Routes

LavaLust provides a simple and flexible way to define routes using closures (anonymous functions). Closures allow you to define the logic for a route directly when registering it, without creating a separate controller.

Basic Route with Closure

You can create a simple GET route using a closure like this: Navigate to app/config/routes.php

<?php
// Define a GET route for the home page
$router->get('/', function() {
    echo "Welcome to LavaLust!";
});

Explanation:

$router->get() defines a route that responds to HTTP GET requests.
The first parameter '/' is the URI path.
The second parameter is the closure that runs when the route is accessed.

Accessing the Route

Once the route is defined, you can access it in your browser:

http://yourdomain.com/

Welcome to LavaLust!

Passing Parameters to Routes

Routes can include dynamic segments which are passed as parameters to the closure:

<?php
$router->get('/user/{id}', function($id) {
    echo "User ID: " . $id;
});

Accessing this route:

http://yourdomain.com/user/42

Output:

User ID: 42

Note

Dynamic parameters are defined in curly braces {} and are automatically injected into the closure.

Using Multiple HTTP Methods

You can define a route that responds to multiple HTTP methods:

<?php
$router->match('/contact', function() {
    echo "This route works with GET and POST requests.";
}, ['get', 'post']);

Grouping Routes

Closures can also be used in route groups for better organization:

<?php
$router->group('/admin', function() {

    $router->get('/dashboard', function() {
        echo "Admin Dashboard";
    });

    $router->get('/users', function() {
        echo "Manage Users";
    });

});

Note

All routes inside the group will be prefixed with /admin.

Regular Expression Constraints

You may constrain the format of your route parameters using the where method on a route instance. The where method accepts the name of the parameter and a regular expression defining how the parameter should be constrained:

<?php
$router->get('/user/{name}', function (string $name) {
    // ...
})->where('name', '[A-Za-z]+');

$router->get('/user/{id}', function (string $id) {
    // ...
})->where('id', '[0-9]+');

$router->get('/user/{id}/{name}', function (string $id, string $name) {
    // ...
})->where(['id' => '[0-9]+', 'name' => '[a-z]+']);

For convenience, some commonly used regular expression patterns have helper methods that allow you to quickly add pattern constraints to your routes:

<?php
$router->get('/user/{id}/{name}', function ($id, $name) {
    // ...
})->where_number('id')->where_alpha('name');

$router->get('/user/{name}', function ($name) {
    // ...
})->where_alphanumeric('name');

$router->get('/user/{id}', function ($id) {
    // ...
})->where_uuid('id');

$router->get('/user/{id}', function ($id) {
    // ...
})->where_ulid('id');

$router->get('/category/{category}', function ($category) {
    // ...
})->where_in('category', ['movie', 'song', 'painting']);

Note

If the incoming request does not match the route pattern constraints, a 404 HTTP response will be returned.

Tips and Best Practices

Use closures for small, simple routes or quick prototypes.
For larger applications, consider using controllers to keep your code organized.
Always validate route parameters when using dynamic segments.