A Standard Library for Microservices
npm install stdlib.comstdlib is a Standard Library for Microservices
Use stdlib to build production-ready, auto-scaled, "server-less" microservices in minutes.
stdlib has three components:
1. A central registry for microservices
2. A distribution platform for hosting at scale
3. A development framework for package management and service creation
It is the fastest, easiest way to begin building microservices on your own
or with a team, and currently supports Node.js 6.5.0. The distribution and hosting
platform for execution of your services is built atop AWS Lambda ensuring
both the scale and reliability you would expect for production-ready services.
1. Getting Started
2. Creating Your First Service
3. Connecting Service Endpoints
4. Accessing Your Microservices From Other Applications
5. Accessing Your Microservices Over HTTP
6. Version Control and Package Management
7. Additional Functionality
8. Acknowledgements
9. Contact
To get started with stdlib, first make sure you have Node 6.x installed,
available from the official Node.js website. Next install
the stdlib CLI tools with:
``
$ npm install stdlib.com@1.0.0-dev5 -g
And you're now ready to start building!
The first thing you'll want to do is create a workspace. Create a new directory
you intend to build your services in and initialize the workspace.
`
$ mkdir stdlib-workspace
$ cd stdlib-workspace
$ stdlib init
You'll be asked for an e-mail address to log in to the stdlib registry,
via the Polybit API server. If you don't yet have an account, you can create
one from the command line. Note that you can skip account creation with
stdlib init --no-login. You'll be unable to use the registry, but it's useful
for creating workspaces when you don't have internet access.
Next, create your service:
`
$ stdlib create
You'll be asked for a default function name, which is the entry point
into your service (useful if you only want a single entry point). This will automatically
generate a service project scaffold in stdlib-workspace/.
Once created, enter the service directory:
`
$ cd your-username/your-service
In this directory, you'll see something like:
`
- f/
- defaultFunction/
- function.json
- index.js
- package.json
- env.json
- README.md
At this point, there's a "hello world" function that's been automatically
created. stdlib comes paired with a simple f command for testing your functions
locally and running them in the cloud. To test your function:
`
$ f .
> "hello world"
If we examine the f/defaultFunction/index.js file, we see the following:
`javascript
module.exports = (params, callback) => {
callback(null, 'hello world');
};
`
If necessary, we can pass some of these parameters to it (params.args and params.kwargs)
using:
`
f . arg0 arg1 --kwarg0 "Hello World" --kwarg1 Goodbye
Though it won't change the function output as-is. params.args would be equal["arg0", "arg1"]
to and params.kwargs would be{"kwarg0":"Hello World","kwarg1":"Goodbye"}.
To push your function to a development environment in the cloud...
`
$ stdlib up dev
$ f your-username/your-service@dev
> "hello world"
And to release it (when you're ready!)
`
$ stdlib release
$ f your-username/your-service
> "hello world"
You can check out your service on the web, and use it in applications at:
`
https://f.stdlib.com/your-username/your-service
That's it! You haven't written a line of code yet, and you have mastery over
building a service, testing it in a development (staging) environment online,
and releasing it for private (or public) consumption.
Note: You'll need to set "publish": true in the stdlib key of yourpackage.json file to see your service appear in the public registry. It'sfalse
set to by default.
Another Note: Staging environments (like the one created with stdlib up dev)stdlib release
are mutable and can be replaced indefinitely. Releases () arestdlib down
immutable and can never be overwritten. However, any service can be torn down
with or stdlib down -r (but releases
can't be replaced once removed, to prevent mistakes and / or bad actors).
You'll notice that you can create more than one function per service. While
you can structure your project however you'd like internally, it should also
be noted that these functions have zero-latency access to each other. You
can access them internally with the f package on NPM,f
which behaves similarly to the command for testing. Use:
`
$ npm install f --save
In your main service directory to add it, and use it like so:
#### f/add/index.js
`javascript
module.exports = (params, callback) => {
return callback(null, params.args[1] + params.args[2]);
};
`
#### f/add-double/index.js
`javascript
const f = require('f');
module.exports = (params, callback) => {
return f('./add')(params.args[0], params.args[1], (err, result) => {
callback(err, result * 2);
});
};
`
In this case, calling f ./add 1 2 will return 3 and f ./add-double 1 2
will return . These map directly to individual service endpoints. Note that
when chaining like this, a single service execution instance is being used so
be careful about setting service timeouts appropriately.
As mentioned in the previous section, you can use the f library that's
available on GitHub and NPM to access your
microservices from legacy Node.js applications and even the web browser. We'll
have more SDKs coming out in the following months.
A legacy app would call a function with...
`javascript
// Legacy code
var f = require('f');
f('username/liveService@0.2.1')('hello', 'world', {keyword: 'argument'}, function (err, result) {
if (err) {
// handle it
}
// do something with result
});
`
Which would speak to your microservice...
`javascript
module.exports = (params, callback) => {
params.args[0] === 'hello'; // true
params.args[1] === 'world'; // true
params.kwargs.keyword === 'argument'; // true
callback(null, 'Done!');
};
`
We definitely recommend using the browser-based version of f
to make microservice calls as specified above, but you can also make HTTPS
requests directly to the stdlib gateway. HTTP query parameters are mapped
automatically to keyword arguments:
`
https://f.stdlib.com/username/liveService@1.12.2?name=Keith
Maps directly to:
`javascript
module.exports = (params, callback) => {
params.kwargs.name === 'Keith'; // true
callback(null, 'Done!');
};
`
Note that you will not be able to pass in anything to the params.args
parameter.
A quick note on version control - stdlib is not a replacement for normal
git-based workflows, it is a supplement focused around service creation and
execution.
You have unlimited access to any release (that hasn't been torn down)
with stdlib pkg to download the tarball (.tgz) andstdlib get to automatically download and unpack the
tarball to a working directory.
Tarballs (and package contents) are closed-source.
Nobody but you (and potentially your teammates) has access to these. It's up to
you whether or not you share the guts of your service with others on GitHub or NPM.
As mentioned above: releases are immutable and can not be overwritten (but can
be removed, just not replaced afterwards) and development / staging environments
are mutable, you can overwrite them as much as you'd like.
stdlib comes packed with a bunch of other goodies - if your service goes down
for any reason (the service platform is acting up), use stdlib restart.stdlib rebuild
Similarly, as we roll out updates to the platform the builds we're using on
AWS Lambda may change. You can update your service to our latest build using. We may recommend this from time-to-time, so pay attention
to e-mails and the community.
To see a full list of commands available for the CLI tools, type:
`
$ stdlib help
We've conveniently copy-and-pasted the output here for you to peruse;
`
create [service]
-n No login - don't require an internet connection
-w Write over - overwrite the current directory contents
-x The default function name
--function The default function name
--no-login No login - don't require an internet connection
--write-over Write over - overwrite the current directory contents
Creates a new (local) service
down [environment]
-r Remove a release version (provide number)
--release Remove a release version (provide number)
Removes stdlib package from registry and cloud environment
f:create [function name]
-w Overwrite existing function
--write-over Overwrite existing function
Creates a new function for a (local) service
get [environment]
-f Force command if not in root directory
-r Specify a release package
-w Write over - overwrite the target directory contents
--force Force command if not in root directory
--release Specify a release package
--write-over Write over - overwrite the target directory contents
Retrieves and extracts stdlib package
info [username | full service name]
Retrieves information about a user or package
init [environment]
-f Force command to overwrite existing workspace
-n No login - don't require an internet connection
--force Force command to overwrite existing workspace
--no-login No login - don't require an internet connection
Initializes stdlib workspace
login
Logs in to stdlib in this directory
logout
Logs out of stdlib in this workspace
pkg [full service name]
-f Force command if not in root directory
-o Output path for the .tgz package
--force Force command if not in root directory
--output Output path for the .tgz package
Downloads stdlib tarball (.tgz)
rebuild [environment]
-r Rebuild a release package
--release Rebuild a release package
Rebuilds a service (useful for registry performance updates), alias of stdlib restart -b
register
Registers a new stdlib user account
release
Pushes release of stdlib package to registry and cloud (Alias of stdlib up -r)
restart [environment]
-b Rebuild service fully
-r Restart a release package
--build Rebuild service fully
--release Restart a release package
Restarts a service (if necessary)
rollback
Rolls back (removes) release of stdlib package
up [environment]
-r Upload a release package
--release Upload a release package
Pushes stdlib package to registry and cloud environment
``
Yep, it's really that easy. To keep up-to-date on developments, please
star us here on GitHub, and sign up a user account for the registry. You
can read more about service hosting and keep track of official updates on
the official stdlib website, stdlib.com.
stdlib is a product of and © 2016 Polybit Inc.
It wouldn't have been possible without a bunch of amazing people.
- Brian LeRoux gave us our first push and
kickstarted us in this direction.
- Boris Mann threw his support in from day one when
we first launched Nodal.
- TJ Holowaychuk has been consistently sharing
great ideas about the server-less movement and his Apex Framework
has certainly been an inspiration.
- The amazingly talented people and friends of AngelPad
always pick us up when we're low and put us in our place when we need to get work done.
We'd love for you to pay attention to @Polybit and
what we're building next! If you'd consider joining the team, shoot us an e-mail.
You can also follow me, the original author, on Twitter: @keithwhor.
Issues encouraged, PRs welcome, and we're happy to have you on board!
Enjoy and happy building :)