Opaque
Utility for soft protection of data
Import
_ <- fat.extra.Opaque
Scope type is automatically imported along with this import
Prototype
This library introduces the Opaque type, designed as a utility for encapsulating data with soft protection. It provides a wrapper around a Scope, preventing direct access to the underlying structure when serializing while allowing controlled with its members.
The Opaque type extends the Scope type, inheriting all its members without introducing additional features.
Usage example
visible = { ~ a = 1, b = 2 }
# Creating an opaque wrapper
opaque = Opaque(visible)
# Modifying values in the hidden scope
opaque.c = 3 # the same as regular scope
# The hidden scope is excluded from serialization at the top level
recode.toJSON({ opaque, visible }) # '{"opaque":null,"visible":{"a":1,"b":2}}'
# Direct serialization of the hidden scope would still work
recode.toJSON(opaque) # '{"a":1,"b":2,"c":3}'
Performance notes
The Opaque type introduces a layer of indirection that could impact performance in scenarios involving frequent access or modifications to the hidden data. Consider using it selectively for scenarios requiring encapsulation, e.g. storing credentials within an instance.