Best jQuery Plugin Structure?

Question

I am trying to write a good jQuery Plugin structure. I am trying to follow "best practices" from jQuery.com and others.

But I am little bit confused about prototype.

Should I use it or not? And Is the actual structure looks good or terrible?

Thanks !

(function( $ ){
    var defaults = { /* ... */ },
    publicMethods = {
        add: function(options){
            var $this = $(this);
            // ...
            return $this;
        }
    },
    privateMethods = {
        init: function(options) {
            var $this = $(this);
            return $this;
        },
        click: function() {
            //...
        }
    };
    $.fn.tooltip = function(method) {
        var args = arguments;

        $(this).each(function() {
            if ( publicMethods[method] ) {
                return publicMethods[ method ].apply( this, Array.prototype.slice.call( args, 1 ));
            } else if ( typeof method === 'object' || ! method ) {
                return privateMethods.init.apply( this, args );
            } else {
                $.error( 'Method ' +  method + ' does not exist on jQuery.tooltip' );
            }   
        });
    };
})( jQuery );

Answer 1

With respect to using the .prototype of the tooltip function, that would be useful only if the tooltip function is going to be invoked as a constructor.

Typically as a jQuery plugin, you're only interested in using the object created from the jQuery constructor, rather than creating your own objects from the plugin function.

There may be occasion to use a constructor somewhere internally in your plugin code, but it typically wouldn't be the actual plugin function itself.