RESTful vs. Custom Routes
Published: 2023-10-07 10:25:33

In web development, rotes are used to define how different URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) map to specific actions or resources withing a web application. There are two common approaches to defining routes: RESTful routes and custom routes.

What are routes?
In the context of URLs, routes typically refer to a way of specifying a particular resource or action within a web application or website. Routes are used to define the structure of URLs and determine **how a web server or we application should respond to incoming requests.** 
Routes are a fundamental part of web development and are often used in combination with web frameworks and content management systems (CMS) to build dynamic and organized websites.

How routes work in URLs?
1. **Base URL**: Every website or web application has a base URL, which is the **starting point** for all its routes. 
For example, in the URL https://www.example.com/
https://example.com/ is the **base URL**

2. **Route Path**: The route path is the part of the URL that comes **after** the base URL and specifies a particular resource or action. It is often used to represent different pages or functionality within a website. 
For example, in the URL  https://www.example.com/products
/products/ is the **route path** indicating that the user is accessing the products page.

3. **Route Parameters**: Routes can also include parameters, which are dynamic values passed in the URL **to provide additional information**. 
For example, in the URL https://example.com/products/123
123 could be a route parameter representing a specific product ID. Web applications can use these parameters to fetch data or perform actions to that parameter.

4. **Route Handling**: On the **server side**, wed frameworks and applications are configured to handle specific route paths. When a user makes a request to a URL, **the server uses the route path** to determine which code or controller should be executed to generate the appropriate response. This is often referred to as **routing or route handling**  

5. **HTTP Methods**: Routes can also be associated with specific HTTP methods (e.g., GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to determine what action should be taken when a request is made. For example, a GET request to /products/ might **retrieve** a list of products, while a POST request **to the same path** might **add** a new product to the database.

6. **Route Variables**: Some web frameworks allow for route variables or placeholders within route paths. These placeholders can match various values and provide flexibility in routing. 
For example /products/{category} could match URLs like /products/electronics and /products/clothing with 'electronics' and 'clothing' being route variables that can be used in the server-side code.

Routes in URLs help organize and structure web applications by specifying how URLs should map to specific actions or resources. They are a key component of modern web development, enabling the creation of dynamic and interactive websites. Different web frameworks and CMSs have their own ways of defining and handling routes, but the basic concept remains consistent.

**RESTful Routes**
REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style that encourages a standardized way of designing web services and APIs. 
RESTful routes are based on the principles of REST and adhere to a set of conventions for mapping HTTP methods (GET, POST, POST, PUT, DELETE) to CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on resources.
RESTful routes typically follow a structured pattern, such as:

GET /resource (retrieve a list of resources)
GET /resource/:id (retrieve a specific resource by its unique identifier)
POST /resource (Create a new resource)
PUT /resource/:id (update a specific resource)
DELETE /resource/:id (Delete a specific resource)

RESTful routes provide a clear and predictable way of interacting with resources, making it easier for developers to understand and work with APIs.

**Custom Routes**
As the name suggests, allow developers to define routes that don't necessarily adhere to RESTful conventions. They provide more flexibility in how URLs map to actions or resources within an application.

Custom routes can be used when we have specific requirements that don't fit neatly into the standard RESTful CRUD operations. For example:
- Implementing complex search functionality
- Creating actions that don't directly map to CRUD operations
- Handling legacy APIs or integrating with external services that have their own URL structures

Custom routes are often used when we need to design an API or web application that doesn't align perfectly with the RESTful model.

**When to choose RESTful Routes vs. Custom Routes?**

**RESTful Routes**: Use RESTful routes when we want to adhere to REST principles and have a straightforward way of defining CRUD operations on resources. This approach is suitable for most applications, especially when we want a clear and standardized API design.
**Custom Routes**: Choose custom routes when our application's requirements are more complex or when we need to deviate from RESTful conventions. Custom routes provide the flexibility to define routes that meet our specific needs.

It's important to note that these approaches are not mutually exclusive, and we can often mix RESTful and custom routes within the same application, using each where it makes the most sense. The choice between RESTful and custom routes depends on the specific goals and requirements of our project.