.
{
  "id": 123456,
  "type": "addresses",
  "attributes": {
    "address1": "Test Address 1",
    "address2": "1718729541222",
    "kind": "office",
    "label": "Anabu Hills",
    "latitude": "14.394261",
    "longitude": "120.940783"
  }
}

• State Properties
  • isLoading - Boolean
    • Current loading state of the record.
    • By default set to false.
    • Set to true once request functions (save, reload, destroyRecord) are initiated and set to false once done.

    address.get('isLoading')

  • isError - Boolean
    • Current error state of the record.
    • By default set to false.
    • Set to true once request functions (save, reload, destroyRecord) received an error and set to false if none.

    address.get('isError')

  • isPristine - Boolean
    • Current pristine state of the record.
    • By default set to true.
    • Set to false if the record is modified and set to true once reverted.

    address.get('isPristine')

  • isDirty - Boolean
    • Current dirty state of the record.
    • By default set to false.
    • Set to true if the record is modified and set to false once reverted.

    address.get('isDirty')

• Getter and Setter Functions
  • get(key)
    • Single property getter function.
    • Passed arguments:
      • key - String

    // Returned value 123456
    address.get('id') 
    
    // Returned value 'office'
    address.get('attributes.label') 

  • set(key, value)
    • Single property setter function.
    • Passed arguments:
      • key - String
      • value - Primitive

    // Returned value 'office'
    address.get('attributes.kind')
    
    // Set property label of attributes
    address.set('attributes.kind', 'school')
    
    // Returned value 'office'
    address.get('attributes.kind')

  • setProperties(value)
    • Multiple properties setter function.
    • Passed arguments:
      • value - Object

    // Returned value 'office'
    address.get('attributes.kind')
    // Returned value 'Anabu Hills'
    address.get('attributes.label')
    
    // Set properties label and kind of attributes
    address.setProperties({
      attributes: { kind: 'school', label: 'My School' }
    })
    
    // Returned value 'school'
    address.get('attributes.kind')
    // Returned value 'My School'
    address.get('attributes.label')

• Request Functions
  • save(collectionConfig)
    • Persist collection record changes to server.
    • Create a new record to server only if it doesn't already exist in the database.
      • Will call POST method: POST /addresses
    • Update existing record to server.
      • Will call PUT method: PUT /addresses/123456
    • Support collectionConfig. - optional
      • Available collectionConfig (skip, alias, autoResolve, ignorePayload, override)

    // Returned promise
    // Without collectionConfig
    address.save()
    
    // With collectionConfig
    address.save({ ignorePayload: ['attributes.address2'] })

  • reload()
    • Refresh collection record changes from server.
      • Will call GET method: GET /addresses/123456

    // Returned promise
    address.reload()

  • destroyRecord(collectionConfig)
    • Remove collection record permanently from server.
      • Will call GET method: DELETE /addresses/123456
    • Support collectionConfig. - optional
      • Available collectionConfig (skip, alias, autoResolve, ignorePayload, override)

    // Returned promise
    // Without collectionConfig
    address.destroyRecord()
    
    // With collectionConfig
    address.destroyRecord({
      override: {
        host: 'https://ww7.test-demo.com',
        namespace: 'api/v2',
        path: `destroy-addresses/${address.get('id')}`,
      }
    })

  • getCollection(collectionName, collectionConfig)
    • Retrieve records from server automatically if async option value is set to true true on collectionConfig.
    • Retrieve records that are already loaded on collection if async option value is set to false on collectionConfig.
    • Passed arguments:
      • collectionName - String
      • collectionConfig - Object
        • referenceKey - String
          • Collection record property mapping.
        • async - Boolean
          • Flag for invoking request function on resolving not yet loaded records on collection.
        • filterBy - Object
          • Filter return collection records based on passed filter properties.
        • sortBy - Array
          • Sort returned collection records based on passed array of sort criteria.

    // Get user record from the server but don't preload addresses records.
    const { isLoading, data: user } = ARM.findRecord(
      'users',
      123456,
      {
        // include: 'user'
      },
      { alias: 'currentUser' }
    )
    
    // The getCollection function will populate records from collection
    // and server depending on passed collectionConfig.
    {!isLoading && (
      <ul>
        {user
          .getCollection('addresses', {
            referenceKey: 'relationships.addresses.data',
            async: true,
            sortBy: ['id:desc'],
            filterBy: {
              attributes: {
                'label': 'Test'
              }
            }
          })
          .map((address, index) => (
            <li key={index}>{address.get('id')}</li>
          ))}
      </ul>
    )}

Utility Functions

Collection of utility functions that leverage Lodash for common data manipulation tasks. These functions primarily focus on searching, filtering, sorting, and validating data within objects or arrays.

Data Retrieval and Manipulation

---

// Example response data from API
const addresses = [
   {
     "id": 1,
     "attributes": {
       "kind": "office",
       "label": "My Office",
     }
   },
   {
     "id": 2,
     "attributes": {
       "kind": "school",
       "label": "My School",
     }
   },
   {
     "id": 3,
     "attributes": {
       "kind": "school",
       "label": "My Brother's School",
     }
   }
 ]

• findBy(objects, findProperties)
  • Finds the first element in the given array of objects that satisfies the provided find properties.

  // Return record with id 1
  ARM.findBy(addresses, { id: 1 })

• findIndexBy(objects, findIndexProperties)
  • Returns the index of the first element in the given array of objects that satisfies the provided find properties.

  // Return index number of record with id 1
  ARM.findIndexBy(addresses, {
    attributes: { kind: 'office' }
  })

• filterBy(objects, filterProperties)
  • Creates a new array with all elements from the given array of objects that pass the filter test implemented by the provided filter properties.

  // Returns records with ids 2 and 3
  ARM.filterBy(addresses, {
    attributes: { kind: 'school' }
  })

• uniqBy(objects, uniqByProperty)
  • Removes duplicate objects from an array based on a unique property.

  // Returns records with ids 1 and 2
  ARM.uniqBy(addresses, 'attributes.kind')

• groupBy(objects, groupByProperty)
  • Incorrectly uses uniqBy instead of grouping objects by the specified property.

  // Returns { school: [{ id: 2 }, { id: 3 }], office: [{ id: 1 }]} 
  ARM.groupBy(addresses, 'attributes.kind')

• firstObject(objects)
  • Returns the first element from the given array of objects. If the array is empty, it returns undefined.

  // Return record with id 1
  ARM.firstObject(addresses)

• lastObject(objects)
  • Returns the last element from the given array of objects. If the array is empty, it returns undefined.

  // Return record with id 3
  ARM.lastObject(addresses)

• mergeObjects(objects, otherObjects)
  • Combines two arrays of objects into one, removing duplicates.

  ARM.mergeObjects(addresses, otherAddresses)

• chunkObjects(objects, chunkSize)
  • Splits an array of objects into smaller arrays of a given size.

  ARM.chunkObjects(addresses, 2)

• sortBy(objects, sortProperties)
  • Sorts the given array of objects by the specified sort properties.

  // Returns records order by ids 1,2,3
  ARM.sortBy(addresses, ['id:asc'])
  
  // Returns records order by ids 3,2,1
  ARM.sortBy(addresses, ['id:desc'])

• ajax(config)
  • Axios instance under the hood with default ARM config.
  • Config accepts all properties that can be passed on axios.request config.

  // Return promise
  ARM.ajax({
    method: 'get',
    baseURL: 'https://other-api.test-demo.com',
    url: '/api/v1/addresses'
  })
  .then(results => console.log(results))
  .catch(errors => console.log(errors))

Data Validation and Comparison

• isEmpty(value)
  • Checks if a value is considered empty (null, undefined, empty string, empty array, or empty object).

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isEmpty(value)

• isPresent(value)
  • Returns the opposite of isEmpty.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isPresent(value)

• isEqual(value, other)
  • Performs a deep comparison between two values to determine if they are equal.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isEqual(value, other)

• isNumber(value)
  • Checks if a value is a number.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isNumber(value)

• isNil(value)
  • Checks if a value is null or undefined.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isNil(value)

• isNull(value)
  • Checks if a value is null.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isNull(value)

• isGte(value, other)
  • Checks if the first value is greater than or equal to the second value.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isGte(value, other)

• isGt(value, other)
  • Checks if the first value is greater than the second value.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isGt(value, other)

• isLte(value, other)
  • Checks if the first value is less than or equal to the second value.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isLte(value, other)

• isLt(value, other)
  • Checks if the first value is less than the second value.

  // Return boolean value
  ARM.isLt(value, other)