My pretty bridge - inspired by, based on http://alexsexton.com/?p=51 - Using Inheritance Patterns to Organize Large jQuery Applications

pretty-bridge.js

// inspired by, based on http://alexsexton.com/?p=51

(function($, global) {

  // Make sure Object.create is available in the browser (for our prototypal inheritance)
  (function() {
    if(typeof Object.create === 'function') {
      return; 
    }
    
    function F(){};
    Object.create = function(o) {
      F.prototype = o;
      return new F(); 
    };
  })();
  
  /**
   * Bridge Utility method. Adds a new function to the jQuery prototype (a new plugin)
   * which provides a clear way to bind application code to DOM elements.
   * 
   * @method bridge
   * @param name {String} simply the name of the jQuery method helper we want to create
   * @param object {Object|Function} either an object or a function (module pattern, must return a public api).
   * @namespace $
   */
  $.bridge = function(name, object) {
    var isFunction = $.isFunction(object);
    $.fn[name] = function(options) {
      
      if(!this.length) {
        // Don't act on absent element - learned from 10 things I learned (Paul Irish)
        return this;
      }
      
      return this.each(function() {
        // Create our object (instance)
        var obj = Object.create(isFunction ? object() : object),
        setup = $.isFunction(obj.setup), init = $.isFunction(obj.init);
        
        if(!setup || !init) {
          // Bridge interface is not followed, warn user and return
          console.warn('Bridge interface is not followed for ' + name + ' bridge.');
          return;
        }
        
        // Init constructor function, this stands for the DOM element to apply logic to
        obj.setup(options, this, name);
        obj.init(options, this);
        
        // Then, store our newly created instance in the DOM element data-store
        $.data(this, name, obj);
      });
    };
  };

})(this.jQuery, this);