Hi folks!!! I always ear php haters talk about a language I do not know. They do not know the language they are talking about. And to show them a little example of what php8 is able to do, I've create a simple exercice: a php router with php attributes.

Createpublic folder. I mean, .. a folder called "public". Then create anindex.php file inside. And follow the steps in this article.

The attribute

First of all, ... you can create a php class Route. the attributes is simple the#[Attribute]. Attribute syntax starts from#[ and finisci with]. You can "mark" a class, a method, a property, .... with attributes.

#[Attribute]classRoute{publicfunction__construct(privatestring$method='GET',privatestring$path='/',){}}

A Response class

This is useless for the purpose of this post, but I've made a little video (in italian). And I've just copied and pasted the code here. This object aims to decorate the json for a generic response, with some links. It make easy website navigation at the end of the post.

classResponse{publicfunction__construct(privatearray$json=[]){}publicfunctiongetContent(){returnjson_encode(array_merge($this->json,['@link'=>['http://localhost:8888/','http://localhost:8888/info','http://localhost:8888/conclusions',]]));}}

Handler interface

In some framework we call them controllers. Here I just named them Handler. The point is that each route will call its own handler.

interfaceHandler{publicfunctionhandle():Response;}

The concrete handlers

Now you can create some handlers, and att an attribute to them. Note that someone known annotations. Annotations was just a DocBlock comment. PHP attributes are structured and readable by the interpreter. You can obtain a class attribute using reflection.

#[Route('GET', '/')]classHomeContollerimplementsHandler{publicfunctionhandle():Response{returnnewResponse(['page'=>'home']);}}#[Route('GET', '/info')]classInfoControllerimplementsHandler{publicfunctionhandle():Response{returnnewResponse(['page'=>'info']);}}

Configuration

I've also made a little configuration file: a list of handler, .. controller, .. call them as you like. Doesnt matter.

$routes=[HomeContoller::class,InfoController::class,];

Reading attributes

Here I've create a function. The function read an array of handlers/controllers. For each handlers/controllers get a reflection instance, get attributes from the instance. Attributes (Route) indicate the http method and the path. If the route corresponds to the handler one, then handle the handler.

functionrouter(array$routes):Response{foreach($routesas$handler){$reflection=newReflectionClass($handler);$attributes=$reflection->getAttributes(Route::class);foreach($attributesas$attribute){if($attribute->getArguments()[0]===$_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD']){if($attribute->getArguments()[1]===$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']){return(new$handler)->handle();}}}}}$response=router($routes);echo$response->getContent();

Run built-in serve

Now You have your amazing router. You can try it. Just run

php -S localhost:8888 -t public

And see it working.

Conclusions

The conclusion is that php is amazing. A lot of people do not know it. all of them know php3, maybe. Once I heard someone say: "wow, .. php have also classes". So, .. LOL.

Well, .. add a new controller:

#[Route('GET', '/conclusions')]classConclusionsControllerimplementsHandler{publicfunctionhandle():Response{returnnewResponse(['message'=>'If you like this post, ... leave a like','and'=>'and follow me for more post like this',]);}}

Then update also the configuration:

$routes=[HomeContoller::class,InfoController::class,ConclusionsController::class,];

And if you speak italian you can seemy video on youtub