ElCacheo

ElCacheo is a small JavaScript library designed to provide easy caching of jQuery/Zepto DOM lookups.

##Requirements

The inspiration for ElCacheo came from a need to cache elements in Backbone views. As such, it borrows heavily from Backbone's design patterns and requires the underscore library.

Since ElCacheo's purpose is to cache jQuery/Zepto lookups, either one of those libraries is required as well.

##Usage

Usage is very similar to creating objects with Backbone.

First define your cache "class".

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});

Create an "instance" of your cache

var cache = new Cache();

Then pass your selector to the get() method. ElCacheo will make the selection and add it to the cache, or return the cached copy if the selection was made previously.

cache.get('body'); // instead of $('body')
cache.get('#myDiv'); // instead of $('#myDiv')

The get() method returns the jQuery/Zepto object, so you can chain as normal.

cache.get('body').css({'background': '#cbcbcb'}); 
cache.get('#myDiv').text('Chaining works!');

Full example

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});
var cache = new Cache();
cache.get('body').css({'background': '#cbcbcb'}); 
cache.get('#myDiv').text('Chaining works!');

API

get(selector, nocache)

Get the results of a selector. cache.get('body') works the same as $('body') except it will return the cached value if it exists. If the value is not in the cache, get will cache the selection and return the results.

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});
var cache = new Cache();

cache.get('body'); // returns the cached value or adds the selection to the cache if it's not cached yet

Passing true to the nocache parameter will cause get to recache the selection and return the results

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});
var cache = new Cache();

cache.get('body', true); // recaches the selection and returns the results

has(selector)

Returns true if the cache holds a value for the selector passed in.

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});
var cache = new Cache();

cache.get('body');
cache.has('body'); // returns true
cache.has('#myDiv'); // returns false

set(selectors)

Adds multiple selections to the cache with a single function call

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});
var cache = new Cache();

cache.set(['body', '#myDiv']); // adds all selectors in the array into the cache
cache.has('body'); // returns true
cache.has('#myDiv'); // returns true

unset(selector)

Removes a selection from the cache

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});
var cache = new Cache();

cache.set(['body', '#myDiv']); // adds all selectors in the array into the cache
cache.has('body'); // returns true
cache.has('#myDiv'); // returns true

cache.unset('body');
cache.has('body'); // returns false
cache.has('#myDiv'); // returns true

reset()

Resets cache to defaults, if defined, or an empty object.

No defaults:

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({});
var cache = new Cache();

cache.get('body');
cache.has('body'); // returns true

cache.reset();
cache.has('body'); // returns false

With defaults:

var Cache = ElCacheo.Cache.extend({
	defaults: {
		'body': $('body');
	}
});
var cache = new Cache();

cache.has('body'); // returns true

cache.get('#myDiv');
cache.has('#myDiv'); // returns true

cache.reset();
cache.has('body'); // returns true
cache.has('#myDiv'); // returns false

What's up with the 'O' in the name ElCacheo?

ElCacheo was originally called ElCache (without the O). As I was writing the lib, I couldn't help reading 'El' as a spanish 'the'. This led to me pronouncing the lib El Cache-o in my head which made me think of El Guapo from Three Amigos fame. My amusement won over saving an extra character when typing out the name. Thus, ElCacheo was born.

Unfortunately, ElCacheo does not come with a plethora of pinatas.

##Acknowledgements

Major thanks go out to Jeremy Ashkenas and the DocumentCloud team for the design patterns in Backbone.