MapTransform

Map and transform objects with mapping definitions.

Behind this rather boring name hides a powerful JavaScript object transformer.

Some highlighted features:

You define how your data should be transformed by creating the JavaScript object you want as a result, setting paths and transform functions (transformers) etc. where they apply.
Your data pass through transform pipelines, which may include several steps of paths and transformers. You define pipelines anywhere you'd like, both for transforming objects or array of values, or for object props and primite values.
By defining how to transform data from one object to another, you implicitly define how to transform the other way – from the target to the original (with some gotchas).

Getting started

Prerequisits

Requires node v14.

Note: This package is native ESM. See this guide on how to convert to or use ESM packages.

Installing

Install from npm:

npm install map-transform

Breaking changes in v0.5

MapTransform now supports async transformers, and therefore the main function is async as well, and you'll have to await the result. In most cases nothing else will have to change, unless you want to start writing async transformers.

Breaking changes in v0.4

Map objects won't be mapped over an array by default. You have to specify $iterate: true
The alt operation now accepts any type of pipeline, but not a helper function, and all alternative pipelines must be given as arguments to alt
The root path prefix is changed from $ to ^^
The .rev() method on mapTransform() has been removed, and instead you pass in { rev: true } as the second argument to the regular method
The named export mapTransform has been removed, and is provided as the default export instead

Usage

Let's look at a simple example:

import mapTransform from 'map-transform'

// You have this object
const source = {
  data: [
    {
      content: {
        name: 'An interesting piece',
        meta: {
          author: 'fredj',
          date: 1533750490952
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

// You describe the object you want
const def = {
  title: 'data[0].content.name',
  author: 'data[0].content.meta.author',
  date: 'data[0].content.meta.date'
}

// You feed it to mapTransform and get a function that will transform data
// according to your defintion
const mapper = await mapTransform(def)

// Now, run the source object through the mapper and get what you want
const target = mapper(source)
// --> {
//   title: 'An interesting piece',
//   author: 'fredj',
//   date: 1533750490952
// }

// And run it in reverse to get to what you started with:
const source2 = mapper(target, { rev: true })
// -> {
  data: [
    {
      content: {
        name: 'An interesting piece'
      },
      meta: {
        author: 'fredj',
        date: 1533750490952
      }
    },
  ]
}

You may improve this with pipelines, expressed through arrays. For instance, retrieve the content object first, so you don't have to write the entire path for every attribute:

const def2 = [
  'data[0].content',
  {
    title: 'name',
    author: 'meta.author',
    date: 'meta.date',
  },
]

mapTransform(def2)(source)
// --> {
//   title: 'An interesting piece',
//   author: 'fredj',
//   date: 1533750490952
// }

And if you want the actual date instead of the microseconds since the seventies:

import mapTransform, { transform } from 'map-transform'

// ....

// Write a transformer that accepts a value and returns a value
const msToDate = () => (ms) => new Date(ms).toISOString()

const def3 = [
  'data[0].content',
  {
    title: 'name',
    author: 'meta.author',
    date: ['meta.date', transform(msToDate)],
  },
]

await mapTransform(def3)(source)
// --> {
//   title: 'An interesting piece',
//   author: 'fredj',
//   date: '2018-08-08T17:48:10.952Z'
// }

// You may also reverse this, as long as you write a reverse version of
// `msToDate` and provide as a second argument to the `transform()` function.

... and so on.

You may also provide MapTransform with a target that the transformation will be applied to. Continuing from the previous example:

const target = { id: '12345', title: 'Default title' }

await mapTransform(def3)(source, { target })
// --> {
//   id: '12345',
//   title: 'An interesting piece',
//   author: 'fredj',
//   date: '2018-08-08T17:48:10.952Z'
// }

The transform object

Think of the transform object as a description of the object structure you want.

Keys on the transform object

In essence, the keys on the transform object will be the keys on the target object. You may, however, specify keys with dot notation, which will be made into a structure of child objects and potentially arrays on the target. You can also specify the child objects directly on the transform object, so in most cases this is just a matter of taste or practicality.

const def1 = {
  data: {
    entry: {
      title: 'heading',
    },
  },
}

const def2 = {
  'data.entry.title': 'heading',
}

// def1 and def2 are identical, and will result in an object like this:
// {
//   data: {
//     entry: {
//       title: 'The actual heading'
//     }
//   }
// }

When you transform an array of data with a mapping object, you'll have to set $iterate: true to have each item in the data array be transformed with the mapping object. If you don't, the entire array will be passed to the mapping object.

const def3 = {
  $iterate: true,
  title: 'heading',
}

// -->
// [
//   { title: 'The first heading' },
//   { title: 'The second heading' }
// ]

Note: Iterating used to be the default behavior on top level objects prior to v0.4, but it now needs to be explisitly stated, to be consistent with how the transform object behaves everywhere else.

A key will set whatever is returned by the pipeline (see next section), whether it is a string, a boolean, an array, etc. If you want to ensure that you always get an array, you can suffix the key with []. Any value that is not an array will be wrapped in one.

const def27 = {
  $iterate: false
  'articles[]': {
    title: 'heading'
  }
}

// -->
// {
//   articles: [
//     { title: 'Wrapped in an array, even if the data was just an object' },
//   ]
// }

A bonus of using the [] suffix, is that when key has another transform object as its value, this transform object will be iterated by default (no need to set the $iterate property). This does not happen to pipelines, paths, or operations.

Values on the transform object

The values on the transform objects define how to retrieve and transform data from the source object, before it is set on the target object.

As you have already seen, you may set a transform object as the value, which will result in child objects on the target, but at some point, you'll probably want to define how to get data from the source object.

The simplest form is a dot notation path, that describes what prop to pick from the source object for this particular target key. It will retrieve whatever is at this path on the source object.

const def4 = {
  title: 'data.item.heading',
}

const source1 = {
  data: {
    item: {
      id: 'item1',
      heading: 'The actual heading',
      intro: 'The actual intro',
    },
  },
}

await mapTransform(def4)(source1)
// --> {
//   title: 'The actual heading'
// }

The target object will only include values from the source object that is "picked up" by the paths on the mapping object. Other values are discarded.

The paths for the source data may also include brackets to indicate arrays in the data. It is usually not necessary, as MapTransform will map any array it finds, but it may be good to indicate what you expect from the source data, and it may be important if you plan to reverse transform the mapping object.

To pass on the value in the pipeline, without going down a path, use a dot '.'.

You may pick a single item from an array by indicating an index within brackets:

const def5 = {
  title: 'data.items[0].heading',
}

// def5 will pull the heading from the first item in the `items` array, and will
// not return any array:
// {
//   title: 'The actual heading'
// }

Finally, a transform object value may be set to a transform pipeline, or a function that could have been in a transform pipeline (which the dot notation path really is, and – come to think of it – the transform object itself too). This is explained in detail below.

A note on undefined and null

MapTransform will treat undefined as "no value" in several ways:

When using the alt operator, alternative pipelines are run as long as we get undefined (or there are no more alternative pipelines)
When state.noDefaults is true, undefined values will not be set
When forcing an array with brackets notation on a path, undefined will return an empty array (not [undefined])

This is not the case for null, though. MapTransform treats null as a value, an intended nothing. To change this behavior, set nonvalues: [undefined, null] on the options object passed to MapTransform. This will essentially make MapTransform treat null the same way as undefined.

You could in principle include any primitive value in nonvalues and it will be treated as undefined, e.g. an empty string or the number 0, to mention a few possible use cases.

Directional transform objects

A transform object is by default applied both in forward and reverse transformations. You may alter this by setting the $direction prop on a transform object, with fwd, rev, or both (the default) as possible values.

When running a forward transformation, transform objects marked with $direction: 'rev' will be skipped. The same goes for $direction: 'fwd' in reverse. This will cause the value in the pipeline to be passed on unchanged.

You may specify aliases for fwd and rev in the mapTransform options:

const options = { fwdAlias: 'from', revAlias: 'to' }
const mapper = mapTransform(def, options)

In this case, from and to may be used to specify forward and reverse direction respectively. fwd and rev will still work in addition to the aliases.

Transform pipelines

The idea of the transform pipeline, is that you describe a set of transformation steps that will be applied to the data given to it, so that the data will come out on the other "end" of the pipeline in another format. The result from each step is passed on to the next.

You may also run data through the pipeline in the oposite direction – in reverse mode. The data that came out of the pipeline in forward mode, could be passed back and get out in the original format again (although with a potential loss of data, if not all properties are transformed to the target data). This is what you do in a reverse mapping.

One way to put it, is that the pipeline describes the difference between the two possible shapes of the data, and allows you to go back and forth between them. Or you can just view it as transformation steps applied in the order they are defined – or back again.

You define a pipeline as an array where each item is a step and may be a dot notation path, a transform object, or an operation of some kind.

If the pipeline holds only one step, you may skip the array as a handy shortcut. This is way we sometimes use the phrase "pipeline" to include anything that could go into a pipeline as well, as e.g. a path is essentially a pipeline with only one step.

Here's an example pipeline that will retrieve an array of objects from the path data.items[], map each object to an object with the props id, title, and sections (title is shortened to max 20 chars and sections will be an array of ids pulled from an array of section objects), and finally filter away all items with no values in the sections prop.

import { transform, filter } from 'map-transform'

const def6 = [
  'data.items[]',
  {
    $iterate: true,
    id: 'articleNo',
    title: ['headline', transform(maxLength(20))],
    sections: 'meta.sections[].id',
  },
  filter(onlyItemsWithSection),
]

(Note that in this example, both maxLength and onlyItemsWithSection are custom transformers for this case, but their implementations are not provided.)

A note on arrays: In a transform pipeline, the default behavior is to treat an array as any other data. The array will be passed on to a transform operation, the entire array will be set on a path, etc. This also means that a mapping object will be applied to the entire array if nothing else is specified. In the example above, we have set $iterate: true on the mapping object, to signal that we want the mapping to be applied to the items of any array. See also the iterate operation for more.

Editors note: We should think through how we use the word "pipeline", as it is sometimes ment to refer to an array of operations that a value may be transformed through, other times any operation that could have been a part of such a pipeline (the thinking is that it's a pipeline with one step), and we also use the word to visualize a value going through a pipeline while it is being transformed, and we refer to "the value in the pipeline". All of these are related and makes sense when you look at the bigger picutre, but it may not be clear when you just read a few paragraphs here and there.

Dot notation paths

A central building block of MapTransform is the path, which at the most basic will be the key of an object prop to fetch, and you may fetch deeper values by putting property keys together seperated by a dot (.).

For example, given the data below:

const data = {
  id: '12345',
  content: {
    title: 'The title',
  },
  tags: [{ id: 'news' }, { id: 'sports' }],
}

... the path id will get '12345', and 'content.title' will get 'The title'.

Paths that does not match a property in the data, will return undefined. MapTransform will never return an error when paths don't match the data, not even if the lower levels are missing (counter to the usual behavior of JavaScript and other programming languages). So when getting unknown.path from the data above, you will simply get undefined.

Setting with a dot notation path works just as expected: If you set 'The text' at the path content.text, you will get the following object: { content: { text: 'The text' } }. Inside a MapTransform transformation, you would usually set on several paths that would combine to a bigger object structure.

Paths and arrays

When a path points to an array, the entire array will be returned. Paths may also point to props on objects within arrays, and MapTransform will resolve this be mapping over the items in the array to its best effort. Getting tags.id from the data above will return the array ['news', 'sports'], as these are the id props from the object in the array found at tags.

You may also explicitly state that you expect an array. You didn't really have to in the example above, but you could have used the path tags[].id to make it clearer what you expect. tags.id[] would have also given the same result. The main big reason to explicitly include the brackets, is to make sure that you always get an array, even if the data has no array. The path content[].title would return ['The title'] as if content was an array.

When a path with bracket notation meets undefined or any other nonvalue, an empty array will be returned, as you have stated that you expect an array. The only exception from this is when state.noDefaults is true, in which case you'll get undefined.

It may not always be straight forward how MapTransform should set on a path with array notation, but it will again do it's best. When there is no other indications as to where the array belongs, MapTransform will set it where the array notation is. So content[].title will return the object { content: [{ title: 'The title' }] }, while content.title[] would return { content: { title: ['The title'] } }, This will most likely work as you expect, as long as you use the brackets notation to guide MapTransform.

Editors note: We should give more complicated examples as well.

Finally, you may include index numbers between the brackets, to only get a specified item. tags[0].id would get 'news' from the data above. Use a negative number to count from the end (-1 being the last item). The index version of the brackets notation won't return an array (as expected).

When setting with an index bracket notation, you'll get an array where the brackets are, with one item at the index you've specified.

Note that keys starting with a dollar sign $ has special meaning in MapTransform, so when you need keys in your data to actualy start with $, you need to escape it in your paths. E.g. data[].\$type. (Remember to double-escape in JavaScript and other contexts that require it.)

Parent and root paths

A subtle aspect of using paths to get values in transform pipelines, is that you are not only returning the value, you are moving further down in the data structure. When you apply the path content to the data above inside a transform pipeline, the object { title: 'The title' } will be returned and will in essense be the only data that the next operation in the pipeline will know.

You don't have to understand this for simple cases, but in more advanced transformations you may find yourself further down in the data, wanting values further up. This is where parent and root paths come in handy.

In the example with the content path, you may access the id with the path ^.id. The carret ('^') means going one step up, and you can think of it in much the same way as ../ in file paths on any computer. You may go up several levels with e.g. ^.^.^.prop (not applicable to our example).

In an iteration you need to remember that the array counts as one level, so if iterating the tags[] array from our example, you would have to use the path ^.^.id to get to the id. You could also use ^.[0] to get the first item in the array you're iterating.

The root notation follows the same logic, but will always go to the base level, regardless of how many levels down you have moved. Roots are specified with double carrets, so the path ^^.id will get the id from our data from anywhere in the data structure, be it in content or when iterating through tags[].

Setting on parent and root paths are currently not supported.

Operations

Operations may be used as steps in a transform pipeline.

`transform(transformFn, transformFnRev)` operation

The simple beauty of the transform operation, is that it will apply whatever function (transformer) you provide it with to the data at that point in the pipeline. It's up to you to write the function that does the transformation – or use one of the transformers that comes with MapTransform.

You may supply a second transformer (transformFnRev), that will be used when reverse mapping. If you only supplies one transformer, it will be used in both directions. You may supply null for either of these, to make it uni-directional, but it might be clearer to use fwd or rev operations for this.

The transformers you write for the transform operation are a function that returns a function, where the first function is given an options object from MapTransform, and the second should accept the source data as its first argument, and return the result of the relevant transformation. The data may be any JavaScript primite value, object, or an array of these. Your transformer should handle getting something unexpected, in which case it should usually return the value untouched or undefined – depending on what seems most natural in the case of your transformer.

The second argument of the second function will be a state object, that give access to the context your transformer is operating in. Most of the properties of the state object is regarded as MapTransform internal, but you will probably use the rev prop at some point, which indicates whether we are transforming forward or in reverse.

Editors note: We should have a seperate description of transformer function, where we go into more details.

A simple transformer could, for instance, try to parse an integer from whatever you give it. This would be very useful in the pipeline for a property expecting numeric values, but keep in mind that MapTransform won't stop it from being used on an object. In the implementation below you would not always get the result you expected, so remember to handle unexpected values in your real transformers.

import mapTransform, { transform } from 'map-transform'

const ensureInteger = () => (data) => Number.parseInt(data, 10) || 0
const def7 = {
  count: ['statistics.views', transform(ensureInteger)],
}

const data = {
  statistics: {
    view: '18',
    // ...
  },
}

await mapTransform(def7)(data)
// --> {
//   count: 18
// }

This is also a good example of a transformation that only makes sense in one direction. This will still work in reverse, ending in almost the same object that was provided, but with a numeric view property. You may supply a reverse transformer called ensureString, if it makes sense in your particular case, or provide one transformer that parses to an integer going forward and stringifies in reverse.

The functions you provide for the transform operation should, as far as possible, be pure, i.e. they should not have any side effects. This means they should

not alter the data their are given, and
not rely on anything besides the function arguments (the data and the state)

Principle 1 is an absolute requirement, and principle 2 should only be violated when it's what you would expect for the particular case. As an example of the latter, say you write the function toAge, that would return the number of years since a given year or date. You would have to use the current date to be able to do this, even though it would be a violation of principle 2.

Principle 2 will also often have to go when you write asyncronous transformers, like the following:

const readFile = () =>
  async function readFile(fileName: unknown) {
    if (typeof fileName === 'string') {
      // Insert code to read file
      return fileContent
    } else {
      return undefined
    }
  }

Reading a file, like in this example, is a side effect, but that's also the goal of this transformer, so it wouldn't make sense without. However, it still doesn't change anything. A transformer that writes to a file, would probably be a bad idea, though.

That said, you should always search for ways to satisfy both principles. Instead of a toAge function, you could instead write a curried yearsSince function, that would accept the current date (or any date) as the first argument. This would be a truly pure function.

Example transformation pipeline with a yearsSince function:

const def8 = {
  age: ['birthyear', transform(yearsSince(new Date()))],
}

This might not be what you want, however, as you'll get the date at the time you pass the definition to MapTransform, and some time may pass before the data is transformed.

Note: When the transform operation is applied to an array, it will not iterate the array. Mapping over each item needs to be handled in the transform itself, or wrap the transform operation in an iterate operation.

So far we have used the transform function in our examples, but you also have the option to define a transform operation as an operation object, referencing the transformer with an id. The transformer themselves should be made available on the options.transformers object:

import mapTransform from 'map-transform'

// This is our transformer
const ensureInteger = (props) => () => (data) => Number.parseInt(data, 10) || 0

// We provide our transformers to mapTransform in an options object
const options = { transformers: { ensureInteger } }

// Then we may use an object in the pipeline and reference our transformer on a
// `$transform` prop. MapTransform will replace this with the transform
// operation and give it our transformer
const def7asObject = {
  count: ['statistics.views', { $transform: 'ensureInteger' }],
}

const data = {
  statistics: {
    view: '18',
    // ...
  },
}

await mapTransform(def7asObject, options)(data)
// --> {
//   count: 18
// }

When you provide a custom transformer this way, it should be given as a function accepting an object with props, that returns the actual function used as the transformer (which again returns a function mapping the data). Any properties given on the operation object, apart from $transform, will be passed in the props object.

If you provide $transform with an unknown transformer id, mapTransform() will throw. Note that this happens right away, on the first function call, so you don't have to try to run the mapper function with any data to discover the mistake.

When you define the transform operation as an object, you may specify $iterate: true on the object to apply the transform to every item on an array, in case an array is encountered. You may also set $direction: 'fwd' or $direction: 'rev' to have it transform in one direction only.

This way of defining transform operations is useful to seperate the transform defintions and the transformers, and it also results in defintions that may be stored as JSON (but see the note on JSON).

There are a few useful shorthands for the operation objects, like { $value: 'The value' } instead of { $transform: 'value', value: 'The value' }. These are noted under the relevant transformers etc.

You may also create your own shorthands by providing a transformOperation function in the options object passed to mapTransform. This function receives an operation object and my modify it to another operation object. In fact, transform object (objects that are not operation objects) are also passed through this function, so you may also use it to modify transform objects. Make sure to return a valid object here, though, or you will kill your pipeline.

`filter(conditionFn)` operation

Just like the transform operation, the filter operation will apply whatever transformer function you give it, to the data at that point in the transform pipeline. But instead of transformed data, the filter operation expects a boolean value indicating whether to keep the data or not. If you return true the data continues through the pipeline, if you return false it is removed. If the result is not a boolean, JavaScript rules will be used to force it to a boolean, meaning that undefined, null, 0, and empty string "" will be treated as false.

When filtering an array, the transformer is applied to each data item in the array, like a normal filter function, and a new array with only the items that your transformer returns true for. For data that is not in an array, a false value from your transformer will simply mean that it is replaced with undefined.

The filter operation only accepts one argument, which is applied in both directions through the pipeline. You'll have to use fwd or rev operations to make it uni-directional.

Transformers passed to the filter operation should also be pure, but could, when it is expected and absolutely necessary, rely on anything outside the function. See the comment in the transform operation section above.

Example of a filter, where only data of active members are returned:

import mapTransform, { filter } from 'map-transform'

const onlyActives = () => (data) => data.active
const def9 = [
  'members'
  {
    name: 'name',
    active: 'hasPayed'
  },
  filter(onlyActives)
]

Defining a filter operation as an operation object:

import mapTransform from 'map-transform'

const onlyActives = (data) => data.active
const options = { transformers: { onlyActives: () => onlyActives } }
const def9asObject = [
  'members'
  {
    name: 'name',
    active: 'hasPayed'
  },
  { $filter: 'onlyActives' }
]

If you provide $filter with an unknown transformer id, mapTransform() will throw. Note that this happens right away, on the first function call, so you don't have to try to run the mapper function with any data to discover the mistake.

You may also set $direction: 'fwd' or $direction: 'rev' on the object, to have it filter in one direction only.

See the transform operation for more on how defining as an object works.

`ifelse(conditionFn, truePipeline, falsePipeline)` operation

The ifelse operation will run the truePipeline if the conditionFn results in something truthy, JavaScript style, otherwise it will run the falsePipeline. See the filter operation for more on the requirements for the conditionFn.

Both truePipeline and falsePipeline are optional, in case you only need to apply a pipeline in one of the cases. When no pipeline is provided, the value is simply passed on untouched.

Example:

import mapTransform, { ifelse } from 'map-transform'

const onlyActives = () => (data) => data.active
const def31 = [
  'members'
  {
    name: 'name',
    active: 'hasPayed'
  },
  ifelse(onlyActives, set('active[]'), set('inactive[]'))
]

Defining an if operation as an object:

import mapTransform from 'map-transform'

const def31b = [
  'members'
  {
    name: 'name',
    active: 'hasPayed'
  },
  {
    $if: 'active',
    then: set('active[]'),
    else: set('inactive[]')
  }
]

Note that $if, then, and else in the object notation may be any type of pipeline definition. The only gotcha is that if $if is a function, it is treated as a conditionFn, like in def31, not as a state mapper.

Note also that the conditionFn pipeline will always be run in forward mode.

`iterate(pipeline)` operation

If you want to map over the items of an array, the iterate operation is your friend. When you wrap another operation, a pipeline, or a mapping object in an iterate operation, it will be applied to each item, instead of to the array as a whole.

In this example, each value in the array returned by statistics[].views will be transformed with the ensureInteger transformer, even though the transformer itself does not support arrays:

import mapTransform, { iterate } from 'map-transform'

const ensureInteger = () => (data) => Number.parseInt(data, 10) || 0
const def26 = {
  counts: ['statistics[].views', iterate(transform(ensureInteger))],
}

For transform objects, you have the option to set $iterate: true instead of using the iterate operation:

const def26c = [
  'statistics[].views',
  {
    $iterate: true,
    counts: { $transform: 'ensureInteger' },
  },
]

Editors note: Here we should also document how a path ending in brackets will affect iteration.

`apply(pipelineId)` operation

The apply operation let you define named pipelines that you may apply in other pipelines. This allows for cleaner definitions, clarity through good naming practices, and reuse.

You provide an object with the pipeline names/ids as keys on the options.pipelines given to mapTransform(). When an id is passed to the apply operation as pipelinedId, the pipeline will be applied in the place of the apply operation and executed as if it was part of the pipeline definition in the first place.

Note that "pipeline" is used as a wide concept here, including what is described as transform pipelines in this documentation, and also anything that could be part of a pipeline, like dot notation paths, transform objects, operations, etc. We think of these building blocks as pipelines with one step, even when they are used without an array.

When a pipeline id is unknown or missing, mapTransform() will throw. This happens in the first function call, i.e. on setup. If you first call mapTransform() with the defintion to get a mapper function, you'll get the error right away, you don't have to attempt to map data to discover the error.

import mapTransform, { apply, transform } from 'map-transform'

const ensureInteger = () => (data) => Number.parseInt(data, 10) || 0
const ensureString = () => (data) => String(data)
const options = {
  pipelines: {
    cast_entry: {
      title: ['title', transform(ensureString)],
      count: ['count', transform(ensureInteger)],
    },
  },
}
const def25 = [
  {
    title: 'heading',
    count: 'statistics.views',
  },
  apply('cast_entry'),
]

const data = {
  heading: 'Entry 1',
  statistics: {
    view: '18',
  },
}

await mapTransform(def7, options)(data)
// --> {
//   title: 'Entry 1',
//   count: 18
// }

You may also define the apply operation as an operation object:

const def25b = [
  {
    title: 'heading',
    count: 'statistics.views',
  },
  { $apply: 'cast_entry' },
]

When you define the apply operation as an operation object like we do in def25b, you may set $iterate: true on the operation object to apply the pipeline to every item in an array, even when the pipeline itself has not specified any iteration.

You may also set $direction: 'fwd' or $direction: 'rev' to have it apply in one direction only.

`alt(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

The alt operation will apply the given pipelines in turn until it gets a value, meaning that if the first pipeline returns undefined, it will try the next and so on. This is how you provide default values in MapTransform. The pipeline may be as simple as a transform(value()) operation, a dot notation path into the source data, or a full pipeline with several operations.

Note that when the return value is an array, it is treated as a value, as it is not an undefined value. To provide the alt operation to every item in the array, use the iterate operation.

import { alt, transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { value } = transformers
const currentDate = () => (data) => new Date()
const formatDate = () => (data) => {
  /* implementation not included */
}

const def11 = {
  id: 'data.id',
  name: alt('data.name', transform(value('Anonymous'))),
  updatedAt: [
    alt('data.updateDate', 'data.createDate', transform(currentDate)),
    transform(formatDate),
  ],
}

In the example above, we first try to set the updatedAt prop to the data found at data.updateDate in the source data. If that does not exist (i.e. we get undefined), the alt operation tries the path data.createDate. If we still get undefined, the custom transformer currentDate will be called, simply returning the current date as a JS object. Finally, another transform operation pipes whatever data we get from all of this through the formatDate transformer.

When alt is run in reverse, the alternative pipelines are run in the oposite order, with the last being run first. The first pipeline is always run, though, as it is common practice to let the first be a get that acts like a set in reverse. This may be confusing, but will usually just be naturally when you don't think too much about it. See the get and set operations for more on how get works in reverse.

alt will behave a bit differently when you give only one pipeline: The pipeline will be run if the curent value is undefined, but skipped otherwise. This is different from the multi-pipeline behavor, where the first is always run and the rest is only run if the previous returns undefined.

You may also define an alt operation as an operation object:

const def11asObject = {
  id: 'data.id',
  name: { $alt: ['data.name', { $value: 'Anonymous' }] },
  updatedAt: [
    { $alt: ['data.updateDate', 'data.createDate', transform('currentDate')] },
    { $transform: 'formatDate' },
  ],
}

When you define the alt operation as an object, you may specify $iterate: true on the object to run its pipelines on every item in the array, or – with only one pipeline – provide default values to every undefined item.

You may also set $direction: 'fwd' or $direction: 'rev' to limit it to one direction only.

`concat(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

The concat operation will flatten the result of every pipeline it is given into one array. A pipeline that does not return an array will simple have its return value appended to the array. Even when there's only one pipeline, its value will be forced to an array. undefined will be filtered away from the returned array.

In reverse, the value (array) will be set on the first pipeline, and the rest of the pipelines will be given an empty array. The results of all the pipelines will be merged.

If concat is not given any pipelines, it will return an empty array going forward, and an empty object in reverse. The reason for the empty object is that the normal behavior for concat is to get with paths from an object, and with no paths, we can't set any props, so an empty object is the best we can do.

Note: This operation is destructive, in that the result from running it forward cannot reproduce the original data when run in reverse. Only the data fetched by the given pipelines will be preserved, and the merged arrays cannot be unmerged.

import { concat } from 'map-transform'

const def39 = {
  id: 'data.id',
  users: concat('data.users', 'data.admins'),
}

You may also define a concat operation as an operation object:

const def39asObject = {
  id: 'data.id',
  users: { $concat: ['data.users', 'data.admins'] },
}

`concatRev(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

The concatRev operation is the exact oposite of the concat operation, meaning that it will exhibit the same behavior in reverse as concat does going forward, and vice versa. See the description of the concat operation for more details.

Note that concatRev does not have an operation object notation, but concat will honor the flipped mode.

concatRev is also available as an operation object with $concatRev.

`merge(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

merge will run all given pipelines and deep merge their results. Conflicts are resolved by prioritizing results from the rightmost of the conflicting pipelines.

Editors note: We need examples here.

`modify(pipeline)` operation

Use the modify operation when you want the pipeline to modify an object, instead of replacing it.

Example:

import { modify } from 'map-transform'

const def34 = modify({
  data: 'data.deeply.placed.items',
})

def34 will in effect set the values placed at a deep path on the data prop. Giving this an object like:

const response = {
  status: 'ok',
  data: { deeply: { placed: { items: [{ id: 'ent1' }] } } },
}

... will result in:

const response = {
  status: 'ok',
  data: [{ id: 'ent1' }],
}

Had we ran this without the modify operation, the returned object would only have the data prop, as no props from the source data will be set in the target data, unless they are "picked up" by dot notation paths.

This is equivalent to setting the $modify property to true on the transform object:

const def34b = {
  $modify: true,
  data: 'data.deeply.placed.items',
}

Note that $modify may also be set further down in the object structure. Also, in some cases it may make more sense to specify a path in the source data to merge with:

const def34c = {
  $modify: 'response',
  data: 'response.data.deeply.placed.items',
}

The $modify flag may also be set on a path:

const def34d = {
  'content.$modify': 'response',
  'content.data': 'response.data.deeply.placed.items',
}

This is the way to set it for reverse direction:

const def34e = {
  response: '$modify',
  'response.data.deeply.placed.items': 'data',
}

Note that setting a path like this, is only available when the modify operation is defined as an operation object.

`fwd(pipeline)` and `rev(pipeline)` operation

All operations in MapTransform will apply in both directions, although some of them may behave a bit different dependending on the direction. If you want an operation to only apply in one direction, you need to wrap it in a fwd or rev operation. The fwd operation will only apply its pipeline when we're going forward, i.e. mapping in the normal direction, and its pipeline will be skipped when we're mapping in reverse. The rev operation will only apply its pipeline when we're mapping in reverse.

The value in the pipeline will be untouched when we are encountering an operation that is not intended for the direction we are currently going in.

import { fwd, rev, transform } from 'map-transform'
const increment = () => (data) => data + 1
const decrement = () => (data) => data - 1

const def12 = {
  order: ['index', fwd(transform(increment)), rev(transform(decrement))],
}

In the example above, we increment a zero-based index in the source data to get a one-based order prop. When reverse mapping, we decrement the order prop to get back to the zero-based index.

Note that the order pipeline in the example above could also have been written as ['index', transform(increment, decrement)], as the transform operation supports seperate forward and reverse functions, when it is given two functions. You may have a similar syntax with the divide operation, and its usually just a matter of what you think is clearer.

When defining operations as operation objects, you may accomplish the same by setting the $direction prop to fwd or rev. This is also mentioned in the description of the operations this makes sense for. You should also take a look at the description of how to set aliases for the directions.

`divide(fwdPipeline, revPipeline)` operation

divide is fwd and rev operations combined, where the first argument is a pipeline to use when going forward and the second when going in reverse.

See fwd and rev for more details.

`get(path)` and `set(path)` operation

Both the get and set operations accepts a dot notation path to act on. The get operation will pull the data at the path from the data currently in the pipeline, and replace the value in the pipeline with it. The set operation will take what ever's in the pipeline and set it on the given path at a new object.

One reason they come as a pair, is that they will switch roles for reverse mapping. Their names might make this a bit confusing, but in reverse, the get operation will set and the set operation will get.

import { get, set } from 'map-transform'

const def13 = [get('data.items[].content'), set('content[]')]

In the example above, the get operation will return an array of whatever is in the content prop at each item in the data.items[] array. The set operation will then create a new object with the array from the pipeline on the content prop. Reverse map this end result, and you'll get what you started with, as the get and set operations switch roles.

Using the get operation is equivalent to just providing the dot notation path as a string. There is also an similar shortcut to the set operation, where you provide the dot notation path with a > prefix. For compatability, you may also use a < prefix for get, but there is usually no need to do that.

This is exactly the same as def13:

const def13b = ['data.items[].content', '>content[]']

You may notice that the examples above could have been written with a transform object, and you're absolutely right. The transform object is actually an alternative to using get and set operations, and will be converted to operations behind the curtains. There's however a big different, in that the transform object will replace any data at the path it is set on, while a pipeline with set will be merged with the existing structure.

This example results in the exact same pipeline as the examples above:

const def13c = {
  'content[]': 'data.items[].content',
}

It's simply a matter of taste and of what's easiest in each case. We believe that the transform object is best in cases where you describe a target object with several properties, while get and set operations is best suited to define paths for objects or arrays.

`root(pipeline)` operation

When you pass a pipeline to the root operation, the pipeline will be applied to the data that was original passed to the pipeline – before any operations where applied to it. The result of a root pipeline will still be inserted in the pipeline at the point of the root operation, so this is not a way to alter data out of the pipeline.

Let's look at an example:

import mapTransform, { root } from 'map-transform'

const def15 = [
  'articles[]',
  {
    id: 'id',
    title: 'headline',
    section: root('meta.section'),
  },
]

const data = {
  articles: [{ id: '1', headline: 'An article' } /* ... */],
  meta: { section: 'news' },
}

await mapTransform(def15)(data)
// --> [
//   { id: '1', title: 'An article', section: 'news' }
//   /* ... */
// ]

As you see, every item in the articles[] array, will be mapped with the section property from the meta object. This would not be available to the items without the root operation.

There's also a shortcut notation for root, by prefixing a dot notation path with ^^.. This only works when the path is used for getting a value, and it will be plugged when used as set (i.e., it will return no value). This shortcut may be used wherever a path may be used.

The following examples, def16 and def16b, are equal:

const def16 = get('^^.meta.section')
const def16b = divide(root('meta.section'), plug())

`plug()` operation

The plug operation simply clears the value in the pipeline - it plugs it. The value will be set to undefined regardless of what has happened before that point. Any alt operations etc. coming after the plug will still have an effect.

This main use case for this is to clear the value going one way. E.g. if you need a value when you map in reverse, but don't want it going forward, plug it with fwd(plug()). You will also need it in a pipeline where the only operation is uni-directional (i.e. using fwd or rev). An empty pipeline (which is what a uni-directional pipeline will be in the other direction), will return the data you give it, which is usually not what you want in these cases. The solution is to plug it in the other direction.

You could have accomplished the same with transform(value(undefined)), but this will not work when state.noDefaults is true. plug will do its trick in all cases.

`lookdown({ arrayPath, propPath, matchSeveral })` operation

The lookdown operation works the same as lookup but in the opposite direction. See the lookup operation for more on how it works, just reverse the directions.

Note that lookdown does not have an operation object notation, but lookup will honor the flipped mode.

lookdown is also available as an operation object with $lookdown.

`lookup({ arrayPath, propPath, matchSeveral })` operation

lookup will take the value in the pipeline and replace it with the first object in the arrayPath array that has a value in propPath matching it. arrayPath may be a pipeline, but propPath can only be a dot notation path.

When matchSeveral is true, all matches – not only the first – will be returned. Default is false.

In reverse, the propPath will simply be used as a get path, getting the prop of the objects out of the objects, so to speak. (In the future, MapTransform might support setting the items back on the arrayPath in reverse.)

Note: When lookup is called within a transform object in flipped mode, it will behave in the opposite way, looking up in reverse mode and extracting propPath going forward.

Example:

const def18 = [
  'content.meta.authors[]',
  lookup({ arrayPath: '^^.users[]', propPath: 'id' }),
]
const data = {
  content: { meta: { authors: ['user1', 'user3'] } },
  users: [
    { id: 'user1', name: 'User 1' },
    { id: 'user2', name: 'User 2' },
    { id: 'user3', name: 'User 3' },
  ],
}
const mapper = mapTransform(def18)
const mappedData = await mapper(data)
// --> [
//   { id: 'user1', name: 'User 1' },
//   { id: 'user3', name: 'User 3' }
// ]

mapper(mappedData, { rev: true })
// --> { content: { meta: { authors: ['user1', 'user3'] } } }

You may also define this as an operation object:

const def18b = ['content.meta.authors[]', { $lookup: '$users[]', path: 'id' }]

The path on $lookup refers to arrayPath and path refers to propPath.

Transformers

The following transformers may be applied to the value in a pipeline with the transform operation, or used with the filter operation to filter away values in the pipeline.

`bucket({ path, buckets, groupByPath })` transformer

The bucket transformer will split an array out in buckets based on condition pipelines (pipelines that will return truthy for the items that belong in a certain bucket) or by size (how many items from the array to put in a bucket). There's also an alternative way of using groupByPath (see below).

You may specify a path to the array that will be sorted into buckets.

The buckets are defined in an array on the buckets property, with one object per bucket. The object has a key property that will be the key of the bucket on the target object. When distributing based on condition pipelines, you set a condition property to a pipeline that will return truthy for the items that belong in the bucket. When distributing based on size, you set size to the number of items you want to put in this bucket. You may also combine condition and size, to get the provided number of items matching the condition.

Each item is tested against the bucket condition in the order the buckets are defined, and will be placed in the first bucket that matches. You may have a bucket without a condition or size, which will serve as a catch-all bucket, and should therefore be placed last.

As an alternative to specifying buckets, you may provide a path or a pipeline in groupByPath. The transformer will then fetch the value from that path or pipeline for every item in the array, and use it as keys for buckets. Every item with the same value returned from groupByPath will be grouped together. You may for example set groupByPath: 'category' to get an object with all available categories as keys, and items with a certain category grouped in an array on the category property.

The value returned from the groupByPath pipeline will be forced to a string. When the value from an item is a non-value, the item will not be put in any group.

When a bucket is run in reverse, the items in the buckets will be merged into one array. The order of the items will be the same as the order of the buckets and not the order of the items in the original array. When a path is given, the array will be set on this path.

const def40 = transform(bucket({
  path: 'users[]',
  buckets: [
    {
      key: 'admin',
      condition: { $transform: 'compare', path: 'role', match: 'admin' },
    },
    {
      key: 'editor',
      condition: { $transform: 'compare', path: 'role', match: 'editor' },
    },
    {
      key: 'users',
    },
  ],
}))

const data = {
  users: [
    { id: 'user1', name: 'User 1', role: 'editor' },
    { id: 'user2', name: 'User 2', role: undefined },
    { id: 'user2', name: 'User 3' },
    { id: 'user3', name: 'User 4', role: 'admin' },
    { id: 'user3', name: 'User 5' },
    { id: 'user3', name: 'User 6', role: 'editor' },
  ],
}
const mapper = mapTransform(def40)
const mappedData = await mapper(data)
// --> {
//   admin: [
//     { id: 'user3', name: 'User 4', role: 'admin' },
//   ],
//   editor: [
//     { id: 'user1', name: 'User 1', role: 'editor' },
//     { id: 'user3', name: 'User 6', role: 'editor' },
//   ],
//   users: [
//     { id: 'user2', name: 'User 2', role: undefined },
//     { id: 'user2', name: 'User 3' },
//     { id: 'user3', name: 'User 5' },
//   ]
// }

Or by size:

const def41 = transform(bucket({
  buckets: [{ key: 'top3', size: 3 }, { key: 'theOthers' }],
}))

const data = ['user1', 'user2', 'user3', 'user4', 'user5', 'user6', 'user7']

const mapper = mapTransform(def41)
const mappedData = await mapper(data)
// --> {
//   top3: ['user1', 'user2', 'user3'],
//   theOthers: ['user4', 'user5', 'user6', 'user7']
// }

You may also define this as an operation object:

const def40b = {
  $transform: 'bucket',
  path: 'users[]',
  buckets: [
    {
      key: 'admin',
      condition: { $transform: 'compare', path: 'role', match: 'admin' },
    },
    {
      key: 'editor',
      condition: { $transform: 'compare', path: 'role', match: 'editor' },
    },
    {
      key: 'users',
    },
  ],
}

const def41b = {
  $transform: 'buckets',
  buckets: [{ key: 'top3', size: 3 }, { key: 'theOthers' }],
}

`compare({ path, operator, match, matchPath, not })` transformer

This is a transformer intended for use with the filter operation. You pass a dot notation path and a match value (string, number, boolean, null or undefined) to compare, and it returns a function that you can pass to filter for filtering away data that does not not have the value set at the provided path.

As an alternative to match, you may specify a matchPath, which is a dot notation path, in which case the match value will be fetched from the provided data.

The default is to check wheter the values resulting from path and match or matchPath are the same (equality), but other operations may be set on the operator property. Alternatives: '=', '!=', '>', '>=', '<', or '<=', in, or exists. in requires equality to at least one of the elements in an array, and exists requires any value besides undefined.

If the path points to an array, the value is expected to be one of the values in the array.

Set not to true to reverse the result of the comparison.

Note: value and valuePath may be used as aliases for match and matchPath for consistency with other transformers.

Here's an example where only data where role is set to 'admin' will be kept:

import { filter, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { compare } = transformers

const def19 = [
  {
    name: 'username',
    role: 'group',
  },
  filter(compare({ path: 'role', operator: '=', match: 'admin' })),
]

You may also define this with an operation object:

const def19b = [
  {
    name: 'username',
    role: 'group',
  },
  { $filter: 'compare', path: 'role', operator: '=', match: 'admin' },
]

When you define the compare transformer as an operation object in JSON and need to compare to undefined, use **undefined** instead.

`explode()` transformer

Given an object, the explode transformer will return an array with one object for each property in the source object, with a key property for the property key, and a value property for the value.

When given an array, the explode transformer will return on object for every item in the array, with a key property set to the index number in the source array and a value property to the item value.

When transforming in reverse, explode will try to compile an object or an array from an array of key/value objects. If all key props are numbers, an array is produced, otherwise an object. Anything that don't match the expected structure will be skipped.

Example:

import mapTransform, { transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { explode } = transformers

const data = {
  currencies: { NOK: 1, USD: 0.125, EUR: 0.1 },
}

const def32 = ['currencies', transform(explode())]

await mapTransform(def32)(data)
// --> [{ key: 'NOK', value: 1 }, { key: 'USD', value: 0.125 },
//      { key: 'EUR', value: 0.1 }]

Or as an operation object:

const def32b = ['currencies', { $transform: 'explode' }]

`fixed(data)` transformer

The data given to the fixed transformer, will be inserted in the pipeline in place of any data that is already present at that point. The data may be an object, a string, a number, a boolean, null, or `undefined – or an array of any of these.

This is almost the same behavior as the value transformer, which is more commonly used, except that the value set with fixed will be included even when state.noDefaults is true. Use value for default values, and fixed for values that should be set no matter what.

`flatten({ depth })` transformer

Will flatten an array the number of depths given by depth. Default depth is 1.

Editors note: We need an example.

`index()` transformer

When iterating, this will return the index of the current item in the array. When used outside of an iteration, it always returns 0.

Editors note: We need an example.

`implode()` transformer

This is the exact opposite of the explode helper, imploding going forward and exploding in reverse. See the documentation for explode for how this works.

`logical({ path, operator })` transformer

Will run all provided pipelines, force their return values to boolean, according to JavaScript rules, and apply the logic specified by operator; either AND or OR. If no operator is specified, AND is the default.

This transformer is typically used as a short-hand operation object, together with the ifelse operation, to support AND logic:

const def36 = [
  {
    $if: { $and: ['active', 'authorized'] },
    then: 'content',
    else: { $value: undefined },
  },
]

... or OR logic:

const def37 = [
  {
    $if: { $or: ['active', 'draft'] },
    then: 'content',
    else: { $value: undefined },
  },
]

Editors note: We should have an example of how to use it as a function too.

`map(dictionary)` transformer

This transformer accepts a dictionary described as an array of tuples, where each tuple holds a from value and a to value. When a value is given to the map transformer, it is replaced with a value from the dictionary. When going forward, the first value in the tuple will be matched with the given data value, and the second value will be returned. In reverse, the second value is matched and the first is returned.

When there are more than one matches, the first one is applied.

The wildcard value * will match any value, and is applied if there is no other match in the dictionary. When the returned value is *, the original data value is used instead. This is useful when you only want to map a few values, and keep everything else. Add a ['*', '*'] tupple at the end, and it will match anything that is not already matched, and return it untouched.

The map transformer only supports primitive values, so when trying to map an object, you will get the value given by the wildcard in the dictionary, or undefined. Arrays will be iterated to map each value in the array.

To map to or from undefined with a dictionary defined in JSON, use the value **undefined**.

Example:

import { transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { map } = transformers

const dictionary = [
  [200, 'ok'],
  [404, 'notfound'],
  ['*', 'error'],
]

const def28 = {
  status: ['result', transform(map({ dictionary }))],
}

When using map in an operation object, you may provide a dictionary array or a named dictionary on the dictionary property. Here's an example with a named dictionary:

import mapTransform from 'map-transform'

const dictionary = [
  [200, 'ok'],
  [404, 'notfound'],
  ['*', 'error'],
]
const options = { dictionaries: { statusCodes: dictionary } }

const def28b = {
  status: ['result', { $transform: 'map', dictionary: 'statusCodes' }],
}

const mapper = mapTransform(def28b, options)

`merge({path})` transformer

The merge transformer accepts a pipeline or an array of pipelines in path, and the objects or array of objects these pipline(s) return will be merge into one object. Merging happens from left to right, so the props of the last object will have priority. However, undefined values will never overwrite another value.

In reverse, the pipeline data will be provided to every pipeline in path, as there is no way of splitting up the "original" data. In most cases the pipeline data will be set on the props they were "originally" fetched and merged from.

Note: This transformer is destructive, in that the result from running it forward cannot reproduce the original data when run in reverse. Only the data fetched by the given pipelines will be preserved, and the merged object cannot be unmerged.

import mapTransform, { transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { merge } = transformers

const data = {
  original: { id: 'ent1', title: 'Entry 1', text: null },
  updated: { id: undefined, title: 'Better title' },
  final: { text: 'Here we are now' },
}

const def38 = {
  data: transform(merge({ path: ['original', 'updated', 'final'] })),
}

await mapTransform(def38)(data)
// --> { id: 'ent1', title: 'Better title', text: 'Here we are now' }

The merge transformer is available through a short-cut operation object:

const def38b = {
  data: { $merge: ['original', 'updated', 'final'] },
}

`mergeRev({path})` transformer

The mergeRev transformer has the opposite behavior of the merge transformer, in that it will do forward what merge does in reverse, and vice versa. See the merge transformer for more details.

`not(value)` transformer

not will return false when the value in the pipeline is truthy, and true when value is falsy. This is useful for making the filter operation do the opposite of what the filter transformer implies.

Here we filter away all data where role is set to 'admin':

import { filter, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { compare } = transformers

const def21 = [
  {
    name: 'username',
    role: 'group',
  },
  filter(not(compare({ path: 'role', match: 'admin' }))),
]

When using operation objects, you don't have an equivalent yet, but with the compare transformer, you could do it like this:

const def21b = [
  {
    name: 'username',
    role: 'group',
  },
  { $filter: 'compare', path: 'role', not: true, match: 'admin' },
]

`project({include, exclude})` transformer

Will return an object with only the props specified in include or none of the props in exclude. Both include and exclude may be array of strings, and they should not be used in combination. If both are provided, include will be used.

You may also specify an includePath or excludePath. These are dot notation paths to arrays of strings, and will be used instead of include or exclude. If include or exclude are also provided, they will be used as default values when the corresponding path yields no value. Note that "no value" here means undefined, and we don't support custom nonvalues here yet.

When given an array of object, each object will be projected. When given anything that is not an object, undefined will be returned.

As we cannot bring back the removed props when mapping in reverse, this transformer will pass on the object data as is in reverse.

import { transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { project } = transformers

const def42 = transform(project({ include: ['id', 'name'] }))

const data = {
  id: 'ent1',
  name: 'Entry 1',
  text: 'Do not include',
  created: new Date('2023-12-01T00:00:00Z'),
}

const mapper = mapTransform(def42)
const mappedData = await mapper(data)
// --> {
//   id: 'ent1',
//   name: 'Entry 1',
// }

You may also define this as an operation object:

const def42b = { $transform: 'project', include: ['id', 'name'] }

`sort({asc, path})` transformer

The sort transformer will sort the array at the given path, in the direction given by asc. The default direction is ascending (asc is true by default).

When no path is given, the sort is performed on the array in pipeline. Note that path needs to be a dot notation path when specified, it cannot be a full pipeline.

Example:

import mapTransform, { transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { sort } = transformers

const data = {
  items: [{ id: 'ent5' }, { id: 'ent1' }, { id: 'ent3' }],
}

const def35 = {
  data: ['items', transform(sort({ asc: true, path: 'id' }))],
}

await mapTransform(def35)(data)
// --> [{ id: 'ent1' }, { id: 'ent3' }, { id: 'ent5' }]

The sort transformer is also available as an operation object:

const def35b = {
  data: ['items', { $transform: 'sort', asc: true, path: 'id' }],
}

Editors note: What happens if the value is not an array?

`value(data)` transformer

The data given to the value transformer, will be inserted in the pipeline in place of any data that is already present at that point. The data may be an object, a string, a number, a boolean, null, or undefined – or an array of any of these.

This could be useful for:

Setting a value on a property, that is not found in the source data
Providing a default value to the alt operation

Example of both:

import { alt, transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { value } = transformers

const def10 = {
  id: 'data.customerNo',
  type: transform(value('customer')),
  name: alt('data.name', transform(value('Anonymous'))),
}

Important: The value transformer will not set anything when mapping when state.noDefaults is true. Use the fixed transformer if this is not your wanted behavior.

As the value transformer is very common, it has it's own short-hand operation object notation, that can be used insted of the transformer operation object. In the following example, you'll see both:

const def10b = {
  id: 'data.customerNo',
  type: { $transform: 'value', value: 'customer' },
  name: { $alt: ['data.name', { $value: 'Anonymous' }] },
}

I.e., { $value: 'Anonymous' } is the same as { $transform: 'value', value: 'Anonymous' }.

Reverse mapping

When you define a transform pipeline for MapTransform, you also define the reverse transformation, i.e. you can run data in both direction through the pipeline. This comes "for free" for simple mappings, but might require some extra work for more complex mappings with transform operations, alt operations, etc.

You should also keep in mind that, depending on your defined pipeline, the mapping may result in data loss, as only the data that is mapped to the target object is kept. This may be obvious, but it's an important fact to remember if you plan to map back and forth between two data "shapes" – all values must be mapped to be able to map back to the original data.

Let's see an example of reverse mapping:

import mapTransform, { alt, value } from 'map-transform'

const def22 = [
  'data.customers[]',
  {
    id: 'customerNo',
    name: [alt('fullname', transform(value('Anonymous')))],
  },
]

const data = [
  { id: 'cust1', name: 'Fred Johnsen' },
  { id: 'cust2', name: 'Lucy Knight' },
  { id: 'cust3' },
]

await mapTransform(def22)(data, { rev: true })
// --> {
// data: {
//   customers: [
//     { customerNo: 'cust1', fullname: 'Fred Johnsen' },
//     { customerNo: 'cust2', fullname: 'Lucy Knight' },
//     { customerNo: 'cust3', fullname: 'Anonymous' }
//   ]
// }
// }

Transform objects allow one value in the source data to be used for several properties on the target object, but to do this in reverse, you have to use a special syntax where you suffix the keys with a slash and a number. The reason for this, is that you would otherwise get several equal keys, which is not supported in neighter JavaScript nor JSON.

For example:

import mapTransform, { transform } from 'map-transform'

const username = (name) => name.replace(/\s+/, '.').toLowerCase()

const def23 = [
  'data.customers[]',
  {
    id: 'customerNo',
    name: 'fullname',
    'name/1': ['username', rev(transform(username))],
  },
]

const data = [{ id: 'cust1', name: 'Fred Johnsen' }]

await mapTransform(def23)(data, { rev: true })
// --> {
// data: {
//   customers: [
//     { customerNo: 'cust1', fullname: 'Fred Johnsen', username: 'fred.johnsen' }
//   ]
// }
// }

When seeing MapTransform encounters paths with such suffixes going forward, it will simply skip them. The convention is to have the first occurence without a slash suffix, and let this be the one to use in forward mode.

Flipping a transform object

In some cases, the reverse transform is more complex than the forward transform. For that reason, there is a $flip property that may be set to true on a transform object, to indicate that it is defined from the reverse perspective and should be flipped before transforming data with it.

A flipped transformation object will – in forward transformations – get with the properties on the object and set with the paths in the value. The order of paths and operations in a pipeline will also be reversed.

Important: Flipping a transform object will not affect any operations that behaves differently depending on direction, and they will run as if they were used in a non-flipped transformation object. The only exceptions from this, are the get and set operations and the lookup operation, which will all behave as if we were in forward mode, when we're really in reverse in a flipped transform object.

Also note that flipping will affect the get and set operations in the same way as paths on a transform object.

This flipped defintion:

const def33 = {
  $flip: true,
  id: 'key',
  attributes: {
    title: ['headline', transform(threeLetters)],
    age: ['unknown'],
  },
  relationships: {
    author: transform(value('johnf')),
  },
}

... is identical to:

const def33b = {
  key: 'id',
  headline: ['attributes.title', transform(threeLetters)],
  unknown: ['attributes.age']
  },
  'none/1': ['relationships.author': transform(value('johnf'))]
}

The flipped definition is (in this case) easier to read.

Note also the 'none/1' property in def33b, that will stop this property from being set when going forward. This is not necessary on the flipped definition, but also results in a definition that will not work as expected going forward. This is a weakness in how MapTransform treats pipelines right now, and will probably be resolved in the future. For now, make sure to always have a path at the beginning of all pipelines if you plan to reverse transform – and the same goes for flipped transform objects if you want to forward transform.

Mapping without defaults

MapTransform will try its best to map the data to the shape you want, and will always set all properties, even though the mapping you defined result in undefined. You may include alt operations to provide default or fallback values for these cases.

But sometimes, you only want the data that is actually present in the source data, without defaults or properties set to undefined. You may accomplish this by setting state.noDefaults to true, either by setting in on the initial state given to mapTransform() or by setting the $noDefaults flag on a transform object (will set noDefaults on the state for everything happening within that transform object).

This will keep values from the value transformer from being used in the mutation, but note that values from the fixed transformer will still be included. This is by design.

import mapTransform, { alt, transform, transformers } from 'map-transform'
const { value } = transformers

const def17 = {
  id: 'customerNo',
  name: alt('fullname', transform(value('Anonymous'))),
}

const def24 = {
  $noDefaults: true, // This is the only difference from `def17`
  id: 'customerNo',
  name: alt('fullname', transform(value('Anonymous'))),
}

const mapper17 = await mapTransform(def17)
const mapper24 = await mapTransform(def24)

mapper17({ customerNo: 'cust4' })
// --> { id: 'cust4', name: 'Anonymous' }
mapper17({ customerNo: 'cust4' }, { noDefaults: true }) // We may set this flag on the initial state
// --> { id: 'cust4' }

mapper24({ customerNo: 'cust4' })
// --> { id: 'cust4' }
mapper24({ customerNo: 'cust5', fullname: 'Alex Troy' })
// --> { id: 'cust5', name: 'Alex Troy' }

// This also applies in reverse mapping
mapper17({ id: 'cust4' }, { rev: true })
// -> { customerNo: 'cust4', name: 'Anonymous' }
mapper17({ id: 'cust4' }, { rev: true, noDefaults: true })
// -> { customerNo: 'cust4' }
mapper24({ id: 'cust4' }, { rev: true })
// -> { customerNo: 'cust4' }

The state object

MapTransform uses a state object internally to pass on data, context, target, etc. between pipelines and operations. You may, however, encounter this state object when you write your own transformers, as it is passed to the transformer function as the second argument (the current pipeline value is the first).

Most of the props on the state object should be regarded as MapTransform internal and subject to change without notice, but a few is good to know and might also be necessary to make your transformer work the way you want:

rev: When this is true, we are in reverse mode, so if your transformer should work differently depending on direction, you should check this prop.
flip: When true, we are being called from a transform object in flip mode, meaning that the transform object is defined from the perspective of the reverse mode and flipped before it's used in a transformation. This should not affect most transformers, as we will treat the direction the same regardless of how the transformer object is defined, but there might still be cases where you want to xor rev and `flip`` to get direction.
noDefaults: This is true when we have asked MapTransform in some way to not include default values. This may or may not concern your transformer.
iterate: When true, we are currently iterating.
index: When iterating, this will be the index of the current item in an array. When not iterating, index will be 0 or undefined.

The following props should not be trusted to stay stable across MapTransform versions, and should not be used in custom transformers:

value: This is the value of the pipeline, and will be the same as passed to the transformer in the first argument.
context: An array with the "history" of the transformation from the root up to the current point. This is used to support parent and root notations.
target: The target object at the current point. When setting on a path, the setting will happen on this target.

Note that you may provide the mapTransform() function with an initial state object as its second argument. Only rev, noDefaults, and target will be passed on from the state object you provide.

Defining transformations with JSON

The definition format of MapTransform is well suited for JSON, which may be useful when storing the definitions in a database or transferring it over http or whatever the need would be.

Most of the operations has operation object equivalents, allowing the operations to be expressed as JSON-friendly objects. With a set of commonly shared transformers passed to mapTransform() on the options object, storing and sharing definitions over JSON is quite trivial. This is how we use MapTransform in Integreat, which it was initially written for.

There's probably only one real challenge in turning a transformation defition into JSON: undefined. JSON have no way of specifying undefined other than omiting properties that would have had undefined as a value. So when we e.g. needs to specify that a value should be mapped to undefined, or we would like to specifically set a value to undefined with { $value: undefined }, JSON has in itself no real solution.

The "hack" we have chosen for MapTransform is to use the value '**undefined**', as we think it's unlikely that anyone will use that value for any other reason. (We should probably make it configurable, just in case.) The operations and transformers where it is important to specify undefined also supports this keyword, and you'll find it in the documentation where it's relevant.

Another value that is often used in transformations and is not natively supported in JSON, is the Date object. A convention is to specify dates in the ISO8601 format ("2023-03-07T07:03:17Z") or as a UNIX timestamp, and use a transformer to turn it into an actual Date object.

TypeScript

MapTransform is written completely in TypeScript, even though all the examples in this documentation are in JavaScript for simplicity and readability.

All relevent types are exposed at map-transform/types, and may be imported into your project like so:

import type { Transformer } from 'map-transform/types'

The most usefull types will probably be Transformer, that you should use when writing your own transformer, and TransformDefinition, that types the full definition format of MapTransform.

Data given to and returned from MapTransform is typed as unknown, as we can't know what it will be, and to signal that it should be typed by the user.

Running the tests

The tests can be run with npm test.

Contributing

Please read CONTRIBUTING for details on our code of conduct, and the process for submitting pull requests.

License

This project is licensed under the ISC License - see the LICENSE file for details.

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MapTransform

Getting started

Prerequisits

Installing

Breaking changes in v0.5

Breaking changes in v0.4

Usage

The transform object

Keys on the transform object

Values on the transform object

A note on undefined and null

Directional transform objects

Transform pipelines

Dot notation paths

Paths and arrays

Parent and root paths

Operations

transform(transformFn, transformFnRev) operation

filter(conditionFn) operation

ifelse(conditionFn, truePipeline, falsePipeline) operation

iterate(pipeline) operation

apply(pipelineId) operation

alt(pipeline, pipeline, ...) operation

concat(pipeline, pipeline, ...) operation

concatRev(pipeline, pipeline, ...) operation

merge(pipeline, pipeline, ...) operation

modify(pipeline) operation

fwd(pipeline) and rev(pipeline) operation

divide(fwdPipeline, revPipeline) operation

get(path) and set(path) operation

root(pipeline) operation

plug() operation

lookdown({ arrayPath, propPath, matchSeveral }) operation

lookup({ arrayPath, propPath, matchSeveral }) operation

Transformers

bucket({ path, buckets, groupByPath }) transformer

compare({ path, operator, match, matchPath, not }) transformer

explode() transformer

fixed(data) transformer

flatten({ depth }) transformer

index() transformer

implode() transformer

logical({ path, operator }) transformer

map(dictionary) transformer

merge({path}) transformer

mergeRev({path}) transformer

not(value) transformer

project({include, exclude}) transformer

sort({asc, path}) transformer

value(data) transformer

Reverse mapping

Flipping a transform object

Mapping without defaults

The state object

Defining transformations with JSON

TypeScript

Running the tests

Contributing

License

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`transform(transformFn, transformFnRev)` operation

`filter(conditionFn)` operation

`ifelse(conditionFn, truePipeline, falsePipeline)` operation

`iterate(pipeline)` operation

`apply(pipelineId)` operation

`alt(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

`concat(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

`concatRev(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

`merge(pipeline, pipeline, ...)` operation

`modify(pipeline)` operation

`fwd(pipeline)` and `rev(pipeline)` operation

`divide(fwdPipeline, revPipeline)` operation

`get(path)` and `set(path)` operation

`root(pipeline)` operation

`plug()` operation

`lookdown({ arrayPath, propPath, matchSeveral })` operation

`lookup({ arrayPath, propPath, matchSeveral })` operation

`bucket({ path, buckets, groupByPath })` transformer

`compare({ path, operator, match, matchPath, not })` transformer

`explode()` transformer

`fixed(data)` transformer

`flatten({ depth })` transformer

`index()` transformer

`implode()` transformer

`logical({ path, operator })` transformer

`map(dictionary)` transformer

`merge({path})` transformer

`mergeRev({path})` transformer

`not(value)` transformer

`project({include, exclude})` transformer

`sort({asc, path})` transformer

`value(data)` transformer

Packages