back to the future: isomorphic javascript applications

unlucioSenior Software Engineer - Namshi

Dive Master - PADI Remote Nerd - WEBdeBS

Back to the future:

Isomorphic javascript applications

An isomorphic javascript application:

What is an “isomorphic application”

Why did we need one

How did we build it @ Namshi:

Requirements

Choices

What did we actually do

Isomorphism

Isomorphism is a very general concept that appears in several areas of mathematics. The word derives from the Greek iso, meaning

"equal," and morphosis, meaning "to form" or "to shape.”

wolfram.com

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Isomorphism.html

http://wolfram.com

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Isomorphism.html

Isomorphic application

It’s a dynamic website capable of generating its html on both server and client side, virtually using the same

exact code in both environments

and a websiteis a bunch of nicely presented html

with an interactive layer on top

to be isomorphicwe need to stop at the html

take a note for future self!

Why do we need one?

Why do we need one?Robots: search engines don’t cope with SPAs


Loading speed


Loading speedJavascript doesn’t “fail safe”

@ Namshi…

We had to turn this…

in to this

See the difference?

SPA Page Isomorphic Page

SPA Page Isomorphic Page~190Kb js Target 100Kb js


~ 40p page speed at least 90p page speed


~ 40p page speed at least 90p page speed

Angular.js ?????????

?????????

?????????yup, we had to make a choice

We’re already using it on our SPAs

We’re already using it on our SPAsWell known dependency injection


Well known dependency injection

Data bindings


Well known dependency injection

Data bindings

Jade (and we like it)

It’s ok but…

Making it isomorphic needs

quite a bit of tooling around

New and fashionable…

New and fashionable… …we’re eager to try it :)


The virtual DOM looks amazing


The virtual DOM looks amazingFlux (once you get it) seems quite a good idea



JSX…



JSX…

… but components are a nice idea too!



JSX…

… but components are a nice idea too!and The Internet says it can be isomorphic too!

Let’s try it! :D

Examples and suggested techniques seems been quite complex, with lots of structure and quite

opinionated

expectations slightly not met :’(

Yup, we’re back to square one…

ok… let’s try getting what we like…

ok… let’s try getting what we like…

data bindings jade

flux components

flux capacitor

So, how does it work?

So, how does it work?Step 1

Understand the view

Data Content

TemplateInteraction

So, how does it work?Step 2

Strip the interaction layer

Data Content

TemplateInteraction

Remember our note: stop at the html.

So, how does it work?What do we get form the api:

Data Content

{ data: [], meta: {}, search: {} }

{ data: “”, meta: {}, search: {} }

So, how does it work?What do we get form the api:

{ data: “”, meta: {}, search: {} }

This guy is html!

So, how does it work?Choose a template engine

TemplateJade:

our current angular ones

Nunjucks: renders on client and server

let’s bring backwhat we liked about React

FluxOur data source: API


State: the URL


State: the URLAdd a little dispatcher to notify for data update

Show me the code!

Show me the code!Server entry point

var app = require('express')(); var tpl = require(‘../shared/tpl'); var url = require('url');

app.get('*', function(req, res) { var path = url.parse(req.url).pathname; api.getData(path).then(function(data) { var html = tpl.render('main.html', data); res.end(html); }); });

Show me the code!And it’s client counterpart

var page = require('page');

page('*', function (ctx) { var path = url.parse(ctx.path).pathname;

dispatcher.broadcast('URL_CHANGE', {url: path}); api.getData(path).then(function (data) { dispatcher.broadcast('DATA_UPDATE', data); }); });

page.start();

Components

ComponentsActivate on state update


Receive data


Receive dataTransform them if needed


Receive dataTransform them if needed

Delegate to templates for final html generation

Show me the code!

Show me the code!Title Component

var tpl = require('../tpl'); var vpo = require('vpo');

module.exports = function(data) { return tpl.render('title.html', { text: vpo.get(data, 'meta.seo.pageTitle') || vpo.get(data, 'title') || 'Namshi.com' }); };

Show me the code!Title Template

<title data-iso-component="title">{{ text }}</title>

Hey but what about my interaction?


well, according to legend: turns out that back in the 90s humans were able to use websites simply clicking on links and

without fancy UI wow-effects


Interaction We call them: widgets

they react to UI changes

they attach to iso-components

interact with data-nm-*

and use VUE.js

Show me the code!

Show me the code!var dispatcher = require(‘../../shared/dispatcher'); var menu = require('./menu'); var cart = require('../services/cart');

module.exports = function($dom) { $dom.on('click', '#site_menu .search_trigger', function(e) { dispatcher.broadcast(‘TOGGLE_SEARCH’); e.preventDefault(); });

this.bind($dom, {data: { menu: menu, cart: cart }}); };

Show me the code!<div id="site_header" data-iso-component="header" data-nm-class="navigation_open: menu.shiftContent"> <ul id="site_menu"> <li><a href="" class="search_trigger"> <i>{{ 'search' | translate }}</i></a> </li> <li><a href="/cart/" class="cart_overview"> <span data-nm-text="cart.itemsCount">0</span></a> </li> </ul> </div>

did we meet our target?

did we meet our target?Isomorphism: yes :)


Size: 162kb (including templates)


Size: 162kb (including templates)

Page speed…

Page speed…

node.js Browserify

Gulp Nunjucks Vanilla JS express.js

VUE.js Docker

Thank you for listening

back to the future: isomorphic javascript applications

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