jQuery Plugin Boilerplate

jquery.plugin.boilerplate.js

// jQuery Plugin Boilerplate
// A boilerplate for jumpstarting jQuery plugins development
// version 1.1, May 14th, 2011
// by Stefan Gabos

// remember to change every instance of "pluginName" to the name of your plugin!
(function($) {

  // here we go!
  $.pluginName = function(element, options) {

    // plugin's default options
    // this is private property and is  accessible only from inside the plugin
    var defaults = {

      foo: 'bar',

      // if your plugin is event-driven, you may provide callback capabilities
      // for its events. execute these functions before or after events of your
      // plugin, so that users may customize those particular events without
      // changing the plugin's code
      onFoo: function() {}

    }

    // to avoid confusions, use "plugin" to reference the
    // current instance of the object
    var plugin = this;

    // this will hold the merged default, and user-provided options
    // plugin's properties will be available through this object like:
    // plugin.settings.propertyName from inside the plugin or
    // element.data('pluginName').settings.propertyName from outside the plugin,
    // where "element" is the element the plugin is attached to;
    plugin.settings = {}

    var $element = $(element), // reference to the jQuery version of DOM element
        element = element;    // reference to the actual DOM element

    // the "constructor" method that gets called when the object is created
    plugin.init = function() {

      // the plugin's final properties are the merged default and
      // user-provided options (if any)
      plugin.settings = $.extend({}, defaults, options);

      // code goes here

    }

    // public methods
    // these methods can be called like:
    // plugin.methodName(arg1, arg2, ... argn) from inside the plugin or
    // element.data('pluginName').publicMethod(arg1, arg2, ... argn) from outside
    // the plugin, where "element" is the element the plugin is attached to;

    // a public method. for demonstration purposes only - remove it!
    plugin.foo_public_method = function() {

      // code goes here

    }

    // private methods
    // these methods can be called only from inside the plugin like:
    // methodName(arg1, arg2, ... argn)

    // a private method. for demonstration purposes only - remove it!
    var foo_private_method = function() {

      // code goes here

    }

    // fire up the plugin!
    // call the "constructor" method
    plugin.init();

  }

  // add the plugin to the jQuery.fn object
  $.fn.pluginName = function(options) {

    // iterate through the DOM elements we are attaching the plugin to
    return this.each(function() {

      // if plugin has not already been attached to the element
      if (undefined == $(this).data('pluginName')) {

        // create a new instance of the plugin
        // pass the DOM element and the user-provided options as arguments
        var plugin = new $.pluginName(this, options);

        // in the jQuery version of the element
        // store a reference to the plugin object
        // you can later access the plugin and its methods and properties like
        // element.data('pluginName').publicMethod(arg1, arg2, ... argn) or
        // element.data('pluginName').settings.propertyName
        $(this).data('pluginName', plugin);

      }

    });

  }

})(jQuery);