Prop Initializer

The prop_initializer gem is a flexible tool for defining properties on Ruby classes.

It's a fork of the Literal Gem, with a few tweaks. We sincerely thank Joel Drapper for the inspiration and base code that made this possible.

With prop_initializer, you can easily declare properties for any class, giving you flexible options for default values and more. However, the scope is narrowed down by removing strict typing requirements, providing a more lightweight and adaptable interface.

To use prop_initializer in your Ruby project, add the following to your Gemfile:

gem "prop_initializer"

Then, run the bundle command to install it:

bundle install

To start using prop_initializer , you need to include the module in the class where you want to define properties.

In any class, extend PropInitializer::Properties to enable the ability to define properties:

class MyClass
  extend PropInitializer::Properties
end

Properties can be declared using the prop method, which generates writers and makes them available as instance variables (e.g., @name, @size, etc.).

prop :name                # A simple property, accessible via @name
prop :size, default: :md  # A property with a default value of :md
prop :args, kind: :*      # A property for handling splat arguments
prop :kwargs, kind: :**   # A property for handling keyword arguments

You can define a custom processing block when declaring a property, for example:

prop :icon do |value|
  value&.to_sym       # Converts the property value to a symbol
end

By default, PropInitializer generates a writer for each declared property. The properties are stored as instance variables, which can be accessed within the class:

@name    # Accesses the value of the 'name' property
@size    # Accesses the value of the 'size' property

If you want to generate a public reader (getter) for a property, use the reader: :public option when defining the property:

prop :title, reader: :public

This will automatically generate a public getter method, allowing you to retrieve the property like so:

my_class_instance.title  # Public getter for the 'title' property

class MyComponent
  extend PropInitializer::Properties

  prop :name, reader: :public
  prop :size, default: :md, reader: :public
  prop :args, kind: :*
  prop :kwargs, kind: :**
  prop :icon do |value|
    value&.to_sym
  end
end

component = MyComponent.new(name: "Button", size: :lg)
component.name # => "Button"
component.size # => :lg

While prop_initializer is based on the Literal Gem, there are some important differences:

• No Type Requirement: Literal's properties system enforces types, while prop_initializer omits them for flexibility. You can define properties without needing to specify a type.

• Simplified Initializer: The initialization process has been modified to avoid requiring types at the time of property definition.

Special thanks to the team at Literal for their pioneering work on property-based object initialization. This gem builds upon the foundation laid by their work.

If you're looking for a more type-strict approach to property initialization, we encourage you to check out the original Literal Gem.

Thank you for using prop_initializer! We hope this tool helps make your property management more efficient and adaptable in your Ruby projects.

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