loringdodge/protolog

Add a global log method to all variables.

Protolog

Protolog as a global .log method to all variables in JavaScript. It basically monkeypatches console.log into the Object prototype. The idea is to add a simple shorcut to logging by making all variables loggable, like this:

'a'.log()

The .log method returns the object itself. In this way, you can plug .log statements anywhere in your code without it interfering with the flow of your code.

var a = 5;

5 === a.log() // true
a.log() === a // true

if (a === 5) {
  doSomething();
}

Is the same as:

if (a.log() === 5) {
  doSomething();
}

Alternatively, you can just require the module and use it as a replacement for console.log:

var log = require('protolog/local')();

log('hello');

Install

If in node, use npm:

npm install protolog

If in the browser, use bower or the CDN:

bower install protolog

Options

name	type	default
name	String	'log'

Change the name of the the method to be used for logging. This will be the name of the property to be appended to the Object prototype.

name	type	default
appendToPrototype	Boolean	true

Specify wether the .log method will be appended to the Object prototype and hence be available in all variables. If false, you can require this function and then use the library as a normal function. This will be useful once the library has unique methods that enhance logging.

Is This A Terrible Idea?

Perhaps. But, thankfully, you don't have to use it :).

Monkey-patching is definitely questionable, but the behavior provided by this library is both: very useful and universal. The .log method is nothing more than a thin wrapper over console.log. The method also implemented responsibly, taking inspiration with should.js's implementation.

The Future

In the future, this library will include other features for logging in the console/REPL. The two main features included will be transformations: transforming the data you want to log, and display methods: changing the way in which the data is displayed.