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wtf is patrickjs-signals?

patrickjs/patrickjs-signals — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2024-04-01

TypeScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5DormantSetup · easy

TL;DR

A polyfill for JavaScript's proposed Signal API, data that automatically tracks dependencies and updates anything that reads it, like a spreadsheet formula.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Polyfills Signal API
      Auto tracks dependencies
      Recomputes on change
    Tech stack
      TypeScript
      Signal.State
      Signal.Computed
    Use cases
      Build reactive dashboards
      Recalculate form totals
      Build UI framework primitives
    Audience
      Framework authors
      Web developers
    Concepts
      Explicit dependencies
      No manual glue code
      Effects vary by framework

Code map

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filefunction / class

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Build a reactive dashboard that updates automatically when underlying data changes.

REASON 2

Recalculate form totals live as a user types, without writing manual update logic.

REASON 3

Use signals as a lower-level primitive to build your own UI framework's rendering and batching logic.

REASON 4

Learn how modern reactive systems track dependencies under the hood.

What's in the stack?

TypeScriptJavaScript

How it stacks up

patrickjs/patrickjs-signals0xradioac7iv/tempfs7vignesh/pgpulse
Stars—00
LanguageTypeScriptTypeScriptTypeScript
Last pushed2024-04-01——
MaintenanceDormant——
Setup difficultyeasymoderatemoderate
Complexity3/53/54/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to create a Signal.State and a Signal.Computed that recalculates when the state changes.
Prompt 2
Explain how this library automatically tracks dependencies when a signal is read inside a computation.
Prompt 3
Help me build a simple reactive counter example using Signal.State and Signal.Computed.
Prompt 4
Walk me through how effects and batching differ between this polyfill and a framework built on top of it.
Prompt 5
Compare this Signal API polyfill to how React or Vue handle reactive state.

Frequently asked questions

wtf is patrickjs-signals?

A polyfill for JavaScript's proposed Signal API, data that automatically tracks dependencies and updates anything that reads it, like a spreadsheet formula.

What language is patrickjs-signals written in?

Mainly TypeScript. The stack also includes TypeScript, JavaScript.

Is patrickjs-signals actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2024-04-01).

How hard is patrickjs-signals to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is patrickjs-signals for?

Mainly developer.

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