Use @jupyterhub/binderhub-client to talk to the binderhub API

[yuvipanda]

(big fan of Thebe)

Hello!

I've spent time in the last few months cleaning up the API code that the binderhub frontend uses to talk to the binderhu backend, and it's called @jupyterhub/binderhub-client (https://github.com/jupyterhub/binderhub/tree/main/js/packages/binderhub-client). It's up on npm (although pending a new release). It is much cleaner than what came before, has unit tests, and has a fairly clean JS interface (async iterator!).

I'd love for thebe to replace its own API client talking to binderhub with a dependency on this. It'll also help me see what features are missing for external use, and we can add that too.

/cc @minrk who was open to the idea

(shout out to GESIS in cooperation with NFDI4DS 460234259 and CESSDA.)

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[stevejpurves]

@yuvipanda thanks for the pointer -- this would be a much better way to be talking to the hub. I've got some time planned over the next couple of weeks to make some steps with thebe (docs & release!!) and can get into this as part of that.

[yuvipanda]

Great to hear, @stevejpurves! I just published latest version on npmjs as well :)

While there is no generated JSDoc page yet, I have written some amount of docs at https://github.com/jupyterhub/binderhub/blob/main/js/packages/binderhub-client/lib/index.js. I hope that is helpful.

[rowanc1]

Linking also to jupyterhub/binderhub#1836 which is a proposal to move in this direction.