Object instantiation without `new` keyword

object-create-v1.js

'use strict';

var inv = require('invariant'),
    assign = require('lodash/object/assign'),
    isObj = require('lodash/lang/isPlainObject'),
    isFunc = require('lodash/lang/isFunction'),
    toArray = require('lodash/lang/toArray');

/**
 * Returns a function that creates a new object linked to the specified
 * prototype object, optionally with a name reference to a constructor function.
 *
 * @param  {Object}   prototype
 * @param  {Function} constructor [Optional]
 * @return {Function}
 */
var create = module.exports = function(prototype, constructor) {
  prototype = prototype || {};

  if(constructor) {
    if(!isFunc(prototype[constructor]))
      throw new ReferenceError('No `'+constructor+'` method');
  }

  /**
   * Depending on whether a `constructor` parameter was passed to the wrapping
   * function, this will:
   *
   * A) accept an object to use as the instance's own enumerable properties
   * B) call the constructor method with the supplied parameters
   *
   * In both scenarios, a new object instance is returned.
   *
   * @return {Object}
   */
  return function instantiate(properties) {
    if(!constructor) {
      properties = properties || {};
      inv(isObj(properties), 'Initial `properties` should be a plain object');

      return assign(Object.create(prototype), properties);
    }

    var obj = Object.create(prototype);

    obj[constructor].apply(obj, toArray(arguments));
    return obj;
  };
};

object-create-v2.js

'use strict';

/**
 * Uncommented alternative version, where the `constructor` is an actual
 * function instead of a name reference to a function on the supplied
 * `prototype` object.
 * 
 * Probably wouldn't provide any benefit, but would allow you to omit an
 * explicit constructor function on your prototype object.
 */

var inv = require('invariant'),
    assign = require('lodash/object/assign'),
    isObj = require('lodash/lang/isPlainObject'),
    isFunc = require('lodash/lang/isFunction'),
    toArray = require('lodash/lang/toArray');

var create = module.exports = function(prototype, constructor) {
  prototype = prototype || {};

  if(constructor) {
    if(!isFunc(constructor))
      throw new TypeError('Invalid `constructor` function');
  }

  return function instantiate(properties) {
    if(!constructor) {
      properties = properties || {};
      inv(isObj(properties), 'Initial `properties` should be a plain object');

      return assign(Object.create(prototype), properties);
    }

    var obj = Object.create(prototype);

    constructor.apply(obj, toArray(arguments));
    return obj;
  };
};

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