PHP
Routing structure
Build a simple router with $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] and the URI.
Reading the request
Every request in a REST API carries two key pieces of data: the HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and the request path (such as /tasks). In PHP you reach them through the $_SERVER superglobal: $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] gives the method and $_SERVER['PATH_INFO'] gives the path.
When testing in the CLI you set these values by hand, so you can verify the dispatch logic without a real server. Method and path together identify a route uniquely.
Storing routes
The addRoute method takes three parameters: $method, $path and $handler. On each call you push this triple into the $this->routes array. The handler may be a closure (anonymous function) or a function name; dispatch will call it.
Storing the triple as an associative array makes the match easy to search with a single foreach. Every route record shares the same shape.
Exercise Add the addRoute method
Add an addRoute method to the Router class. Its signature is public function addRoute(string $method, string $path, $handler): void. The method pushes the three values as an associative array into $this->routes with keys method, path and handler. The demo line adds one route and prints the count.
Show example solution
void. Inside, push with $this->routes[] = ["method" => $method, "path" => $path, "handler" => $handler];.
Example solution:
<?php
// REST API projesi: Router + addRoute
class Router {
public array $routes = [];
public function addRoute(string $method, string $path, $handler): void {
$this->routes[] = ["method" => $method, "path" => $path, "handler" => $handler];
}
}
// Demo:
$router = new Router();
$router->addRoute("GET", "/tasks", "handleGet");
echo count($router->routes);
Test yourself
-
Complete the method name
public function ____(string $method, string $path, $handler): void { }
Show answer
public function addRoute(string $method, string $path, $handler): void { }
-
What are the three parameters of addRoute, in order?
- $handler, $method, $path
- $path, $method, $handler
- $method, $path, $handler
- $method, $handler, $path
Show answer
$method, $path, $handler — Correct. Method first, then path, then handler; the route reads naturally this way.
-
Match the addRoute parameters
- $method
- HTTP method
- $path
- Request path
- $handler
- Handler
- $routes
- Route list
Next lesson: CRUD endpoints
