Added documentation (#3)

README.md

@@ -3,6 +3,128 @@
 A NPM package containing utility functions for parsing output from the Kubernetes `kubectl` command
 line tool.
 
+# Reference
+
+## Table format functions
+
+These functions are for use with `kubectl` commands that return data in tabular format -
+that is, of the form:
+
+```
+TITLE1    TITLE2       TITLE3
+value11   value12      value13
+value21   value22      value23
+```
+
+where no column header or value contains a space, and columns are separated by one or more spaces.
+Examples include the default behaviour of `kubectl get`, for example `kubectl get pods` or
+`kubectl get pods -o wide` to get a list of pods.
+
+In all cases:
+
+* The function takes a `KubectlOutput`: that is, either a `ShellResult` (an object with numeric `code`,
+`stdout` string and `stderr` string properties), or `undefined`.  `code` and `stderr` are used
+for error handling; on the happy path, the function will operate on the `stdout` string.
+* The function returns an `Errorable`: that is, an object with a boolean `succeeded` property.  If
+`succeeded` is true, the object also has a `result` property containing the result of the function;
+if `succeeded` is false, the object has `reason` and `error` properties describing the failure.
+* If the input is `undefined`, or has a non-zero `code`, the function returns a _failed_ Errorable.
+* The function does not check the format of the provided `stdout`.  You should use it **only** on the output
+of `kubectl` commands that return tabular data without spaces or missing values.
+
+### parseTabular
+
+**JavaScript:** `parseTabular(output)`
+
+**TypeScript:** `parseTabular(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<Dictionary<string>[]>`
+
+Parses tabular `kubectl` output into an array of key-value objects, one per line.
+
+The result is an array of the form:
+
+```javascript
+[
+    {
+        title1: "value11",
+        title2: "value12",
+        title3: "value13"
+    },
+    {
+        title1: "value21",
+        title2: "value22",
+        title3: "value23"
+    }
+]
+```
+
+Each non-header row is parsed as an object within the array.  Each object's keys are the lowercased
+column headers, and the value of each key is the string under that header in the object's row.
+
+If `output.stdout` is empty then the function returns success with an empty array.
+
+**TypeScript:** `Dictionary<T>` is an alias for `{ [key: string]: T }`.
+
+### asTableLines
+
+**JavaScript:** `asTableLines(output)`
+
+**TypeScript:** `asTableLines(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<TableLines>`
+
+Splits tabular `kubectl` output into a header line and an array of body lines.  The result is
+an object of the form:
+
+```javascript
+{
+    header: "TITLE1    TITLE2       TITLE3",
+    body: [
+        "value11   value12      value13".
+        "value21   value22      value23"
+    ]
+}
+```
+
+If `output.stdout` is empty then the function returns success with an empty string `header` and
+an empty `body` array.
+
+## JSON format functions
+
+These functions are for use with `kubectl` commands that return data in JSON format.
+This is typically triggered by the `-o json` option and may be used for lists or for single
+resources, e.g. `kubectl get pods -o json` or `kubectl get deploy/nginx -o json`.
+
+In all cases:
+
+* The function takes a `KubectlOutput`: that is, either a `ShellResult` (an object with numeric `code`,
+`stdout` string and `stderr` string properties), or `undefined`.  `code` and `stderr` are used
+for error handling; on the happy path, the function will operate on the `stdout` string.
+* The function returns an `Errorable`: that is, an object with a boolean `succeeded` property.  If
+`succeeded` is true, the object also has a `result` property containing the result of the function;
+if `succeeded` is false, the object has `reason` and `error` properties describing the failure.
+* If the input is `undefined`, or has a non-zero `code`, or if `stdout` is empty, the function
+returns a _failed_ Errorable.
+* The function does not check the format of the provided `stdout`.  You should use it **only** on the output
+of `kubectl` commands that return JSON data.
+
+### parseJSON
+
+**JavaScript:** `parseJSON(output)`
+
+**TypeScript:** `parseJSON<T>(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<T>`
+
+Checks for `kubectl` failure and then returns the deserialised object corresponding to the
+`stdout` JSON.
+
+### parseJSONCollection
+
+**TypeScript:** `parseJSONCollection<T>(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<KubernetesList<T>>`
+
+Checks for `kubectl` failure and then returns the deserialised object corresponding to the
+`stdout` JSON, where this is a Kubernetes item list object.
+
+This is equivalent to writing `parseJSON<KubernetesList<T>>`; it is provided for TypeScript
+users to reduce generics clutter in their code.  (In untyped JavaScript, there's no difference
+between this and the `parseJSON` function.)
+
 # Contributing
 
 This project welcomes contributions and suggestions.  Most contributions require you to agree to a

ts/src/dictionary.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
+/**
+ * Represents objects which can have arbitrary property names but whose
+ * properties must all be of the specified type.  This is equivalent
+ * to the TypeScript `{ [key: string]: T }` type.
+ */
 export type Dictionary<T> = {
     [key: string]: T
 };
 
 export module Dictionary {
+    /**
+     * Returns a new, empty Dictionary<T>.
+     */
     export function of<T>(): Dictionary<T> {
         return {};
     }

ts/src/errorable.ts

@@ -1,20 +1,64 @@
+/**
+ * Represents a successful result of a function on kubectl output - that is, the function
+ * successfully computed a value.
+ */
 export interface Succeeded<T> {
+    /**
+     * Identifies this as a successful result.
+     */
     readonly succeeded: true;
+    /**
+     * The result value of the function.
+     */
     readonly result: T;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Represents a failed result of a function on kubectl output - that is, the function was
+ * unable to compute a value, and this object describes why.
+ */
 export interface Failed {
+    /**
+     * Identifies this as a failed result.
+     */
     readonly succeeded: false;
+    /**
+     * The reason for the failure.  This is a programmatic identifier which you
+     * can use to create a meaningful error message.  Values are:
+     *
+     * 'failed-to-run': failed because the kubectl process was not created
+     * 'kubectl-error': failed because kubectl encountered an error (returned a non-zero exit code)
+     * 'failed-to-parse': failed because it could not parse kubectl's standard output
+     */
     readonly reason: 'failed-to-run' | 'kubectl-error' | 'failed-to-parse';
+    /**
+     * If reason is 'kubectl-error', contains the stderr from kubectl.  Otherwise,
+     * contains a default message for the reason.
+     */
     readonly error: string;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Represents the result of trying to parse kubectl output - success or failure.
+ */
 export type Errorable<T> = Succeeded<T> | Failed;
 
+/**
+ * Checks if an Errorable represents a successful parse.  In TypeScript, this is
+ * a type guard, and you may access the .result property after calling this.
+ * @param e The Errorable to be checked.
+ * @returns Whether the Errorable represents a successful parse.
+ */
 export function succeeded<T>(e: Errorable<T>): e is Succeeded<T> {
     return e.succeeded;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Checks if an Errorable represents a fauked parse.  In TypeScript, this is
+ * a type guard, and you may access the .reason and .error properties after calling this.
+ * @param e The Errorable to be checked.
+ * @returns Whether the Errorable represents a failed parse.
+ */
 export function failed<T>(e: Errorable<T>): e is Failed {
     return !e.succeeded;
 }

ts/src/index.ts

@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
+/**
+ * The result of invoking an external program via the shell.
+ */
 export interface ShellResult {
     readonly code: number;
     readonly stdout: string;
     readonly stderr: string;
 }
 
+/**
+ * The result of invoking the kubectl program via the shell.
+ * This is undefined if creating the kubectl process failed.
+ */
 export type KubectlOutput = ShellResult | undefined;
 
 export * from './dictionary';
 export * from './errorable';
-export { asTableLines, parseTabular, parseTableLines, TableLines } from './table';
+export { asTableLines, parseTabular, TableLines } from './table';
 export { parseJSON, parseJSONCollection, KubernetesList } from './json';

ts/src/json.ts

@@ -1,13 +1,35 @@
 import { KubectlOutput, Errorable } from ".";
 import { Dictionary } from "./dictionary";
 
+/**
+ * Represents how kubectl -o json formats lists of resources.
+ */
 export interface KubernetesList<T> {
+    /**
+     * The Kubernetes API version.
+     */
     readonly apiVersion: string;
+    /**
+     * The contents of the list.
+     */
     readonly items: T[];
+    /**
+     * Identifies this object to the Kubernetes API as a list.
+     */
     readonly kind: "List";
+    /**
+     * Contains additional data about the list.
+     */
     readonly metadata: Dictionary<string>;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Parses JSON kubectl output into an object.
+ * @param output The result of invoking kubectl via the shell.
+ * @returns If kubectl ran successfully and produced JSON output, a success value
+ * containing the deserialised object.  If kubectl did not run
+ * successfully, a failure value.
+ */
 export function parseJSON<T>(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<T> {
     if (!output) {
         return { succeeded: false, reason: 'failed-to-run', error: 'Unable to run kubectl' };
@@ -24,6 +46,14 @@ export function parseJSON<T>(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<T> {
     return { succeeded: false, reason: 'kubectl-error', error: output.stderr };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Parses JSON kubectl output into a Kubernetes list object.  You may use this if your
+ * kubectl command requested a list of resources rather than a single resource.
+ * @param output The result of invoking kubectl via the shell.
+ * @returns If kubectl ran successfully and produced JSON output, a success value
+ * containing the deserialised object.  If kubectl did not run
+ * successfully, a failure value.
+ */
 export function parseJSONCollection<T>(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<KubernetesList<T>> {
     return parseJSON<KubernetesList<T>>(output);
 }

ts/src/table.ts

@@ -4,11 +4,23 @@ import { Errorable, failed } from "./errorable";
 
 const KUBECTL_OUTPUT_COLUMN_SEPARATOR = /\s+/g;
 
+/**
+ * Provides a line-oriented view of tabular kubectl output.
+ */
 export interface TableLines {
     readonly header: string;
     readonly body: string[];
 }
 
+/**
+ * Parses tabular kubectl output into an array of objects.  Each non-header row
+ * is mapped to an object in the output, and each object has a property per column,
+ * named as the lower-cased column header.
+ * @param output The result of invoking kubectl via the shell.
+ * @returns If kubectl ran successfully and produced tabular output, a success value
+ * containing an array of objects for the non-header rows.  If kubectl did not run
+ * successfully, a failure value.
+ */
 export function parseTabular(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<Dictionary<string>[]> {
     const table = asTableLines(output);
     if (failed(table)) {
@@ -19,6 +31,15 @@ export function parseTabular(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<Dictionary<string
     return { succeeded: true, result: parsed };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Parses tabular kubectl output into an array of lines.  The first row is mapped
+ * as a header, and the remaining rows as a body array.
+ * @param output The result of invoking kubectl via the shell.
+ * @returns If kubectl ran successfully and produced tabular output, a success value
+ * containing an object with header (string) and body (array of string) properties.
+ * If kubectl ran successfully but produced no output, header is the empty string and
+ * body the empty array. If kubectl did not run successfully, a failure value.
+ */
 export function asTableLines(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<TableLines> {
     if (!output) {
         return { succeeded: false, reason: 'failed-to-run', error: 'Unable to run kubectl' };
@@ -37,7 +58,7 @@ export function asTableLines(output: KubectlOutput): Errorable<TableLines> {
     return { succeeded: false, reason: 'kubectl-error', error: output.stderr };
 }
 
-export function parseTableLines(table: TableLines, columnSeparator: RegExp): Dictionary<string>[] {
+function parseTableLines(table: TableLines, columnSeparator: RegExp): Dictionary<string>[] {
     if (table.header.length === 0 || table.body.length === 0) {
         return [];
     }