Since node.js code is javascript, many node.js modules have the useful
property of being able to be run on client and server side. Using tools
like browserify (https://github.com/substack/node-browserify) and script
(https://github.com/shtylman/node-script) you can easily package node.js
modules for the browser.
However, there is generally one hurdle when doing this. Some modules depend
on code or third party modules that are server specific. When bundling (act
of preparing for the browser) these modules it would be wrong to include
these server only modules. Instead, the bundler tool needs to be able to
shim out those 3rd party modules in favor of alternate code which
replicates the functionality in the browser. Currently tools like
browserify and script allow you to do this manually in your code. This is
error prone as you have to know the dependencies for any thrid party
modules you use and track if you need to shim them out or not. Instead I
propose that we "standardize" and put this information into the
package.json file so that any such bundling tool (and other tools) will
know that when the code is bound for a browser, certain modules should be
replaced.
Imagine a package.json with the following dependencies:
"dependencies": {
"ws": "x.x.x",
"some_native_module": "x.x.x",
"pure_js_module": "x.x.x"
}
The module author would now be able to provide the following additional
section (if needed):
"shims": {
"ws": "./shims/ws.js",
"some_native_module": "./shims/something.js"
}
This would be entirely optional but it would allow modules that have no
technical impediment to working in the client and server to be bundled
easier. I think this would be a useful addition since all the code is
javascript and we as module authors can benefit and help others by
recognizing and making it easier to use all of this new code in both
environments.
If you want to try this out, the wip-shim branch for script
(https://github.com/shtylman/node-script/commits/wip-shim) has a working
implementation. I hope other bundling tools jump on board :)
Thoughts? Terrible? Useless? Wonderful?
