ES6UMD

ES6UMD is a template for writing micro ES6 Javascript libraries that run both on Node.js and the browser.

ES6UMD uses Babel to compile ES6 Javascript code to ES5. It uses Browserify to bundle all the Javascript files in one Javascript UMD file that can run both on Node.js and the browser.

ES6UMD uses Gulp for the build.

ES6UMD relies on Mocha and Chai for unitary testing. It relies on Istanbul for code coverage.

ES6UMD uses Travis CI for continuous integration and Coveralls.io to display test coverage.

Quick Startup

You can easily get your first ES6UMD library running in a couple of minutes by just typing a few command lines. But first, you need to create an empty folder. It will contain your library.

Then, you have to install the es6umd package globally. Open a terminal session and type the command line:

npm install es6umd -g

Or, if you don't have the rights to install ES6UMD globally, you can install it locally in your project. Open a terminal session, move to your working directory - the empty folder you created - and type the following command line:

npm install es6umd

Now populate your empty folder and create your first UMD library with these command lines:

// populate (// means a comment and not a command line!)
es6umd populate -n myapp
// Or, if you installed the package locally:
./node_modules/es6umd/bin/es6umd.js populate -n <name of your library>
// Install Node.js packages
npm install

Now your project folder contains the following files:

Your project Folder
      |_ docs                 // The Gitbook documentation of your project,
      |_ lib
      |   |_ lib.js           // Your lib converted by babel and browserify to an ES5 module,
      |_ src
      |  |_ main.js           // Your ES6 main library,
      |  |_ lib.js            // A second ES6 library,
      |_ tasks
      |   |_ ...              // The Gulp tasks to build your project,
      |_  test
      |     |_ main.js        // Your Mocha, Chai test file,
      |_ .babelrc             // The configuration file for Babel,
      |_ .eslintrc            // A Configuration file for the ESLint linter tool (if you use it),
      |_ .gitignore           // Files that Git must ignore (if you use git),
      |_ .travis.yml          // A configuration file for Travis CI (if you use it),
      |_ .CHANGELOG.md        // The changes between your different versions,
      |_ .gulpfile.js         // The main Gulp task,
      |_ index.js             // The link to your ES6 libraries,
      |_ LICENSE.md           // The license that applies to your library (here MIT),
      |_ package-lock.json    // The NPM dependency tree,
      |_ package.json         // The NPM package file,
      |_ README.md            // Your README file,

This project folder is now an NPM package.

How to build it

Your package.json file provides two scripts to build and update your library:

• npm run build,
• npm run watch.

npm run build creates a folder _dist that contains the Javascript file <name of your library>.js. This file is an UMD javascript library that bundles all the es6 files of your project (here index.js, lib/main.js and lib/lib.js).

npm run watch updates on the fly _dist/<name of your library>.js each time you modify a Javascript file in your project.

How to test it

Your package.json file contains three scripts to test your UMD library:

• npm run test,
• npm run check-coverage,
• npm run display-coverage.

npm run test executes the tests and computes the test coverage.

npm run check-coverage checks if the test coverage matches the requirements. Here 100%.

npm run display-coverage opens your browser and reports the test coverage.

How to use it

On Node.js, your project folder is viewed as a NPM package (usually, it has the same name as your library). Choose a working directory outside your project folder, create a folder node_modules and copy your project folder into node_modules. Then, on your terminal, type (at your working directory level):

node
> var MyLib = require('<name of your project folder>');
undefined
> var mylib = new MyLib();
undefined
> mylib.getString();
'I am a string!'
> mylib.getArray();
[ 1, 2, 3 ]
>

On the browser, pick-up the Javascript file _dist/<name of your library>.js and add it as a script in your HTML file. <name of your library>.js is an immediately-invoked function expression. It attaches the UMDLib variable to the current context.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <body>
    <script src="<name of your library>.js"></script>
    <script>
      var lib = new <name of your library>();
      lib.getString();
      lib.getArray();
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

Enjoy!

License

MIT.