Blog

Tip of the Week: ColdBox Routes

Brad Wood November 28, 2012

Spread the word

Brad Wood

November 28, 2012

Spread the word


Share your thoughts

 

Hopefully you are already familiar with the format of a default ColdBox URL when using the SES interceptor.  
 
mysite.com/index.cfm/myHandlerName/myActionName
 
Of course, a simple rewrite rule can simplify that even further to:
 
mysite.com/myHandlerName/myActionName
 
What you may not realize is that URL pattern is called a "route" and not only can be changed, but you can add as many customized routes as your application desires.  The magic happens in your /config/routes.cfm file where all the routes are declared in the order they should be processed.  You'll find the default route in that file:
 
addRoute(pattern=":handler/:action?");
 
The syntax for adding a new custom route looks like this:
 
addRoute(pattern="/URLStringToMatch", handler="handlerName", action="actionName");
 
That means, you could set up a route like so:
 
addRoute(pattern="/blog", handler="entryHandler", action="listEntries");
 
Now, the following two URLs would point to the exact same thing (with the second option being obviously preferable):
 
mysite.com/entryHandler/listEntries
mysite.com/blog
 
You can even clean up URLs that have variables.  Consider the following page on your site:
 
mysite.com/services/products/productDetail/productID/1234
 
Just add a new route that looks like this:
 
addRoute(pattern="/product/:productID", handler="services.products", action="productDetail");
 
And now the following URL will give you the same page:
 
mysite.com/product/1234
 
As you can see, routes are a very powerful way to keep those URLs looking sharp, but we're barely scratching the surface of what you can do.  Don't get intimidated though-- read through the docs dive in!
 
 

Add Your Comment

Recent Entries

CBWIRE 3.0.0 Released

CBWIRE 3.0.0 Released

We are very excited to announce the release of version 3 of CBWIRE, our ColdBox module that makes building modern, reactive apps a breeze. This version brings with it a new component syntax, 19 enhancements and bug fixes, and improved documentation. Our biggest goal with this release was to improve the developer experience and to provide a low barrier to entry to getting started with CBWIRE.

Grant Copley
Grant Copley
May 22, 2023
ColdBox 7.0.0 Released

ColdBox 7.0.0 Released

Introducing ColdBox 7: Revolutionizing Web Development with Cutting-Edge Features and Unparalleled Performance

We are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated release of ColdBox 7, the latest version of the acclaimed web development HMVC framework for ColdFusion (CFML). ColdBox 7 introduces groundbreaking features and advancements, elevating the development experience to new heights and empowering developers to create exceptional web applications and APIs.

Designed to meet the evolving needs of modern web development, ColdBox 7 boasts a range of powerful features that streamline the development process and enhance productivity. With its robust HMVC architecture and developer-friendly tools, ColdBox 7 enables developers to deliver high-performance, scalable, and maintainable web applications and APIs with ease.

Esme Acevedo
Esme Acevedo
May 16, 2023
TestBox v5.0.0 Released!

TestBox v5.0.0 Released!


We are excited to announced the release of Testbox version 5, which brings a host of new features and improvements for developers. TestBox is a powerful and flexible tool that helps developers write comprehensive BDD/TDD tests for their applications, ensuring code quality and reducing the likelihood of bugs and errors. With TestBox v5, developers can take advantage of new features such as batch code coverage testing, improved reporting capabilities, method spies, and better integration with other tools in the Ortus suite.

These new features make TestBox even more versatile and user-friendly, and provide developers with a powerful tool for building high-quality, reliable applications.

 

Luis Majano
Luis Majano
May 11, 2023