CoffeeScript + Streamline patterns for async loading + caching.

async-loading.md

Pattern 1: Pre-fetch the result, and cache it.

The result will hopefully already be available when needed, and the async call will be made only once.

fooFuture = fetchFoo !_

# anytime when needed:
foo = fooFuture _   # supports multiple calls!

Pattern 2: Load this lazily, but still cache it.

The async call will again be made only once, but it won't happen until it's needed.

barFuture = null

# anytime when needed:
barFuture or= fetchBar !_
bar = barFuture _     # like pattern 1 above

Futures are already caching their result!

Oh man, I didn't know that! So you can call a future multiple times without error? So slick!

The first pattern could be problematic ...

Great point! I love your suggestion.

Let me update the code above to incorporate both of your fixes.

Yep. There are a few undocumented little goodies...