URL Generation for Routes in Express

I'm considering using Express framework in my next node.js project. However, a stumbling block for me is non-existence of URL generation for routes like in most other non-Sinatra based frameworks, examples- Django, Flask, Rails etc.

I tried looking for some Connect middleware to serve my task and I did find Barista, Escort, Sherpa and the likes but looking at their GitHub pages, all seem dead and in-active. So, I don't want to go for something that's not maintained anymore for obvious reasons.

My main concern here is that the project may get really large and it WILL be a pain to update URLs in every page whenever business and/or aesthetic requirements change.

Is there something that I failed to see in the docs/tests? If not, then how do I extend the routing framework in Express to do URL generation and make this wrapper available in my views as well as controller functions?

UPDATE: (22/3/2012) I found this page: https://github.com/clyfe/tweet_express/wiki/TODO which specified some routers that do URL generation and stumbled upon the escort router which can also interface with express.

edited Mar 22 '12 at 10:11

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

sure express can do a lot of stuff but there are a lot of frameworks built on top of express or even just on node.js itself. My personal favorite is Hapi.js. theres also sails. or just pure node if your crazy enough. i've used both of these in production environments. in the case of hapi what you are really probably looking for is url params. but your not limited there are tons of frameworks to pick from in node.

– Chacliff
Jan 9 at 4:02

add a comment |

My main concern here is that the project may get really large and it WILL be a pain to update URLs in every page whenever business and/or aesthetic requirements change.

edited Mar 22 '12 at 10:11

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

sure express can do a lot of stuff but there are a lot of frameworks built on top of express or even just on node.js itself. My personal favorite is Hapi.js. theres also sails. or just pure node if your crazy enough. i've used both of these in production environments. in the case of hapi what you are really probably looking for is url params. but your not limited there are tons of frameworks to pick from in node.

– Chacliff
Jan 9 at 4:02

add a comment |

My main concern here is that the project may get really large and it WILL be a pain to update URLs in every page whenever business and/or aesthetic requirements change.

edited Mar 22 '12 at 10:11

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

My main concern here is that the project may get really large and it WILL be a pain to update URLs in every page whenever business and/or aesthetic requirements change.

node.js express

edited Mar 22 '12 at 10:11

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

edited Mar 22 '12 at 10:11

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

edited Mar 22 '12 at 10:11

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

asked Jan 6 '12 at 7:30

Ishbir

151211

sure express can do a lot of stuff but there are a lot of frameworks built on top of express or even just on node.js itself. My personal favorite is Hapi.js. theres also sails. or just pure node if your crazy enough. i've used both of these in production environments. in the case of hapi what you are really probably looking for is url params. but your not limited there are tons of frameworks to pick from in node.

– Chacliff
Jan 9 at 4:02

add a comment |

sure express can do a lot of stuff but there are a lot of frameworks built on top of express or even just on node.js itself. My personal favorite is Hapi.js. theres also sails. or just pure node if your crazy enough. i've used both of these in production environments. in the case of hapi what you are really probably looking for is url params. but your not limited there are tons of frameworks to pick from in node.

– Chacliff
Jan 9 at 4:02

sure express can do a lot of stuff but there are a lot of frameworks built on top of express or even just on node.js itself. My personal favorite is Hapi.js. theres also sails. or just pure node if your crazy enough. i've used both of these in production environments. in the case of hapi what you are really probably looking for is url params. but your not limited there are tons of frameworks to pick from in node.

– Chacliff
Jan 9 at 4:02

add a comment |

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

You might try Locomotive, which is built on Express.

It does much more than route generation. From the docs: "Locomotive brings additional MVC-based structure, for architecting larger applications, while leveraging the power of Express and Connect middleware."

Locomotive's router generates helpers that are automatically available to controllers and views.

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

Locomotive seems pretty interesting.. thanks! :)

– Ishbir
Feb 14 '12 at 14:18

2

Note in 2019: Locomotive hasn't been updated since 2014.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:50

add a comment |

Or stick with express and use the package reversable-router.

Example from the readme:

app.get('/admin/user/:id', 'admin.user.edit', function(req, res, next){

    //...

});



//.. and a helper in the view files:

url('admin.user.edit', {id: 2})

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

1

FYI, the new maintained repo is here: github.com/alubbe/named-routes

– mindeavor
Jun 16 '15 at 16:00

Note in 2019: named-routes hasn't been maintained since 2016.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:51

add a comment |

From @freakish's answer:

There is no out of the box mechanism for that. However you can mimic Django's style like that: define urls.js file which will hold an array of URLs. First start with:

myviews.js

exports.Index = function( req, res, next ) {

    res.send( "hello world!" );

};

urls.js

var MyViews = require( "mywviews.js" );



module.exports = [

    { name : "index", pattern : "/", view : MyViews.Index }

]

Now in app.js ( or whatever the main file is ) you need to bind urls to Express. For example like this:

app.js

var urls = require( "urls.js" );



for ( var i = 0, l = urls.length; i < l; i++ ) {

    var url = urls[ i ];

    app.all( url.pattern, url.view );

};

Now you can define custom helper ( Express 3.0 style ):

var urls = require( "urls.js" ), l = urls.length;

app.locals.url = function( name ) {

    for ( var i = 0; i < l; i++ ) {

        var url = urls[ i ];

        if ( url.name === name ) {

            return url.pattern;

        }

    };

};

and you can easily use it in your template. Now the problem is that it does not give you fancy URL creation mechanism like in Django ( where you can pass additional parameters to url ). On the other hand you can modify url function and extend it. I don't want to go into all details here, but here's an example how to use regular expressions ( you should be able to combine these to ideas together ):

Express JS reverse URL route (Django style)

Note that I posted the question, so I had the same problem some time ago. :D

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

add a comment |

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3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

You might try Locomotive, which is built on Express.

Locomotive's router generates helpers that are automatically available to controllers and views.

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

Locomotive seems pretty interesting.. thanks! :)

– Ishbir
Feb 14 '12 at 14:18

2

Note in 2019: Locomotive hasn't been updated since 2014.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:50

add a comment |

You might try Locomotive, which is built on Express.

Locomotive's router generates helpers that are automatically available to controllers and views.

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

Locomotive seems pretty interesting.. thanks! :)

– Ishbir
Feb 14 '12 at 14:18

2

Note in 2019: Locomotive hasn't been updated since 2014.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:50

add a comment |

You might try Locomotive, which is built on Express.

Locomotive's router generates helpers that are automatically available to controllers and views.

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

You might try Locomotive, which is built on Express.

Locomotive's router generates helpers that are automatically available to controllers and views.

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

answered Feb 13 '12 at 6:34

Luke Vivier

31625

Locomotive seems pretty interesting.. thanks! :)

– Ishbir
Feb 14 '12 at 14:18

2

Note in 2019: Locomotive hasn't been updated since 2014.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:50

add a comment |

Locomotive seems pretty interesting.. thanks! :)

– Ishbir
Feb 14 '12 at 14:18

2

Note in 2019: Locomotive hasn't been updated since 2014.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:50

Locomotive seems pretty interesting.. thanks! :)

– Ishbir
Feb 14 '12 at 14:18

Note in 2019: Locomotive hasn't been updated since 2014.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:50

add a comment |

Or stick with express and use the package reversable-router.

Example from the readme:

app.get('/admin/user/:id', 'admin.user.edit', function(req, res, next){

    //...

});



//.. and a helper in the view files:

url('admin.user.edit', {id: 2})

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

1

FYI, the new maintained repo is here: github.com/alubbe/named-routes

– mindeavor
Jun 16 '15 at 16:00

Note in 2019: named-routes hasn't been maintained since 2016.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:51

add a comment |

Or stick with express and use the package reversable-router.

Example from the readme:

app.get('/admin/user/:id', 'admin.user.edit', function(req, res, next){

    //...

});



//.. and a helper in the view files:

url('admin.user.edit', {id: 2})

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

1

FYI, the new maintained repo is here: github.com/alubbe/named-routes

– mindeavor
Jun 16 '15 at 16:00

Note in 2019: named-routes hasn't been maintained since 2016.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:51

add a comment |

Or stick with express and use the package reversable-router.

Example from the readme:

app.get('/admin/user/:id', 'admin.user.edit', function(req, res, next){

    //...

});



//.. and a helper in the view files:

url('admin.user.edit', {id: 2})

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

Or stick with express and use the package reversable-router.

Example from the readme:

app.get('/admin/user/:id', 'admin.user.edit', function(req, res, next){

    //...

});



//.. and a helper in the view files:

url('admin.user.edit', {id: 2})

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

answered Oct 15 '12 at 9:52

antitoxic

3,0322943

1

FYI, the new maintained repo is here: github.com/alubbe/named-routes

– mindeavor
Jun 16 '15 at 16:00

Note in 2019: named-routes hasn't been maintained since 2016.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:51

add a comment |

1

FYI, the new maintained repo is here: github.com/alubbe/named-routes

– mindeavor
Jun 16 '15 at 16:00

Note in 2019: named-routes hasn't been maintained since 2016.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:51

FYI, the new maintained repo is here: github.com/alubbe/named-routes

– mindeavor
Jun 16 '15 at 16:00

Note in 2019: named-routes hasn't been maintained since 2016.

– Hendy Irawan
Jan 2 at 6:51

add a comment |

From @freakish's answer:

There is no out of the box mechanism for that. However you can mimic Django's style like that: define urls.js file which will hold an array of URLs. First start with:

myviews.js

exports.Index = function( req, res, next ) {

    res.send( "hello world!" );

};

urls.js

var MyViews = require( "mywviews.js" );



module.exports = [

    { name : "index", pattern : "/", view : MyViews.Index }

]

Now in app.js ( or whatever the main file is ) you need to bind urls to Express. For example like this:

app.js

var urls = require( "urls.js" );



for ( var i = 0, l = urls.length; i < l; i++ ) {

    var url = urls[ i ];

    app.all( url.pattern, url.view );

};

Now you can define custom helper ( Express 3.0 style ):

var urls = require( "urls.js" ), l = urls.length;

app.locals.url = function( name ) {

    for ( var i = 0; i < l; i++ ) {

        var url = urls[ i ];

        if ( url.name === name ) {

            return url.pattern;

        }

    };

};

Express JS reverse URL route (Django style)

Note that I posted the question, so I had the same problem some time ago. :D

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

add a comment |

From @freakish's answer:

There is no out of the box mechanism for that. However you can mimic Django's style like that: define urls.js file which will hold an array of URLs. First start with:

myviews.js

exports.Index = function( req, res, next ) {

    res.send( "hello world!" );

};

urls.js

var MyViews = require( "mywviews.js" );



module.exports = [

    { name : "index", pattern : "/", view : MyViews.Index }

]

Now in app.js ( or whatever the main file is ) you need to bind urls to Express. For example like this:

app.js

var urls = require( "urls.js" );



for ( var i = 0, l = urls.length; i < l; i++ ) {

    var url = urls[ i ];

    app.all( url.pattern, url.view );

};

Now you can define custom helper ( Express 3.0 style ):

var urls = require( "urls.js" ), l = urls.length;

app.locals.url = function( name ) {

    for ( var i = 0; i < l; i++ ) {

        var url = urls[ i ];

        if ( url.name === name ) {

            return url.pattern;

        }

    };

};

Express JS reverse URL route (Django style)

Note that I posted the question, so I had the same problem some time ago. :D

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

add a comment |

From @freakish's answer:

There is no out of the box mechanism for that. However you can mimic Django's style like that: define urls.js file which will hold an array of URLs. First start with:

myviews.js

exports.Index = function( req, res, next ) {

    res.send( "hello world!" );

};

urls.js

var MyViews = require( "mywviews.js" );



module.exports = [

    { name : "index", pattern : "/", view : MyViews.Index }

]

Now in app.js ( or whatever the main file is ) you need to bind urls to Express. For example like this:

app.js

var urls = require( "urls.js" );



for ( var i = 0, l = urls.length; i < l; i++ ) {

    var url = urls[ i ];

    app.all( url.pattern, url.view );

};

Now you can define custom helper ( Express 3.0 style ):

var urls = require( "urls.js" ), l = urls.length;

app.locals.url = function( name ) {

    for ( var i = 0; i < l; i++ ) {

        var url = urls[ i ];

        if ( url.name === name ) {

            return url.pattern;

        }

    };

};

Express JS reverse URL route (Django style)

Note that I posted the question, so I had the same problem some time ago. :D

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

From @freakish's answer:

There is no out of the box mechanism for that. However you can mimic Django's style like that: define urls.js file which will hold an array of URLs. First start with:

myviews.js

exports.Index = function( req, res, next ) {

    res.send( "hello world!" );

};

urls.js

var MyViews = require( "mywviews.js" );



module.exports = [

    { name : "index", pattern : "/", view : MyViews.Index }

]

Now in app.js ( or whatever the main file is ) you need to bind urls to Express. For example like this:

app.js

var urls = require( "urls.js" );



for ( var i = 0, l = urls.length; i < l; i++ ) {

    var url = urls[ i ];

    app.all( url.pattern, url.view );

};

Now you can define custom helper ( Express 3.0 style ):

var urls = require( "urls.js" ), l = urls.length;

app.locals.url = function( name ) {

    for ( var i = 0; i < l; i++ ) {

        var url = urls[ i ];

        if ( url.name === name ) {

            return url.pattern;

        }

    };

};

Express JS reverse URL route (Django style)

Note that I posted the question, so I had the same problem some time ago. :D

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

answered Jan 2 at 6:55

Hendy Irawan

12.6k87688

add a comment |

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