ember data introduction and basic concepts

GoodData Confidential. 2013 GoodData Corporation. All rights reserved.

Ember DataAdam Kloboučník, GoodData@akloboucnik


Ember Data

▶ client data-persistence library▶ for Ember.js

▶ still beta-quality▶ strongly opinionated (naming, url + model

schema)▶ “trivial choices are enemy” ~ @wycats


Complications

Data

Web Applications

merge problems


Complications

User

Post

Comment

changes

dirty checking


Complications

▶ merge problems▶ dirty checking▶ async


Ember Data architecture

DataREST API

LocalStorage

Google Spreadsheet

Adapter

Serializer

Store

“Talks” protocol

Extracts raw data to Models

Persists models

Models


ModelsApp.Post = DS.Model.extend({

title: DS.attr('string'),

body: DS.attr('string'),

comments: DS.hasMany('comment', {async:

true})

});

App.Comment = DS.Model.extend({

content: DS.attr('string'),

post: DS.belongsTo('post')

});


Adapter

▶ provides protocol abstraction▶ RESTAdapter, FixtureAdapter provided▶ LocalStorageAdapter, many others...


Intermezzo - promises

▶ “eventual value returned from completion of operation”function callApi(id) {

var promise = longRunningOperation(id);

return promise;

}

//....

callApi(2).then(function(result) {

// do sth with resolved result

}, function(err) {

// do sth with rejection

});


Store

▶ querying and saving▶ store.find[All,Query](‘model-name’[, id]);▶ model_object.save();▶ both finders and save return promises for developer

sanity (formerly a state chart with actions on edges)▶ Em.RSVP.all([promise1, promise2]).then ...


Notes

▶ identity map▶ sideloading▶ optimize you API for easier life (jsonapi.org)

▶ active_model_serializers in Rails▶ :-( elsewhere

▶ alternatives▶ Ember.Resource▶ Ember.Model▶ EPF

▶ sources - emberjs.com/guides, source


▶ really young now, but▶ provides clean separation of concerns

▶ developing client app without backend▶ testing adapter code without rest of the app▶ …

▶ “best practices” for api modelling▶ integrates greatly with Ember if you use it

Conclusion


Thank you!

@akloboucnik

ember data introduction and basic concepts

Technology