Deprecate computed().volatile()

text/0000-deprecate-computed-volatile.md

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+- Start Date: 2018-08-31
+- RFC PR: (leave this empty)
+- Ember Issue: (leave this empty)
+
+# Summary
+
+Deprecate `computed().volatile()` in favor of undecorated native getters and
+setters.
+
+# Motivation
+
+`computed().volatile()` is a commonly misunderstood API. On its surface,
+declaring a computed as volatile causes the computed to recalculate every time
+it is called. This actually works much like native, undecorated accessors do on
+classes, with one key difference.
+
+Volatile properties are meant to respresent fundamentally unobservable values.
+This means that they swallow notification changes, and will not notify under any
+circumstances, and that when setting a volatile value the user must notify
+manually:
+
+```js
+const Foo = EmberObject.extend({
+  bar: computed({
+    get() {
+      return this._value;
+    }
+
+    set(key, value) {
+      return this._value = value;
+    }
+  }).volatile(),
+
+  baz: computed('bar', {
+    get() {
+      return this.bar;
+    }
+  }),
+});
+
+let foo = Foo.create();
+
+foo.set('bar', 123);
+foo.baz; // 123, it's the initial get so nothing cached yet
+
+foo.set('bar', 456);
+foo.baz; // 123, no property changes were made so the cache was not cleared
+```
+
+This behavior is useful at times for framework code, but is generally not what
+users are expecting. By constrast, when using native accessors with `set` and
+`get`, Ember treats them just like any other property. From its perspective,
+they _are_ standard properties, so it'll continue to notify as expected.
+
+```js
+class Foo {
+  get bar() {
+    return this._value;
+  }
+
+  set bar(value) {
+    this._value = value;
+  }
+
+  @computed('bar')
+  get baz() {
+    return this.bar;
+  }
+});
+
+let foo = new Foo();
+
+set(foo, 'bar', 123);
+foo.baz; // 123, it's the initial get so nothing cached yet
+
+set(foo, 'bar', 456);
+foo.baz; // 456, cache was cleared and value was updated
+```
+
+The most common use case for volatile computeds was when users wanted a computed
+to behave like a native getter/setter. Now that we (almost) _have_ those in a
+easy to use form, it makes more sense to deprecate the volatile API and rely
+directly on native functionality.
+
+# Transition Path
+
+Native getters and setters will _only_ work on native classes, due to how the
+internals of the old object model work. To ensure that users do not accidentally
+try to replace volatile with getters/setters on non-native classes, we should
+provide 2 deprecation warnings:
+
+1. Deprecation when users use volatile on a computed which tells them that the
+  API has been deprecated, and that they'll need to update native class syntax
+  to remove the volatile property.
+
+2. Deprecation when users use volatile on a computed decorator (to be RFC'd)
+  which tells them to remove the computed decorator entirely from the getter.
+
+Volatile properties will be removed once native classes are the default.
+
+# How We Teach This
+
+In general documentation should be updated to use native getters and setters
+wherever `volatile` was used. This will have to happen after docs are updated to
+use native classes, because native getters and setters do _not_ work with the
+older object model.
+
+# Drawbacks
+
+Volatility is useful for framework level concerns, for instance if developing an
+API or decorator that already handles notification. Addon authors may be able to
+use this functionality.
+
+Not having an alternative for old style classes or mixins could be problematic
+for users who aren't ready to update to native class syntax.
+
+# Alternatives
+
+We could keep `volatile()` around for any potential addons that may want to use
+it, but teach native getters/setters as the preferred path for most use cases.
+
+We could provide `volatile` as a separate API/decorator to distinguish it from
+computed properties, and discourage use for users.