Search code examples
node.jsexpressurl-pattern

Node.js matching the url pattern


I need an equivalent of following express.js code in simple node.js that I can use in middleware. I need to place some checks depending on the url and want to do it in a custom middleware.

app.get "/api/users/:username", (req,res) ->
  req.params.username

I have the following code so far,

app.use (req,res,next)->
  if url.parse(req.url,true).pathname is '/api/users/:username' #this wont be true as in the link there will be a actual username not ":username" 
    #my custom check that I want to apply

Solution

  • A trick would be to use this:

    app.all '/api/users/:username', (req, res, next) ->
      // your custom code here
      next();
    
    // followed by any other routes with the same patterns
    app.get '/api/users/:username', (req,res) ->
      ...
    

    If you only want to match GET requests, use app.get instead of app.all.

    Or, if you only want to use the middleware on certain specific routes, you can use this (in JS this time):

    var mySpecialMiddleware = function(req, res, next) {
      // your check
      next();
    };
    
    app.get('/api/users/:username', mySpecialMiddleware, function(req, res) {
      ...
    });
    

    EDIT another solution:

    var mySpecialRoute = new express.Route('', '/api/users/:username');
    
    app.use(function(req, res, next) {
      if (mySpecialRoute.match(req.path)) {
        // request matches your special route pattern
      }
      next();
    });
    

    But I don't see how this beats using app.all() as 'middleware'.