README.markdown

Class-based inheritance model for JavaScript

About

Yet another javascript Class for managing class-based inheritance. It's mostly based on Prototype's Class (but independent of Prototype.js and in fact fully "framework-agnostic") with some ideas from John Resig's Simple Class.

Main difference is the way of super method calls. It's done by "_super" method which takes method name as first param:

this._super('parentsMethod', arg1, arg2, ... );

One more difference are utility methods:

• "Class.construct" which allows to simulate "apply()" on class cunstructor to init new instance with arguments list (see examples).
• getMethods and hasMethods for get/check class methods.

Released under the MIT License.

Examples

Basic class creation

var Animal = Class.create({
    init: function(name, sound) {
        this.name  = name;
        this.sound = sound;
    },
    speak: function() {
        alert(this.name + ' says: ' + this.sound + '!');
    }
});

Subclassing

var Snake = Class.create(Animal, {
    init: function(name) {
        this._super('init', name, 'hissssssssss'); // calling parent's init method
    }
});
var ringneck = new Snake('Ringneck');
ringneck.speak(); // alerts "Ringneck says: hissssssss!"

Adding new method

Snake.addMethods({
    speak: function() {
        this._super('speak');
        alert('You should probably run. He looks really mad.');
    }
});
ringneck.speak(); // alerts "Ringneck says: hissssssss!"; alerts "You should probably run. He looks really mad."

Redefining method

Notice that new methods are added (or redefined) to all subclasses as well as the already instantiated instances.

Animal.addMethods({
    speak: function() {
        alert(this.name + 'snarls: ' + this.sound + '!');
    }
});
ringneck.speak(); // alerts "Ringneck snarls: hissssssss!"; alerts "You should probably run. He looks really mad."

Adding static method

Class.extend(Animal, {
    staticMethod: function() {
        alert('Animal.staticMethod called!');
    }
});
Animal.staticMethod(); // alerts "This one is static"

Get all class methods

Animal.getMethods(); // returns ['init', 'speak']

Check if the class method exists

Animal.hasMethod('speak'); // returns true
Animal.hasMethod('speakQuietly'); // returns false

Get all class static properties

Animal.getStaticProperties(); // returns ['staticMethod']

Check if the class static property exists

Animal.hasStaticProperty('staticMethod'); // returns true
Animal.hasStaticProperty('anotherStaticMethod'); // returns false

Creating new instance and passing an array of arguments

var args = ['some name', 'some sound'];
var instance = Class.construct(Animal, args); // works the same as: new Animal('some name', 'some sound');