Add Backbone-style events to any function's prototype

eventable.js

/**
 * This is intended to be a simple behavior mixin that allows Backbone-style event delegation to be added to any object's prototype.
 *
 * Use:
 *
 *   function MyView(){ this.$el = $('#my_view'); this.delegateEvents(); }
 *   $.extend(MyView.prototype, Eventable);
 *   MyView.prototype.events = {'click a.close': 'close'};
 *   MyView.prototype.close = function(){ this.$el.hide(); }
 *
 * Notes
 *   * You have to manually call this.delegateEvents() in the constructor or on initialize.
 *   * It expects a this.$el jQuery object to exist or a this.el DOM element.
 *
 * @author Spike Brehm <spike@airbnb.com>
 * Brought to you with love by Airbnb.
 */
(function(exports, $){
  var Eventable = {    
    delegateEvents: function(){
      if (!this.events) return;
      var eventSplitter = /^(\S+)\s*(.*)$/;
      for (var key in this.events) {
        var method = this[this.events[key]];
        if (!method) throw 'Event "' + this.events[key] + '" does not exist';
        var match = key.match(eventSplitter);
        var eventName = match[1], selector = match[2];
        method = $.proxy(method, this);
        eventName += '.delegateEvents';
        var $el = this.$el || $(this.el);
        if (selector === '') {
          $el.bind(eventName, method);
        } else {
          $el.delegate(selector, eventName, method);
        }
      }
    }
  };
  
  exports.Eventable = Eventable;
})(window, jQuery);