@benev/slate
v0.2.16
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🪨 @benev/slate
by chase moskal
🚧 prerelease, see changelog
- frontend ui library, built on lit
- wonderful web components
- versatile views
- hipster hooks syntax
- satisfying state management
- useful utilities
- top-tier typescript typings
slate is my life journey to "solve frontend".
i've iterated on this for many years, and it's always shifting and changing as i build real apps with it.
features, handy tools, and state management patterns, are accumulating and being refined.
you see, most devs misunderstand how to leverage web components..
please don't make your whole app out of web components.. they're too cumbersome for that — you need views!
- think of web components as an interface for html authors
- components allow novices to easily paste complex features onto html pages
- but these components are html-native — not typescript-native — so they don't take typesafe props, and they're referred to by tag names with bad editor support
- views are the right building blocks for typescript developers to structure their app ui
- "slate views" are typescript-native — you import 'em, and they take typesafe props
- slate views are built on
lit
- slate views have a hooks-based usage pattern inspired by react
- slate helps you fully leverage the power of the
shadow dom
- slate offers signals and any other hip newfangled patterns that i fancy
- slate also lets you build html web components with the same syntax and hooks as the views
so, you want to think of web components as the tip of your iceberg — they are the entrypoints to your ui — they are the universal control surfaces to help html authors interact with your systems — but below the surface, most of your internals can be made of nicely composable views.
👷 quick start
- install slate
npm i @benev/slate
- import templating functions
these are augmented versions oflit
's templating functions, which directly implementsignals
.
they are fully compatible with lit.import {html, css, svg} from "@benev/slate"
⚙️ slate components
you can create custom html elements that work in plain html or any web framework.
shadowComponent
import {shadowComponent, html, css} from "@benev/slate"
export const MyShadowComponent = shadowComponent(use => {
use.styles(css`span {color: yellow}`)
const count = use.signal(0)
const increment = () => count.value++
return html`
<span>${count}</span>
<button @click=${increment}>increment</button>
`
})
lightComponent
import {lightComponent, html, css} from "@benev/slate"
export const MyLightComponent = lightComponent(use => {
const count = use.signal(0)
const increment = () => count.value++
return html`
<span>${count}</span>
<button @click=${increment}>increment</button>
`
})
deploying your components
- register components to the dom
import {register_to_dom} from "@benev/slate" register_to_dom({MyShadowComponent, MyLightComponent})
- now use your components via html
<section> <my-shadow-component></my-shadow-component> <my-light-component></my-light-component> </section>
- the camel case names like
MyComponentName
are automaticallydashify
'd intomy-component-name
- the camel case names like
- if you're making a library of components, please export the components so that the downstream app can register them
that helps downstream developers to cool stuff like apply their own css theme, or rename componentsexport {register_to_dom, apply, css} from "@benev/slate" export const myComponents = {MyShadowComponent, MyLightComponent}
import {myComponents, register_to_dom, apply, css} from "@benev/slate" const myCustomTheme = css`button { color: red; }` register_to_dom( apply.css(myCustomTheme)( myComponents, ) )
🖼️ slate views
views are just like components, but are not registered to the dom as custom html elements.
instead, they are used via javascript.
you import them, and inject them into your lit-html templates.
they accept js parameters called props
, and are fully typescript-typed.
shadowView
import {shadowView, html, css} from "@benev/slate"
export const MyShadowView = shadowView(use => (start: number) => {
use.name("my-shadow-view")
use.styles(css`span {color: yellow}`)
const count = use.signal(start)
const increment = () => count.value++
return html`
<span>${count}</span>
<button @click=${increment}>increment</button>
`
})
auto_exportparts
is enabled by default.- auto exportparts is an experimental shadowView feature that makes it bearable to use the shadow dom extensively.
- if auto_exportparts is enabled, and you provide the view a
part
attribute, then it will automatically re-export all internal parts, using the part as a prefix. - thus, parts can bubble up: each auto_exportparts shadow boundary adds a new hyphenated prefix, so you can do css like
::part(search-input-icon)
.
lightView
export const MyLightView = lightView(use => (start: number) => {
use.name("my-light-view")
const count = use.signal(start)
const increment = () => count.value++
return html`
<span>${count}</span>
<button @click=${increment}>increment</button>
`
})
deploying your views
- using a shadow view
html`<div>${MyShadowView([123])}</div>`
- shadow views need their props wrapped in an array, to separate them from the optional options object:
html` <div> ${MyShadowView([123], { content: html`<p>slotted content</p>`, auto_exportparts: true, attrs: {part: "cool", "data-whatever": true}, })} </div> `
- shadow views need their props wrapped in an array, to separate them from the optional options object:
- using a light view
html`<div>${MyLightView(123)}</div>`
- light views are beautifully simple
- they just take props as arguments, no array-wrapping
- without any shadow-dom, they have no stylesheet and no attributes
- note
- all views are rendered into a
<slate-view view="my-view-name">
component
- all views are rendered into a
🪝 use
hooks — for views and components
slate's hooks have the same rules as any other framework's hooks: the order that hooks are executed in matters, so you must not call hooks under an if
statement or in any kind of for
loop or anything like that.
core hooks
- use.name ~ shadowView, lightView
assign a stylesheet to the shadow root.
only works on views, because having a name to differentiate views is handy (components have the names they were registered to the dom with).use.name("my-cool-view")
- use.styles ~ shadowView, shadowComponent
assign a stylesheet to the shadow root.
only works on shadow views or components (light views/components are styled from above).use.styles(css`span { color: yellow }`)
- use.state
works like react useState hook.
i actually recommend using signals instead (more on those later).const [count, setCount] = use.state(0) const increment = () => setCount(count + 1)
- use.once
initialize a value onceconst random_number = use.once(() => Math.random())
- use.mount
perform setup/cleanup on dom connected/disconnecteduse.mount(() => { const interval = setInterval(increment, 1000) return () => clearInterval(interval) })
- use.init
perform a setup/cleanup, but also return a valueconst scene = use.init(() => { // called whenever dom is connected const scene = setup_3d_scene_for_example() return [ scene, // value returned () => scene.cleanup(), // cleanup called on dom disconnect ] })
- use.defer
execute a function everytime a render finishes.
you might want to do this if you need to query for elements you just rendered.
note that it returns a signal, which starts with anuse.defer(() => { const div = document.querySelector("div") const rect = div.getBoundingClientRect() report_rect(rect) })
undefined
value, but gets updated after every render.const div = use.defer(() => document.querySelector("div")) console.log(div.value) // undefined (until the first render is complete) const handleClick = () => console.log(div.value) // HTMLDivElement (after the first render)
signal hooks
- use.signal
create a reactive container for a value (inspired by preact signals)
you can directly inject the whole signal into htmlconst count = use.signal(0) const increment = () => count.value++
html`<span>${count}</span>`
- use.computed
create a signal that is derived from other signals
const count = use.signal(2) const tripled = use.computed(() => count.value * 3) console.log(tripled.value) //> 6
- use.op
create an OpSignal in a loading/error/ready state, and it can hold a result valueconst count = use.op() count.load(async() => fetchCount("/count"))
- use.load
shorthand for creating an OpSignal, and immediately loading something into itconst count = use.load(() => fetchCount("/count"))
flatstate hooks
- use.flatstate
create a reactive object (inspired by mobx and snapstate)const state = use.flatstate({count: 0}) const increment = () => state.count++
watch hooks
- use.watch
rerender when anything under part of a StateTree is changed.
todo: document how this works viawatch.stateTree({})
.const whatever = use.watch(() => use.context.state.whatever)
useful accessors
these are not hooks, just access to useful things you may need, so you're allowed to use them under if statements or whatever.
- use.context
access to your app's context, for whatever reason// access your own things on the context use.context.my_cool_thing
- use.element
access the underlying html element
use.element.querySelector("p")
- use.shadow ~ shadowView, shadowComponent
access to the shadow rootuse.shadow.querySelector("slot")
- use.attrs ~ shadowComponent, lightComponent
declare accessors for html attributes
set them like normal js propertiesconst attrs = use.attrs({ start: Number, label: String, ["data-active"]: Boolean, })
get them like normal js propertiesattrs.start = 123 attrs.label = "hello" attrs["data-active"] = true
components rerender when any attributes change from outsideconsole.log(attrs.start) // 123 console.log(attrs.label) // "hello" console.log(attrs["data-active"]) // true
🥇 ShadowElement and LightElement – plain elements
- they're alternatives to LitElement
- they're used as primitives underlying shadowComponent and lightComponent
- they're useful for cases where you expose public class members on the javascript elements
ShadowElement — shadow-dom element
import {ShadowElement, mixin, attributes, signal} from "@benev/slate"
@mixin.css(css`span {color: blue}`)
@mixin.reactivity()
export class MyGold extends ShadowElement {
#attrs = attributes(this as ShadowElement, {
label: String
})
#count = signal(0)
render() {
return html`
<span>${this.#count.value}</span>
<button @click=${() => this.#count.value++}>
${this.#attrs.label}
</button>
`
}
}
- note the usage of
mixin.reactivity
, which allows you to make ShadowElement, LightElement, or LitElement, reactive to slate's state management features like signals or flatstate.
LightElement — light-dom element
import {LightElement, mixin, attributes, flat} from "@benev/slate"
@mixin.reactivity()
export class MySilver extends LightElement {
#attrs = attributes(this as LightElement, {
label: String
})
#state = flat.state({
count: 0,
})
render() {
return html`
<span>${this.#state.count}</span>
<button @click=${() => this.#state.count++}>
${this.#attrs.label}
</button>
`
}
}
deploying plain elements
register_to_dom({MyGold, MySilver})
🛠️ standalone utilities
if you're using components and views, you'll probably be using these utilities via the use
hooks, which will provide a better developer experience.
however, the following utilities are little libraries in their own right, and can be used in a standalone capacity.
🛎️ signals
signals are a simple form of state management.
this implementation is inspired by preact signals.
- signals — they hold values
import {signal, signals} from "@benev/slate" const count = signal(0) const greeting = signal("hello") count.value++ greeting.value = "bonjour" console.log(count.value) //> 1 console.log(greeting.value) //> "bonjour"
- reaction — react when signals change
signals.reaction(() => console.log("doubled", count.value * 2)) //> doubled 2 count.value = 2 //> doubled 4
- html templating — you can omit .value
html`<p>count is ${count}</p>`
- op signal — to represent async operations
const json = signals.op<MyJson>() console.log(json.isLoading()) //> true await json.load(async() => { const data = await fetch_remote_data() return JSON.parse(data) }) console.log(json.isReady()) //> true console.log(json.payload) //> {"your": "json data"}
- computed — signal derived from other signals
count.value = 1 const tripled = signals.computed(() => count.value * 3) console.log(tripled.value) //> 3
- wait — for debounced tracking
const tripled = signals.computed(() => count.value * 3) console.log(tripled.value) //> 3 count.value = 10 console.log(tripled.value) //> 3 (too soon!) await signals.wait console.log(tripled.value) //> 30 (there we go)
- signal tower
import {SignalTower} from "@benev/slate" const signals = new SignalTower()
- slate comes with a default tower called
signals
, but you can create your own - signal towers are completely separated from one another
- slate comes with a default tower called
🥞 flatstate
flatstate help you create state objects and react when properties change.
flatstate is inspired by mobx and snapstate, but designed to be simpler. flatstate only works on flat state objects. only the direct properties of state objects are tracked for reactivity. this simplicity helps us avoid weird edge-cases or unexpected footguns.
flatstate basics
- make a flat state object
import {flat} from "@benev/slate" const state = flat.state({count: 0})
- simple reaction
flat.reaction(() => console.log(state.count))
- flatstate immediately runs the function, and records which properties it reads
- then, anytime one of those recorded properties changes, it runs your function again
- your reaction can listen to more than one state object
- two-function reaction
flat.reaction( // your "collector" function () => ({count: state.count}), // your "responder" function ({count}) => console.log(count), )
- now there's a separation between your "collector" and your "responder"
- the collector "passes" relevant data to the responder function
- flatstate calls the responder whenever that data changes
- stop a reaction
const stop = flat.reaction(() => console.log(state.count)) stop() // end this particular reaction
- reactions are debounced -- so you may have to wait to see state changes
const state = flat.state({amount: 100}) state.amount = 101 console.log(state.amount) //> 100 (old value) await flat.wait console.log(state.amount) //> 101 (now it's ready)
flatstate advanced
- create readonly access to a state object
const state = flat.state({count: 0}) const rstate = Flat.readonly(state) state.count = 1 await flat.wait console.log(rstate.count) //> 1 rstate.count = 2 // !! ReadonlyError !!
- btw, you can use readonly on anything, not just flatstate
- multiple flatstate instances are totally isolated from each other
const flat1 = new Flat() const flat2 = new Flat()
flatstate integration with frontend elements
- let your components rerender on flat state changes
import {apply} from "@benev/slate" const MyElement2 = mixin.flat(flat)(MyElement) // can also be a class decorator const elements2 = apply.flat(flat)(elements)
- this works on any BaseElement, which includes LitElement, ShadowElement, LightElement
☢️ reactor
create reactions that listen to both signals and flatstates at the same time.
signals and flat both share the same reaction syntax, but they are separate state management systems. reactor
lets you combine both.
slate components and views are already wired up to the reactor and will respond to changes automatically. you only need the reactor when you want to respond to state changes when you're outside of slate components or views.
- you can use one-function reaction syntax:
import {reactor, flatstate, signal} from "@benev/slate" const state = state({count: 0}) const count = signal(0) // use the reactor to setup a reaction reactor.reaction(() => console.log(` flat count is ${state.count}, signal count is ${count.value} `))
- two-function reaction syntax:
reactor.reaction( () => ({a: state.count, b: count.value}), results => console.log(results), )
- reactions can be stopped:
const stop = reactor.reaction( () => console.log(state.count) ) // end this reaction stop()
- wait for the debouncer:
await reactor.wait
💫 ops
utility for ui loading/error/ready states.
useful for implementing async operations that involve loading indicators.
you get a better dev-experience if you use ops via signals, but here is the documentation for plain ops on their own, without signals.
- create some ops
import {Op} from "@benev/slate" Op.loading() //= {status: "loading"} Op.error("a fail occurred") //= {status: "error", reason: "a fail occurred"} Op.ready(123) //= {status: "ready", payload: 123}
- check an op's status (proper typescript type guards)
Op.is.loading(op) //= false Op.is.error(op) //= false Op.is.ready(op) //= true
- grab an op's payload (undefined when not ready)
const count = Op.ready(123) const loadingCount = Op.loading() Op.payload(count) //= 123 Op.payload(loadingCount) //= undefined
- run an async operation which updates an op
let my_op = Op.loading() await Op.load( // your setter designates which op to overwrite op => my_op = op, // your async function which returns the ready payload async() => { await nap(1000) return 123 } )
- ops signals integration — i recommend trying
use.op()
orsignals.op()
to createOpSignal
instances which have nicer ergonomics (an OpSignal is just an op that is wrapped in a signal, plus some handy methods)const count = signals.op() // run an async operation await count.load(async() => { await sleep(1000) return 123 }) // check the status of this OpSignal count.isLoading() //= false count.isError() //= false count.isReady() //= true // grab the payload (undefined when not ready) count.payload //= 123 // directly assign the op signal count.setLoading() count.setError("big fail") count.setReady(123)
- loading effects for ops
- i precooked some ascii loading indicators for you. import 'em:
import {loading} from "@benev/slate"
- then use 'em in your views or whatever.
return loading.binary(videoOp, video => html` <p>video is done loading!</p> ${video} `)
- these loading effects can accept ops or op signals.
- to make your own, you can use the helpers
makeLoadingEffect
ormakeAnimatedLoadingEffect
(if you can figure out how to use 'em)
🪈 pipe
- pipe data through a series of functions
- maybe you've done silly nesting like this:
// bad register_to_dom( apply.signals(signals)( apply.flat(flat)( apply.css(theme)( requirement.provide(context)(elements) ) ) ) )
- now you can do this instead:
import {Pipe} from "@benev/slate" // good Pipe.with(elements) .to(requirement.provide(context)) .to(apply.css(theme)) .to(apply.flat(flat)) .to(apply.signals(signals)) .to(register_to_dom)
- call
.done()
when you want to return the result
🧐 more useful utils
ain't got no time to document these, but they're there
debounce
— my trusty debouncerdeep
— utilities for data structures like 'equal' and 'freeze'is
— proper type guardsob
— map over an object's values withob(object).map(fn)
ev
— to listen for eventsel
— small syntax to generate html without litnap
— sleep for x millisecondsexplode_promise
— make an inside-out promisegenerate_id
— generate a crypto-random hexadecimal id stringpubsub
— easy pub/sub toolrequirement
— pass required data to a group of thingsShockDrop
andShockDragDrop
— for drag-and-drop integrationswatch
— new heavy-duty state management pattern, with deep-watching in state trees, formalized actions, and even undo/redo history