Merge pull request #700 from blakeembrey/valid-js-variable

Remove redundant conditions
Fix DATA value in stringParams mode

Fixes #699
Update release instructions
Add better logging of test compile errors
Track stringParams mode in local state vars
Refactor out pushParams method

Simplifies hash and param push logic
Improve usefulness of extend util, remove redundant number check for key, properly use namespace property, update setup options to use a hash helper.