The open-source node libraries powering Cloud9 (opens in new tab)

(c9.io)

14 pointsmattpardee13y ago4 comments

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tlack13y ago· 2 in thread

Architect is an interesting concept. I had thought about doing something similar using EventEmitter as a kind of "plugin bus" between different parts of the app. Has anyone who has used something like this for complex sites comment on implementation strategies and how they grow with age?

creationix13y ago

The neat thing about architect is that some plugins provide "services" or named APIs and other plugins consume such named APIs. It's interface oriented programming. The service names are simple short strings and that's why architect has a feature to alias services should name conflicts arise.

Using pure events works too (as does dnode and smith), but for large projects they tend to get hairy. Architect separates concerns into defined interfaces provided by configurable plugin instances. It keeps things clean and configurable.

tlack13y ago

(This question is a bit difficult for me to phrase, so pardon me if this sentence is awkward) Can you give me an example of how this plugin architecture saved you from an awkward happenstance? For instance, what did this level of abstraction actually buy you in specific? What did you vary (for lack of a better term) that the consumer didn't have to worry about, as opposed to if you had built it in a traditional tightly coupled manner?

I am trying to understand how this abstraction comes into play in day to day work as apps are put together.

Thanks again for your insightful reply

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