Appendix B. Introducing the Path Framework
"Great acts are made up of small deeds." | ||
| --Lao Tzu | ||
JavaScript is the only language natively installed in browsers. All web-based applications depend on JavaScript to deliver their UI. If you are using a framework built on another language (such as Ruby on Rails), you must merge two completely different development models, one for the client and one for the server. With the arrival of Node and JavaScript on the server, this unfortunate and awkward workflow has been made smooth and elegant.
The Path Framework is a powerful full-stack application development platform that will help you create enterprise-class applications in less time. Unlike Express, which is limited to the server side of an application, and client-side frameworks such as EmberJS that offer no help on building servers, Path unifies your application development process. With its focus on the full stack, Path enables the JavaScript developer to build complete applications using a single language that are scalable, easy to maintain, test, and modify. Of course, Node occupies a central place in the Path design.
Path's goal is to help developers easily build web applications that work like native applications. This means responsive single-page applications with powerful features.
Data is synchronized automatically between client and server when you build an application with Path. No more building complex and error-prone client/server synchronization hooks. Client interfaces are composed out of modules of any number and complexity, easily using an elegant, declarative, and data-centric syntax. Real-time data broadcasts across groups of clients, in both directions, in a snap. Programming route handlers on the server is just as easy as binding a click to a button.
Some of the key features of Path are as follows:
Just JavaScript: Context switching is hard. Finally, a unified team speaking a common language, across the stack.
Automatic UI refresh: Your UI modules automatically update when the data they are bound to changes. Two-way data binding without the knots.
No more CRUD: Move beyond the dirty old CRUD model into an efficient socket-based communication paradigm designed for modern real-time application development.
Hot code updates: Change your code on the server and the clients will be updated automatically.
Interoperability: Anything that can communicate over WebSockets can communicate with a Path server.
Dirt simple module loading: Simple declarative HTML syntax helps you compose UIs in a way that is easy for you to create and easy for others to read.
Automatic module caching: It means smart dependency loading.
As easy as HTML: Modules are naturally expressed by nesting HTML elements. Loaded modules can themselves create further module dependency trees. Element attributes store options and other component settings. User events are bound to server actions without using any JavaScript.
Embeddable: Use as much or as little of Path as you'd like. Path is here to help, not hinder. Other frameworks can even share your Path server.
Out-of-the-box productivity: Path comes packed with prebuilt applications you can get started with right away.
Tip
To get started, clone the Path repository from https://github.com/sandro-pasquali/pathjs.git, and follow the instructions on that page.
