Difference between `init` and the top-level plugin function

In the following plugin:

const plugin = function(config) {
  return {
    init({ config, pluginConfig, api, constants }) { ... }
  }
}

It is not very clear what is the difference between the top-level function and the init function. Even if there is a one, users might not be sure which one to use.

init() provides with more arguments, such as the pluginConfig, api and constants. It also can run in parallel (depending on #168) and generally speaking can benefit from all the features given to lifecycle hooks.

Wouldn’t it be simpler to instead just do:

const plugin = {
  init({ config, pluginConfig, api, constants }) { ... }
}

And allow methods of the same plugin to share information by calling them with the same this context?

[DavidWells]

Both work. The function returning an object is just much more flexible for any use case

[DavidWells]

You could but you’d have to hardcode all possibilities and have those if statements.

That would also cause lots of lifecycle log output that really are just noOps