Injection Parameter Normalization

text/0451-injection-parameter-normalization.md

@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+- Start Date: 2019-02-19
+- Relevant Team(s): Ember.js, Ember Data, Learning
+- RFC PR: https://github.com/emberjs/rfcs/pull/451
+- Tracking:
+
+# Injection Parameter Normalization
+
+## Summary
+
+Normalize on passing the `owner` as the first parameter to the constructor for
+the following built in framework classes:
+
+- `GlimmerComponent`
+- `EmberComponent`
+- `Service`
+- `Route`
+- `Controller`
+- `Helper`
+
+Along with the following Ember Data classes:
+
+- `Model`
+- `Adapter`
+- `Serializer`
+- `Transform`
+
+## Terminology
+
+- _Explicit injections_ are injections which are defined in the class body using
+  the `inject` APIs:
+
+  ```js
+  import Component from '@ember/component';
+  import { inject as service } from '@ember/service';
+
+  export default Component.extend({
+    store: service(),
+  });
+  ```
+
+  The are _explicit_ because they don't require any knowledge of the system to
+  outside of the class itself to know they exist.
+
+- _Implicit injections_ are injections which are defined using the container
+  APIs directly, often in initializers:
+
+  ```js
+  import Application from '@ember/application';
+
+  Application.initializer({
+    name: 'inject-session',
+
+    initialize() {
+      // Inject the session service onto all factories of the type 'controller'
+      // with the name 'session'
+      App.inject('controller', 'session', 'service:session');
+    },
+  });
+  ```
+
+  They are implicit because they require knowledge of the context
+  of the class to know whether or not they exist, simply looking at the class
+  body (without looking at method logic) will not hint at their existence. The
+  canonical example here is the Ember Data `store`, which is implicitly injected
+  into all routes and controllers.
+
+## Motivation
+
+The introduction of native class syntax in Ember has recently exposed some of
+the inner-workings and expectations of Ember's Dependency Injection (DI) system.
+Specifically, it is now possible to write code that can run _before_
+dependencies are injected in some base classes, such as Services and
+Controllers. Currently, users must use the `init` hook in these classes if they
+wish to run setup code that accesses injections, but this is somewhat confusing
+since `init` has historically been taught as the same as the `constructor` in
+native classes.
+
+Glimmer components made the decision to break from this pattern, and instead
+pass the DI Owner as the first parameter to the constructor. They then set it
+using `setOwner` in the base class, making explicit injections available during the
+constructor, and to class field initializers.
+
+So far this has worked pretty well in practice:
+
+- Glimmer components have just 2 lifecycle hooks, which makes them simpler to
+  understand and learn about.
+- We don't have to teach the differences between `constructor` and `init`, when
+  to use one or the other, and debugging issues when the two have mixed usage
+  throughout the class hierarchy
+- We don't have to worry about explaining the timings/lifecycle of the container
+  and the way it constructs classes in order to explain why these are separate.
+
+This RFC seeks to normalize this contract for all _Ember base classes_ - that
+is, framework classes that are provided by Ember:
+
+- `GlimmerComponent`
+- `EmberComponent`
+- `Service`
+- `Route`
+- `Controller`
+- `Helper`
+
+Along with framework clases provided by Ember Data:
+
+- `Model`
+- `Adapter`
+- `Serializer`
+- `Transform`
+
+This RFC does **_not_** aim to provide a single contract for _all_ classes
+registered on the container, in perpetuity. This would lock us into a tight
+coupling between the container and constructors for objects that are registered,
+and wouldn't provide much flexibility in the future.
+
+Instead, we believe we should continue exploring APIs for generalizing the way
+DI is configured for a given base class. It could be done via custom managers,
+or via decoration, like the [Injection Hook Normalization
+RFC](https://github.com/emberjs/rfcs/pull/467). When these APIs are fully
+rationalized and accepted, we'll update Ember's base classes to use them to
+specify the owner injection like any other user class could.
+
+## Detailed design
+
+This RFC has 2 major parts:
+
+1. The contract that we'll uphold for dependency injection in _Ember base
+   classes_.
+2. The implementation of that contract for existing base classes (the tunnel).
+
+### Dependency Injection Contract
+
+For all Ember base classes created by the container, such as `GlimmerComponent`,
+`Service`, `Controller`, etc. we will:
+
+1. Pass the owner as the first parameter when constructing the class.
+2. Set the owner with `setOwner` in the base class constructor.
+
+This will make explicit injections available during the `constructor` method of
+the class, and for access by class field initializers.
+
+This contract _only_ applies to Ember base classes and framework objects, and
+classes that extend `EmberObject`. It does _not_ apply to arbitrary
+classes that are created and registered in the container.
+
+### Implementation
+
+The "tunnel" itself is fairly simple. As described in the Constructor Update
+RFC, this is how the `create` method on framework classes works currently:
+
+```js
+class Service extends EmberObject {
+  constructor() {
+    super();
+    // ..class setup things
+  }
+
+  static create(args) {
+    let instance = new this();
+
+    Object.assign(instance, args);
+    instance.init();
+
+    return instance;
+  }
+}
+```
+
+We would update this to the following:
+
+```js
+class Service extends EmberObject {
+  constructor(owner) {
+    super();
+    setOwner(this, owner);
+    // ..class setup things
+  }
+
+  static create(args) {
+    let owner = args ? getOwner(args) : undefined;
+    let instance = new this(owner);
+
+    Object.assign(instance, args);
+    instance.init();
+
+    return instance;
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Now, when any subclass's constructor code is run it will have the owner
+available, which in turn makes all _explicit_ injections work (they use
+`getOwner` under the hood).
+
+However, _implicit_ injections will still only be available during `init`,
+because they are passed in and assigned as `args`. This RFC proposes that rather
+than attempting to fix implicit injections, we create development-mode
+assertions for them which throw if a user attempts to use them during the
+`constructor`, before they are assigned. This will give a helpful error message
+that instructs them to add the injection explicitly (ideally), or to use `init`.
+
+### Backwards Compatibility
+
+This change is backwards compatible, so existing applications will not be
+affected. These changes will also be backported to at least:
+
+- lts-3.8
+- lts-3.4
+
+via the `ember-native-class-polyfill`, which currently supports polyfilling to
+[email protected]. If possible, that range will be extended to the last v2 LTS versions.
+
+## How we teach this
+
+This change would take some burden off of the guides for _new_ Ember users,
+post-Octane, since it would simplify them. New documentation should only refer
+to `constructor` when talking about native class syntax, and should guide users
+toward using `constructor` over `init`.
+
+For existing apps and upgrade documentation, the distinction needs to be made
+clear about the two types of classes that _should_ still use `init`:
+
+- Classic Components
+- Utility Classes (e.g. user defined classes that extend `EmberObject`)
+
+These two require `init` if users need access to component args or create args,
+respectively.
+
+The main guides will recommend that users refactor these classes entirely rather
+than convert them to native classes. Classic components should become Glimmer
+components, and utility classes should be refactor _away_ from extending
+`EmberObject`.
+
+The [`@classic`](https://github.com/emberjs/rfcs/pull/468) decorator will also
+provide a way to guide users toward the correct usage, based on whether they are
+in "classic" mode or "octane" mode. We will be able to provide linting and
+warnings/assertions to prevent users from accidentally using `init` when they
+should have used `constructor`, and vice-versa.
+
+## Drawbacks
+
+- More churn in the ecosystem, early adopters of classes already switched from
+  `constructor` -> `init`, switching back would be painful.
+- Where to use `init` and where to use `constructor` may be a bit less clear
+  after. This was already a concern with `GlimmerComponent`, but it may be more
+  problematic if there are more exceptions.
+
+## Alternatives
+
+- Add an `init` hook to `GlimmerComponent` to unify it with the classic classes.
+  This could be confusing to users of `GlimmerComponent` (why do injections
+  work in GC but not any other class constructor? Why does GC have `init` _and_
+  `constructor`?)
+- Keep using `init` for classic classes for the indefinite future, and teach
+  around it.