Express File Path Router

Automatically route requests to files in your routes directory based on the filepath.

For example, a module with the file path routes/users/_id.js would automatically handle requests made to /users/:id.

This routing strategy was inspired by front-end frameworks like Nuxt.js and Next.js.

Index routes

The router will map files named index to the root of the directory.

• routes/index.js → /.
• routes/users/index.js → /users.

Dynamic route segments

To match the dynamic segment, you can use underscore syntax in your file or directory names. This allows you to match named parameters.

• routes/users/_id/purchases.js → /users/:id/purchases

Installation

Install with npm install express-file-path-router.

Basic usage

Express File Path Router works with no config. For example:

const express = require('express')
const handleRoutes = require('express-file-path-router')

const app = express()

handleRoutes({ app })

Using with middleware

Middleware can be supplied for file or directory paths in the optional middleware object. For example:

handleRoutes({
    app,
    middleware: {
        'users': function (req, res, next) {},
        'users/_id': [
            function (req, res, next) {},
            function (req, res, next) {},
        ],
        'users/_id/purchases.js':  function (req, res, next) {},
    }
})

Middleware cascades to child file paths and is used in order starting with the least-specific path and ending with the most-specific path. If an array of middleware is supplied, those are used in the order they are listed in the array. In the above example, requests handled by users/_id/purchases.js will use the middleware in this order:

1. The middleware for users
2. The first middleware in the array for users/_id
3. The second middleware in the array for users/_id
4. The middleware for users/_id/purchases.js

Files in the routes directory

Files in the routes directory can either export an Express router instance or export named functions for each method the route should handle.

Exporting Express Router

Typical existing projects define handlers in files that export an Express Router instance (example below). These files will work with Express File Path Router out of the box.

const express = require('express')

const router = express.Router()

router.get('/', function (req, res) {
    res.send('Welcome')
})

router.post('/', function (req, res) {
    res.send('Submission received!')
})

router.delete('/', function (req, res) {
    res.send('Oh no, you deleted me!')
})

module.exports = router

Exporting named functions

For improved code readability, files can instead export a named function for each request method you want to accept. For example:

module.exports = {
    get(req, res) {
        res.send('Welcome')
    },
    post(req, res) {
        res.send('Submission received!')
    },
    delete(res, res) {
        res.send('Oh no, you deleted me!')
    },
}

Windows

Express File Path Router works with Windows. It will map \ in the file path to / in the request path.

Caveats

• Predefined routes take precedence over dynamic routes. For example:
  • routes/users/a.js - Will match /users/a
  • routes/users/_id.js - Will match /users/1, /users/abc, etc, but will only potentially handle /users/a after routes/users/a.js does.