The best practices for coding Jquery plugins to adhere to style guidelines

Question

The best practices for coding Jquery plugins to adhere to style guidelines

I have been grappling with this issue for quite some time now, and I am seeking feedback from others. I am in the process of creating a personalized library to expedite web app development, and I want to ensure that I adopt the correct approach. My intention is to utilize this particular method:

$.fn.someSlider = function(){
var coreStyle = '.slider ul { white-space: nowrap; } .slider ul li {display: inline-block}', coreStyleTemplate = '<style><\/style>';
}

However, I am hesitant about embedding the base CSS directly into the widget as it often receives disapproval - according to several users on SO who recommend using CSS style rules instead. I am aiming for a seamless experience where everything just works effortlessly, rather than requiring users to incorporate a separate style sheet solely for the purpose of running my plugins... which can be quite bothersome!

To clarify further: I wish to include all fundamental style rules necessary for the widgets to function properly within the script itself. Users should be able to easily tweak the appearance of the widget by adding their own style rules to their style sheet.

For instance:

Instead of having to navigate through numerous base styles searching for something like font color as shown here... .slider {display: inline-block; color: #000; someotherconfusingrule : blahblah; }

The user could simply create a new rule with the same class name/selector being used - and specify the alterations they wish to make to the default script styles

They would just input

.slider {color: #000};

I appreciate any assistance provided by the wonderful community here at SO!

javascript jquery css

Answer 1

Answer №1

Interesting question! While there are various ways to approach this issue, I have a specific method in mind:

Start by using an IIFE to define your jQuery plugin and allow for the creation of private, global variables and functions.
```
$.fn.pluginName = (function() {
    return function() {
       ...insert your typical plugin code here...
    };
}();
```

Include your plugin's CSS as a set of style rules within your plugin's code.

var rules = [
    '.box {' +
    '  width: 100px;' +
    '  background-color: #f99;' +
    '  margin: 10px;' +
    '  padding: 10px;' +
    '  font-family: Helvetica, Arial;' +
    '  text-align: center;' + 
    '}'
];

Establish a private variable to keep track of whether your stylesheet has been added to the document.
```
var styleSheetExists = false;
```
Create a private function that generates a stylesheet using the aforementioned style rules and appends it as the first <style> element in the <head>, allowing users to customize styles in their own CSS. Refer to http://davidwalsh.name/add-rules-stylesheets for a helpful tutorial on how to accomplish this correctly.
```
var createStyleSheet = function() {
    var style = document.createElement("style");
    style.appendChild(document.createTextNode(""));

    $('head').prepend(style);

    for (var i = 0; i < rules.length; i++) {
        style.sheet.insertRule(rules[i], i);
    }
};
```

When applying your plugin to an element for the first time, check if the stylesheet has already been created. If not, generate the stylesheet.

var $elements = $(this);

if (!styleSheetExists) {
    createStyleSheet();
    styleSheetExists = true;
}

$elements.each(function() {
    $(this).addClass('box');
});

return $elements;

Take a look at http://codepen.io/ckuijjer/pen/FkgsJ for an example of this approach. It introduces a jQuery plugin named "box" which simply applies the class box to an element. The default pink background color of the box class can be overridden by specifying a blue background color.

Remember to make this customization option available in your jQuery plugin. This enables developers to consolidate all their CSS resources, including your plugins, for efficient delivery to the client. Additionally, injecting stylesheets may result in slight performance implications.

Answer 2

Interesting question! While there are various ways to approach this issue, I have a specific method in mind:

Start by using an IIFE to define your jQuery plugin and allow for the creation of private, global variables and functions.
```
$.fn.pluginName = (function() {
    return function() {
       ...insert your typical plugin code here...
    };
}();
```

Include your plugin's CSS as a set of style rules within your plugin's code.

var rules = [
    '.box {' +
    '  width: 100px;' +
    '  background-color: #f99;' +
    '  margin: 10px;' +
    '  padding: 10px;' +
    '  font-family: Helvetica, Arial;' +
    '  text-align: center;' + 
    '}'
];

Establish a private variable to keep track of whether your stylesheet has been added to the document.
```
var styleSheetExists = false;
```
Create a private function that generates a stylesheet using the aforementioned style rules and appends it as the first <style> element in the <head>, allowing users to customize styles in their own CSS. Refer to http://davidwalsh.name/add-rules-stylesheets for a helpful tutorial on how to accomplish this correctly.
```
var createStyleSheet = function() {
    var style = document.createElement("style");
    style.appendChild(document.createTextNode(""));

    $('head').prepend(style);

    for (var i = 0; i < rules.length; i++) {
        style.sheet.insertRule(rules[i], i);
    }
};
```

When applying your plugin to an element for the first time, check if the stylesheet has already been created. If not, generate the stylesheet.

var $elements = $(this);

if (!styleSheetExists) {
    createStyleSheet();
    styleSheetExists = true;
}

$elements.each(function() {
    $(this).addClass('box');
});

return $elements;

Take a look at http://codepen.io/ckuijjer/pen/FkgsJ for an example of this approach. It introduces a jQuery plugin named "box" which simply applies the class box to an element. The default pink background color of the box class can be overridden by specifying a blue background color.

Remember to make this customization option available in your jQuery plugin. This enables developers to consolidate all their CSS resources, including your plugins, for efficient delivery to the client. Additionally, injecting stylesheets may result in slight performance implications.

Answer 3

Answer №2

Separating the model, view, and controller may come across as bothersome at first, but it is truly the best practice. Since you are using jQuery, take a moment to think about how jQuery would handle this situation: for example, a jQuery UI widget like the Accordion typically includes multiple stylesheets, with the base stylesheet being crucial and a separate 'theme' stylesheet that, if done correctly, can be modified without compromising the widget's integrity. Take a look at your favorite plugins and what makes them stand out to you. In my personal viewpoint, CSS should not be mixed in JavaScript files, but if you have decided otherwise, @ckuijjer's solution provided seems solid. I hope this explanation helps!

Answer 4

Separating the model, view, and controller may come across as bothersome at first, but it is truly the best practice. Since you are using jQuery, take a moment to think about how jQuery would handle this situation: for example, a jQuery UI widget like the Accordion typically includes multiple stylesheets, with the base stylesheet being crucial and a separate 'theme' stylesheet that, if done correctly, can be modified without compromising the widget's integrity. Take a look at your favorite plugins and what makes them stand out to you. In my personal viewpoint, CSS should not be mixed in JavaScript files, but if you have decided otherwise, @ckuijjer's solution provided seems solid. I hope this explanation helps!

The best practices for coding Jquery plugins to adhere to style guidelines

Answer №1

Answer №2

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