Client-side MVC with Backbone.js (reloaded)

Client-side MVC with Backbone.js

igloolab.com@iloveigloo

michele.berto.li@MicheleBertoli

igloo

Moniga Del Garda

Lago di Garda

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Agenda

Questions

Why Backbone.js

Architecture

Real World

Tips & Tricks

Extras

14:00 min

05:00 min

06:00 min

04:00 min

NaN

06:00 min

Why Backbone.js

Why Backbone.js

From server-side to client-side

Why Backbone.js

From server-side to client-side

We need efficient tools

Why Backbone.js

jQuery is cool but…

Why Backbone.js

jQuery is cool but…

We have to store object informations intothe DOM

var list = ""; $.each(data, function (index, value) { list += "<li id=\"item-" + value.Id + "\">" + value.Name + "</li>"; }); $("ul").append(list);

Why Backbone.js

jQuery is cool but…

We have to store object informations intothe DOM

var list = ""; $.each(data, function (index, value) { list += "<li id=\"item-" + value.Id + "\">" + value.Name + "</li>"; }); $("ul").append(list);

Why Backbone.js

$.getJSON("/Items", function (data) { var list = ""; $.each(data, function (index, value) { list += "<li id=\"item-" + value.Id + "\">" + value.Name + "</li>"; }); $("ul").append(list);

$("li").click(function () { var $this = $(this); var id = $this.attr("id").replace("item-", ""); $.post("/Items", { id: id }, function () { $this.fadeOut(function () { $this.remove(); }); }); });

});

jQuery is cool but…

jQuery callback hell

Why Backbone.js

jQuery is cool but…

jQuery callback hell

$.getJSON("/Items", function (data) { var list = ""; $.each(data, function (index, value) { list += "<li id=\"item-" + value.Id + "\">" + value.Name + "</li>"; }); $("ul").append(list);

$("li").click(function () { var $this = $(this); var id = $this.attr("id").replace("item-", ""); $.post("/Items", { id: id }, function () { $this.fadeOut(function () { $this.remove(); }); }); });

});

Why Backbone.js

“It's all too easy to create JavaScript applications that end up as tangled piles of jQuery selectors and callbacks.”

Why Backbone.js

So, what do we need?

• Abstraction.

• Decoupling UI from Data.

• No more callbacks.

Why Backbone.js

• A RESTful service based data layer.

• Events (to keep UI and data up-to-date).

• A template engine.

• A solid routing system.

• All the above things wrapped into a lightweight JavaScript framework.

So, what do we need? (More practically)

Why Backbone.js

It exists and it’s called: Backbone.js

Architecture

Architecture

Jeremy Ashkenas

Oct 13th, 2010

Architecture

http://documentcloud.github.com/backbone

https://github.com/documentcloud/backbone

@documentcloud

#documentcloud on IRC

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/backbonejs

Architecture

Backbone.js gives structure to web

applications by providing models with key-value binding and custom events,

collections with a rich API of enumerable

functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing

API over a RESTful JSON interface.

Architecture

Backbone.js gives structure to web

applications by providing models with key-value binding and custom events,

collections with a rich API of enumerable

functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing

API over a RESTful JSON interface.

Architecture

Backbone.js gives structure to web

applications by providing models with key-value binding and custom events,

collections with a rich API of enumerable

functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing

API over a RESTful JSON interface.

Architecture

Backbone.js gives structure to web

applications by providing models with key-value binding and custom events,

collections with a rich API of enumerable

functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing

API over a RESTful JSON interface.

Architecture

Backbone.js gives structure to web

applications by providing models with key-value binding and custom events,

collections with a rich API of enumerable

functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing

API over a RESTful JSON interface.

Architecture

Backbone.js gives structure to web

applications by providing models with key-value binding and custom events,

collections with a rich API of enumerable

functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing

API over a RESTful JSON interface.

Architecture

Dependencies:

• jQuery or Zepto

• Underscore.js

• Json2.js

Architecture

MVC

Model / Collection

Template (View)

View (Controller)

Router

MVC

Model / Collection

Template (View)

View (Controller)

Router

Architecture

MVC

Model / Collection

Template (View)

View (Controller)

Router

Architecture

MVC

Model / Collection

Template (View)

View (Controller)

Router

Architecture

Architecture

MVC

Model / Collection

Template (View)

View (Controller)

Router

Model• Representing data (auto-generated).

• Handling persistence. • Throws events.

• Reusable.

Architecture

• Fetch

• Save (new) • Save

• Destroy

/url

/url /url/id

/url/id

HTTP GET

HTTP POSTHTTP PUT

HTTP DELETE

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Model

Architecture

var Item = Backbone.Model.extend({ idAttribute: “Id”, urlRoot: “/Items” });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

var item = new Item(); item.set({ Name: “Igloo” }); // trigger change item.save(); // trigger sync

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

• extend

• constructor / initialize

• get

• set

• escape

• has

• unset

• clear

• id

• idAttribute

• cid

• attributes

• defaults

• toJSON

• fetch

• save

• destroy

• validate

• isValid

• url

• urlRoot

• parse

• clone

• isNew

• change

• hasChanged

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Model• changedAttributes

• previous

• previousAttributes

Collection• A list of models.

• Underscore methods.

Architecture

var Items = Backbone.Collection.extend({ model: Item, url: "/Items" });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

var items = new Items(); items.fetch(); // trigger reset

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

items.comparator = function(item) { return item.get("Name"); };

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

Collection

• extend

• model

• constructor / initialize

• models

• toJSON

• add

• remove

• get

• getByCid

• at

• length

• comparator

• sort

• pluck

• url

• parse

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

• etch

• eset

• create

Architecture

Collection

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

• forEach (each)

• map

• reduce (foldl, inject)

• reduceRight (foldr)

• find (detect)

• filter (select)

• reject

• every (all)

• some (any)

• include

• invoke

• max

• min

• sortBy

• groupBy

• sortedIndex

• shuffle

• toArray

• size

• first

• initial

• rest

• last

• without

• indexOf

• lastIndexOf

• isEmpty

• chain

View• Manipulates the DOM.

• Delegates DOM events.• Has a Model / Collection.

Architecture

View

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

View (Model)

View (Collection)

Architecture

var ListView = Backbone.View.extend({ el: $("ul"), initialize: function () { this.collection.bind("reset", this.render, this); }, render: function () { this.collection.each(this.addItem, this); return this; }, addItem: function (item) { var itemView = new ItemView({ model: item }); this.$el.append(itemView.el); itemView.render(); } });

var ItemView = Backbone.View.extend({ tagName: "li", render: function () { this.$el.text(this.model.get("Name")); return this; } });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

var ListView = Backbone.View.extend({ el: $("ul"), initialize: function () { this.collection.bind("reset", this.render, this); }, render: function () { this.collection.each(this.addItem, this); return this; }, addItem: function (item) { var itemView = new ItemView({ model: item }); this.$el.append(itemView.el); itemView.render(); } });

var ItemView = Backbone.View.extend({ tagName: "li", render: function () { this.$el.text(this.model.get("Name")); return this; } });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

var ListView = Backbone.View.extend({ el: $("ul"), initialize: function () { this.collection.bind("reset", this.render, this); }, render: function () { this.collection.each(this.addItem, this); return this; }, addItem: function (item) { var itemView = new ItemView({ model: item }); this.$el.append(itemView.el); itemView.render(); } });

var ItemView = Backbone.View.extend({ tagName: "li", render: function () { this.$el.text(this.model.get("Name")); return this; } });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

var ListView = Backbone.View.extend({ el: $("ul"), initialize: function () { this.collection.bind("reset", this.render, this); }, render: function () { this.collection.each(this.addItem, this); return this; }, addItem: function (item) { var itemView = new ItemView({ model: item }); this.$el.append(itemView.el); itemView.render(); } });

var ItemView = Backbone.View.extend({ tagName: "li", render: function () { this.$el.text(this.model.get("Name")); return this; } });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

var ListView = Backbone.View.extend({ el: $("ul"), initialize: function () { this.collection.bind("reset", this.render, this); }, render: function () { this.collection.each(this.addItem, this); return this; }, addItem: function (item) { var itemView = new ItemView({ model: item }); this.$el.append(itemView.el); itemView.render(); } });

var ItemView = Backbone.View.extend({ tagName: "li", render: function () { this.$el.text(this.model.get("Name")); return this; } });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

var ItemView = Backbone.View.extend({ tagName: "li", render: function () { this.$el.text(this.model.get("Name")); return this; } });

Architecture

var ListView = Backbone.View.extend({ el: $("ul"), initialize: function () { this.collection.bind("reset", this.render, this); }, render: function () { this.collection.each(this.addItem, this); return this; }, addItem: function (item) { var itemView = new ItemView({ model: item }); this.$el.append(itemView.el); itemView.render(); } });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

var items = new Items(); var listView = new ListView({ collection: items }); items.fetch();

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Architecture

View• $ (jQuery or Zepto)

• render

• remove

• make

• delegateEvents

• undelegateEvents

• extend

• constructor / initialize

• el

• $el

• setElement

• attributes

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Template (Underscore.js)

Compiles JavaScript templates into functions that can be evaluated for rendering.

• Mustache • jQuery-tmpl

ArchitectureModel / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

<script type="text/template" id="item-template"> <li> <%= Name %> </li> </script>

Architecture

var ItemView = Backbone.View.extend({ … template: _.template($("#item-template").html()), ... render: function () { this.$el.html(this.template(this.model.toJSON())); return this; } … });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

• Maps urls to function.

• Enable history / bookmarking.

Router

ArchitectureModel / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

var AppRouter = Backbone.Router.extend({ routes: { "": "init" }, init: function () { … } });

Architecture

window.AppRouter = Backbone.Router.extend({ routes: { "": "loadInvoices", "/add": "addInvoice", "/show/:id": "showInvoice", "/edit/:id": "editInvoice“ }, loadInvoices: function () { … }, addInvoice: function () { … }, showInvoice: function (id) { … }, editInvoice: function (id) { … } });

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Router

Architecture

• extend

• routes

• constructor / initialize

• route

• navigate

Model / Collection - View - Template - Router - Utilities

Utilities• History • Sync• Utility

Architecture

Router View

Model /Collection

Template

DataSource

Real World

Real World

• .NET RESTful Web Services / MS SQL • Backbone.js

Polar management• Smart invoicing web application

Technologies

Real World

Polar management

Real World

Real World

Real World

Polar management

window.AppRouter = Backbone.Router.extend({ routes: { … "/modifica/:id": "editInvoice“ }, editInvoice: function (id) { … } });

Polar management

Real World

window.AppRouter = Backbone.Router.extend({ routes: { … "/modifica/:id": "editInvoice“ }, editInvoice: function (id) { … } });

Real World

Koala

• .NET RESTful Web Services / RavenDB • Backbone.js • Highcharts.js

Technologies

• Social media analytics

Real World

Real World

Real World

window.Logs = Backbone.Collection.extend({ model: Log, url: "/Data", comparator: function (log) { return log.get("Date"); }, sum: function (field) { return this.reduce(function (memo, log) { return memo + log.get(field); }, 0); } });

Koala

Real World

window.Logs = Backbone.Collection.extend({ model: Log, url: "/Data", comparator: function (log) { return log.get("Date"); }, sum: function (field) { return this.reduce(function (memo, log) { return memo + log.get(field); }, 0); } });

Koala

Real World

window.Logs = Backbone.Collection.extend({ model: Log, url: "/Data", comparator: function (log) { return log.get("Date"); }, sum: function (field) { return this.reduce(function (memo, log) { return memo + log.get(field); }, 0); } });

Koala

Real World

Cammi

• .NET RESTful Web Services / MS SQL• Backbone.js

Technologies

• Custom newsletter engine

Real World

Cammi

Real World

Cammi

Real World

Cammi

Load User

Load Groups

Load

Companies

Load

Load

Fetch

Fetch

Real World

Linkedin

Real World

Linkedin

Real World

WunderKit

Real World

Groupon

Real World

Basecamp

3

Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks

idAttribute: “id”

// CouchDB idAttribute: “_id”

// .NET idAttribute: “Id”

idAttribute

Tips & Tricks

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

var Invoice = Backbone.Model.extend({ idAttribute: “Id” }); var Invoices = Backbone.Collection.extend({ model: Invoice, url: "/Invoices" });

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

var InvoiceDetail = Backbone.Model.extend({ idAttribute: “Id” }); var InvoiceDetails = Backbone.Collection.extend({ model: InvoiceDetail, url: "/InvoiceDetails“ });

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

var Invoice = Backbone.Model.extend({ idAttribute: "Id", initialize: function () { this.setInvoiceDetails(); }, setInvoiceDetails: function () { this.set({ InvoiceDetails: new InvoiceDetails(this.get("InvoiceDetails")) }); } });

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

Related Models

Tips & Tricks

Related Models

var Invoice = Backbone.Model.extend({ idAttribute: "Id", initialize: function () { this.setInvoiceDetails(); this.bind("sync", this.setInvoiceDetails); }, setInvoiceDetails: function () { this.set({ InvoiceDetails: new InvoiceDetails(this.get("InvoiceDetails")) }); } });

Extras

Extras

Plugins

• Backbone-Nested

• Backbone.Memento

• Backbone.Validations

• Backbone.localStorage

• backbone.couchdb.js

• …

https://github.com/documentcloud/backbone/wiki/Extensions%2C-Plugins%2C-Resources

Extras

TDD - Jasmine

describe("Todo", function() {

it("Should have a title", function() {

var todo = new Todo();

expect(todo.get("title")).toBeDefined();

});

});

Extras

Backbone is anti-SEO

http://www.spiffyui.org#!css

http://www.spiffyui.org?_escaped_fragment_=css

http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2011/09/27/searchable-dynamic-content-with-ajax-crawling/

Extras

• http://sproutcore.com (Apple/iCloud)

• http://knockoutjs.com

• http://emberjs.com

• http://batmanjs.org (Shopify)

Extras

• http://www.igloolab.com/downloads/backbone-cheatsheet.pdf

Cheat Sheet

Backbone.js

-

• Lightweight • Powerful • Code is clean (and maintainable)

+

• Too verbose (for small applications)

3Lago di Garda

Questions ?

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@iloveigloo