Hyperactiv

A super tiny reactive library. ⚡️

Description

Hyperactiv is a super small (~ 1kb minzipped) library which observes object mutations and computes functions depending on those changes.

In other terms whenever a property from an observed object is mutated, every function that depend on this property are called right away.

Of course, Hyperactiv automatically handles these dependencies so you never have to explicitly declare anything. ✨

---

Minimal working example

import hyperactiv from 'hyperactiv'
const { observe, computed } = hyperactiv

// This object is observed.
const observed = observe({
    a: 1,
    b: 2,
    c: 0
})

// Calling computed(...) runs the function and memorize its dependencies.
// Here, the function depends on properties 'a' and 'b'.
computed(() => {
    const { a, b } = observed
    console.log(`a + b = ${a + b}`)
})
// Prints: a + b = 3

// Whenever properties 'a' or 'b' are mutated…
observed.a = 2
// The function will automagically be called.
// Prints: a + b = 4

observed.b = 3
// Prints: a + b = 5

observed.c = 1
// Nothing depends on 'c', so nothing will happen.

Demo

Paint demo

React store demo

React hooks demo

Setup

npm i hyperactiv

<script src="https://unpkg.com/hyperactiv"></script>

Import

Hyperactiv is bundled as an UMD package.

// ESModules
import hyperactiv from 'hyperactiv'

// Commonjs
const hyperactiv = require('hyperactiv')

// Global variable
const { computed, observe, dispose } = hyperactiv

Usage

1. Observe object and arrays

const object = observe({ one: 1, two: 2 })
const array = observe([ 3, 4, 5 ])

2. Define computed functions

let sum = 0

// This function calculates the sum of all elements,
// which is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15 at this point.
const calculateSum = computed(() => {
    sum = [
        ...Object.values(object),
        ...array
    ].reduce((acc, curr) => acc + curr)
})

// A computed function is called when declared.
console.log(sum) // -> 15

3. Mutate observed properties

// calculateSum will be called each time one of its dependencies has changed.

object.one = 2
console.log(sum) // -> 16
array[0]++
console.log(sum) // -> 17

array.unshift(1)
console.log(sum) // -> 18
array.shift()
console.log(sum) // -> 17

4. Release computed functions

// Observed objects store computed function references in a Set,
// which prevents garbage collection as long as the object lives.
// Calling dispose allows the function to be garbage collected.
dispose(calculateSum)

Add-ons

Additional features that you can import from a sub path.

• hyperactiv/react

A simple but clever react store.

• hyperactiv/http

A reactive http cache.

• hyperactiv/handlers

Utility callbacks triggered when a property is mutated.

• hyperactiv/classes

An Observable class.

• hyperactiv/websocket

Hyperactiv websocket implementation.

Performance

This repository includes a benchmark folder which pits hyperactiv against other libraries.

Important: the benchmarked libraries are not equivalent in terms of features, flexibility and developer friendliness.

While not the best in terms of raw performance hyperactiv is still reasonably fast and I encourage you to have a look at the different implementations to compare the library APIs. For instance there is no .get() and .set() wrappers when using hyperactiv.

Here are the raw results: (100 runs per tiers, average time ignoring the 10 best & 10 worst runs)

Each tier nests observable objects X (10/100/500/1000…) times and performs some computations on the deepest one. This causes reactions to propagate to the whole observable tree.

Disclaimer: I adapted the code from maverickjs which was itself a rewrite of the benchmark from cellx. I also wrote some MobX code which might not be the best in terms of optimization since I am not very familiar with the API.

Code samples

A simple sum and a counter

// Observe an object and its properties.
const obj = observe({
    a: 1,
    b: 2,
    sum: 0,
    counter: 0
})

// The computed function auto-runs by default.
computed(() => {
    // This function depends on a, b and counter.
    obj.sum = obj.a + obj.b
    // It also sets the value of counter, which is circular (get & set).
    obj.counter++
})

// The function gets executed when computed() is called…
console.log(obj.sum)     // -> 3
console.log(obj.counter) // -> 1
obj.a = 2
// …and when a or b are mutated.
console.log(obj.sum)     // -> 4
console.log(obj.counter) // -> 2
obj.b = 3
console.log(obj.sum)     // -> 5
console.log(obj.counter) // -> 3

Nested functions

const obj = observe({
    a: 1,
    b: 2,
    c: 3,
    d: 4,
    totalSum: 0
})

const aPlusB = () => {
    return obj.a + obj.b
}
const cPlusD = () => {
    return obj.c + obj.d
}

// Depends on a, b, c and d.
computed(() => {
    obj.totalSum = aPlusB() + cPlusD()
})

console.log(obj.totalSum) // -> 10
obj.a = 2
console.log(obj.totalSum) // -> 11
obj.d = 5
console.log(obj.totalSum) // -> 12

Chaining computed properties

const obj = observe({
    a: 0,
    b: 0,
    c: 0,
    d: 0
})

computed(() => { obj.b = obj.a * 2 })
computed(() => { obj.c = obj.b * 2 })
computed(() => { obj.d = obj.c * 2 })

obj.a = 10
console.log(obj.d) // -> 80

Asynchronous computations

// Promisified setTimeout.
const delay = time => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, time))

const obj = observe({ a: 0, b: 0, c: 0 })
const multiply = () => {
    obj.c = obj.a * obj.b
}
const delayedMultiply = computed(

    // When dealing with asynchronous functions
    // wrapping with computeAsync is essential to monitor dependencies.

    ({ computeAsync }) =>
        delay(100).then(() =>
            computeAsync(multiply)),
    { autoRun: false }
)

delayedMultiply().then(() => {
    console.log(obj.b) // -> 0
    obj.a = 2
    obj.b = 2
    console.log(obj.c) // -> 0
    return delay(200)
}).then(() => {
    console.log(obj.c) // -> 4
})

Batch computations

// Promisified setTimeout.
const delay = time => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, time))

// Enable batch mode.
const array = observe([0, 0, 0], { batch: true })

let sum = 0
let triggerCount = 0

const doSum = computed(() => {
    ++triggerCount
    sum = array.reduce((acc, curr) => acc + curr)
})

console.log(sum) // -> 0

// Even if we are mutating 3 properties, doSum will only be called once asynchronously.

array[0] = 1
array[1] = 2
array[2] = 3

console.log(sum) // -> 0

delay(10).then(() => {
    console.log(`doSum triggered ${triggerCount} time(s).`) // -> doSum triggered 2 time(s).
    console.log(sum) // -> 6
})

Observe only some properties

const object = {
    a: 0,
    b: 0,
    sum: 0
}

// Use props to observe only some properties
// observeA reacts only when mutating 'a'.

const observeA = observe(object, { props:  ['a'] })

// Use ignore to ignore some properties
// observeB reacts only when mutating 'b'.

const observeB = observe(object, { ignore: ['a', 'sum'] })

const doSum = computed(function() {
    observeA.sum = observeA.a + observeB.b
})

// Triggers doSum.

observeA.a = 2
console.log(object.sum) // -> 2

// Does not trigger doSum.

observeA.b = 1
observeB.a = 1
console.log(object.sum) // -> 2

// Triggers doSum.

observeB.b = 2
console.log(object.sum) // -> 3

Automatically bind methods

let obj = new SomeClass()
obj = observe(obj, { bind: true })
obj.someMethodThatMutatesObjUsingThis()
// observe sees all!

This and class syntaxes

class MyClass {
    constructor() {
        this.a = 1
        this.b = 2

        const _this = observe(this)

        // Bind computed functions to the observed instance.
        this.doSum = computed(this.doSum.bind(_this))

        // Return an observed instance.
        return _this
    }

    doSum() {
        this.sum = this.a + this.b
    }
}

const obj = new MyClass()
console.log(obj.sum) // -> 3
obj.a = 2
console.log(obj.sum) // -> 4

const obj = observe({
    a: 1,
    b: 2,
    doSum: function() {
        this.sum = this.a + this.b
    }
}, {
    // Use the bind flag to bind doSum to the observed object.
    bind: true
})

obj.doSum = computed(obj.doSum)
console.log(obj.sum) // -> 3
obj.a = 2
console.log(obj.sum) // -> 4

API

observe

Observes an object or an array and returns a proxified version which reacts on mutations.

observe(Object | Array, {
    props: String[],
    ignore: String[],
    batch: boolean,
    deep: boolean = true,
    bind: boolean
}) => Proxy

Options

• props: String[]

Observe only the properties listed.

• ignore: String[]

Ignore the properties listed.

• batch: boolean | int

Batch computed properties calls, wrapping them in a setTimeout and executing them in a new context and preventing excessive calls. If batch is an integer greater than zero, the calls will be debounced by the value in milliseconds.

• deep: boolean

Recursively observe nested objects and when setting new properties.

• bind: boolean

Automatically bind methods to the observed object.

computed

Wraps a function and captures observed properties which are accessed during the function execution. When those properties are mutated, the function is called to reflect the changes.

computed(fun: Function, {
    autoRun: boolean,
    callback: Function
}) => Proxy

Options

• autoRun: boolean

If false, will not run the function argument when calling computed(function).

The computed function must be called at least once to calculate its dependencies.

• callback: Function

Specify a callback that will be re-runned each time a dependency changes instead of the computed function.

dispose

Will remove the computed function from the reactive Maps (the next time an bound observer property is called) allowing garbage collection.

dispose(Function) => void

batch

Only when observables are created with the {batch: …} flag

Will perform accumulated b.ed computations instantly.

const obj = observe({ a: 0, b: 0 }, { batch: true })
computed(() => obj.a = obj.b)
obj.b++
obj.b++
console.log(obj.a) // => 0
batch()
console.log(obj.a) // => 2