Express File Router

File-based routing for Express.js without any 3rd party dependency.

Install

npm i @ikrbasak/express-file-router

Getting started

// main.ts
import express from 'express';
import path from 'node:path';

const app = express();

await createRoute(app, {
  // Optional config. Determines the 'root' for routes. Default: 'routes'.
  directory: path.join(__dirname, 'routes'),
});
app.listen(9000);

// routes/index.ts
export const get: RequestHandler = (req, res) => {
  res.json({ ping: 'pong' });
};

Route matching

Given the following folder structure:

├── app.ts
└── routes
    ├── index.ts             (1)
    ├── posts
    │   ├── :pid
    │   │   └── index.ts     (2)
    │   └── index.ts         (3)
    └── users
        ├── :uid.ts          (4)
        └── index.ts         (5)

the route mapping would be as following:

(1) /routes/index.ts                -> '/'
(2) /routes/posts/:pid/index.ts     -> '/posts/:pid'
(3) /routes/posts/index.ts          -> '/posts'
(4) /routes/users/:uid.ts           -> '/users/:uid'
(5) /routes/users/index.ts          -> '/users'

Method matching

/*
'middlewares' serves as common place to write
middlewares that are used in each of the HTTP methods.
*/
// Option 1
export const middlewares: RequestHandler = (req, res, next) => {
  // some custom middleware logic
  next();
};

// Option 2
export const middlewares: RequestHandler[] = [
  commonMiddleware1,
  commonMiddleware2,
];

/*
Resolves 'GET' request to the particular route
*/
// Option 1
export const get: RequestHandler = (req, res) => {
  return res.json({
    fingerprint: req.fingerprint,
    url: req.originalUrl,
    file: __filename,
  });
};

// Option 2
export const get: RequestHandler[] = [
  methodSpecificMiddleware1,
  methodSpecificMiddleware2,
  controller,
];

/*
Similar for other methods too:
'connect', 'delete', 'head', 'options'
'patch', 'post', 'put', 'trace'
*/

Note: Constants cannot be named as delete. Use del for HTTP method 'DELETE'