CodeParadise Running Smalltalk apps in a JavaScript environment
- 1. Erik Stel (aka ErikOnBike) - ESUG 2024 - July 10th 2024 CodeParadise Running Smalltalk apps in a JavaScript environment
- 2. Topics And some demos • How it started • Ease of development • Implementation • From WebApps to ServerApps • Status
- 3. How it started Creating WebApps with Smalltalk only • Live programming experience in the browser • Approach based on tiny Smalltalk image in the browser • Most important part: DOM manipulation • DOM elements, WebComponents and Events • Fine grained control and performance
- 4. Ease of development The MVP pattern • Personal preference: thin UI/glass layer • MVP with a Passive View • Views are WebComponents • Server side state • No ‘sealing’ possible P M V knows knows
- 5. Implementation Let’s keep it tiny • Tiny (218kb) Smalltalk image in the browser Client Environment • Regular Smalltalk image on the ‘server’ Server Environment • SqueakJS VM • Class de fi nitions and CompiledCode (no compiler) • WebSockets
- 6. Architecture Server ServerEnvironment ServerCommunicator ZincWebSocketChannel MvpWebApplication Presenter Presenter Client / Web Browser ClientEnvironment (singleton) ClientCommunicator JavascriptWebSocketChannel MvpWebClientBehavior (singleton) View View Server sends Messages and CompiledMethods (bytecode) to execute Client sends Announcements
- 8. From WebApps to ServerApps Or CLI tools • Generic proxy mechanism • Smalltalk Block interchangeable with JavaScript function • Promises • Node.js (built-in and external) modules • Also ‘sealable’
- 10. Status 200 / OK • In use at - ‘residential biologist’ - one Cycling Without Age ‘chapter’ • Room to evolve - Documentation/examples/tests - UI builder - Node.js debugger - Morph changed object (instances) - …many more…
- 11. Questions! Remarks? • You can fi nd CodeParadise at github.com/ErikOnBike/CodeParadise • You can fi nd me on Discord/Slack as ErikOnBike