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Is it possible to create a namespace in jQuery?

Asked 2009-02-09T04:01:35.923
52

YUI has a nice way of creating a namespace for your methods etc. in javascript.

Does jQuery have anything similiar?

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2 Answers

39

lpfavreau offers the solution to extend the jQuery object with your own methods (so that their functionality applies on the actual jQuery object context).

If you're looking to just namespace your code you can use the dollar symbol like this:

$.myNamespace = { .. };

or the "jQuery":

jQuery.myNamespace = { .. };

Be careful with the namespace you choose as this can overwrite existing jQuery methods (I'd suggest to first search in the jQuery code so that you don't).

You can follow this link: http://www.zachleat.com/web/2007/08/28/namespacing-outside-of-the-yahoo-namespace/

See how easy it is to create your own function to replicate what YUI does:

// include jQuery first.
jQuery.namespace = function() {
    var a=arguments, o=null, i, j, d;
    for (i=0; i<a.length; i=i+1) {
        d=a[i].split(".");
        o=window;
        for (j=0; j<d.length; j=j+1) {
            o[d[j]]=o[d[j]] || {};
            o=o[d[j]];
        }
    }
    return o;
};

// definition
jQuery.namespace( 'jQuery.debug' );
jQuery.debug.test1 = function()
{
    alert( 'test1 function' );
};
jQuery.debug.test2 = function()
{
    alert( 'test2 function' );
};
// usage
jQuery.debug.test1();
jQuery.debug.test2();
answered 2009-02-09T04:19:16.863
4

The namespace plugin is COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY! The oldest trick in the world, the use of arguments.callee, Function.prototype and then calling a new Function instance, allows you to create nested namespaces with $.fn.extend!

Here is a plain and simple example:

    ;(function($){
    var options= {
        root: function(){ //you don't have to call it 'root', of course :)
            //identify the function from within itself with arguments.callee
            var fn= arguments.callee;

            //'this' at this level is the jquery object list matching your given selector
            //we equate fn.prototype to this 
            //thus when we call a new instance of root, we are returned 'this'
            fn.prototype= this;

            fn.value= function(){
                //Note: "new this" will work in the below line of code as well,
                //because in the current context, 'this' is fn;
                //I use fn to make the code more intuitive to understand;
                var context= new fn; 

                console.log(context, fn.prototype); //test
                return context.html(); //test
            }

            return this;
        }
    }

    //you can obviously append additional nested properties in this manner as well
    options.root.position= function(){
        var context= new this; //in this context, fn is undefined, so we leverage 'this'

        console.log(context, this.prototype); //test
        return context.offset(); //test
    }

    //don't forget to extend in the end :)
    $.fn.extend(options);

})(jQuery);

;$(function(){
    var div= $('div#div')
        .root();

    console.log(div.root.value());
    console.log(div.root.position());
});
answered 2010-12-18T21:20:29.823

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