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NativeJS

Functional extensions to the JavaScript language.

How to run it

Currently you will need at least a ruby installation to build the native.js. Just use './build.rb' or 'ruby build.rb' from the root folder and the file will be build.

I'm using the YUI-Compressor (http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/compressor/) as well afterwards, to create a native.min.js, but that is not necessary to use the features.

Just include it at the head of your HTML file, like this:

There is a template.html, that demonstrates this.

What is it about?

This Library started as an extension to the Prototype-Framework (www.prototypejs.org) I took some of my prototype-independent functions being added to String and Number, and combined them with the functional beauty of List (aka Array) Programming.

The Library want's to focus on working with the code in an elegant fashion.

Example: Prototype defined the map function on an Array. Map is crucial function in functional programming. JavaScript allows you to pass functions as arguments, as everything is an object. This let's you create a square sequence like this:

var baseSequence = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] var squareFn = function(x) { return x * x } var squareSequence = baseSequence.map(squareFn) => [1, 4, 9, 16, 25]

Now I put a set of default mathematical functions into the already existing Math object, like sum, mul, square, ... These usually take two arguments (but at least one) and get another code-candy: You can use them from a Number as well:

var x = 5 var x2 = x.square() => 25

In addition to that the reduce and reduceRight functions have been added to Array

var sum = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].reduce(function(a, b) { return a + b }) => 15 // a functional Array.sum

This allows some Scala-like processing:

var sum = (1).to(100).reduce(Math.sum) => 5050 // Gauss knew!

var fac = function(n) { return (1).to(n).reduce(Math.mul) } // functional faculty definition

NOTE: As JavaScript does no recursion optimization (that I'd be aware of) reduce is done iteratively!

Compatibility

Currently I'm testing with Google Chrome , Safari 5.0 and Firefox 4+, no Problems so far. Internet Explorer 7-8 should and may work, but I can not recommend it as it's JavaScript Engine is simply and impartial slow. Did not test on IE 9, yet