More Javascript statechart frameworks

Question

I'm using ExtJS and think it's an amazing framework. However, they don't have a statechart built in which makes app development depending on states very painful.

I recently found this one:

https://github.com/jakesgordon/javascript-state-machine

It seems like a very solid statechart for JS applications.

I wonder if there are other frameworks like this so that I can compare before I settle with which to use.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I like Javascript Finite State Machine (v2.0.0) as well.

A few others I have not tried:

• Ki

• SproutCore

• Stativus

Which one did you settle for?

Answer 2

Things like JS Statemachine are fundamentally different than Statecharts. They are really a superset of FSM. If you are doing a sproutcore-based application, the native Statecharts are good (a little verbose imho). If you are using another framework or rolling your own javascript, Stativus is really the only full featured statechart framework out there. Stativus can be used in any javascript framework: Backbone.js, ember.js, SproutCore, batman.js, ExtJS, Sencha etc...

With FSM, you don't get:

• Parallel States
• Nested Substates
• History States
• Statechart Event Propagation

Its really like trying to drag race a Yugo with a Ferrari. They both can get you places and have four wheels, but one has so much more power that it isn't even a competition.

caveat: I helped write the original statechart implementation for SproutCore and I wrote Stativus...

Answer 3

Another Statechart implementation in JavaScript is statechart by David Durman.

one more: Machine.js, based on "behavior trees". http://machinejs.maryrosecook.com/

New one: xstate, https://github.com/davidkpiano/xstate

Answer 4

I'm using javascript-state-machine, and liking it quite a lot. The only gotcha I came across is trying to use the Asynchronous State Transitions. Be sure to use them on entering or leaving states. Not before or after events. With that, everything is working well. A solid tool so far.