Using `assert` + `unassertify`

[jamen]

I've seen a neat pattern in modules to use asserts to verify types and do more fine debugging:

function something (options) {
  assert.equal(typeof options, 'object', 'options must be an object')
  // ...
}

This way you get friendly errors in development, then you use something like unassertify in production to strip all the validation away and get smaller bundles.

One downside is that we do have to tell users to remove the asserts or else their bundle sizes will be a bit larger... I do not think this is too huge of a deal.

[dy]

Yes, looks like a nice pattern, the approach of choo. Although assert is not elaborated much, eg. sometimes need to do something like

if (!(a instanceof ArrayBuffer)) throw Error('arg should be an array buffer')

It really depends on component and use case I think, it is easy to fall into covering imaginary wrong arguments instead of minimal checks. But in general I am for.

[dy]

@jamen I use assertions here, feels good :) Do I do it right?

[jamen]

@dfcreative Yup looks good to me. :smile_cat:

[vectrixdevelops]

I will also apply this to speaker to replace the debug module. I'll cook it in with the many other formatting fixes I want to make.

[dy]

That seems to be good option for browser, but is there a good way to disable assertions for node?

[jamen]

@dfcreative Hmm that is a great point. Is there something bad about having the asserts in production with node?

[dy]

Recently I had short discussion on that, basically we can detect ifs with single throw statement statically, so there is no much need in unassertify at all.

[jamen]

Okay, I like the sound of that better, so I was checking in. assert was not as good in retrospect.