routing

Name: Routing Description: Route file conventions for organising API and web routes. Covers file separation, naming, grouping, middleware, and route model binding. Compatible Agents: general-purpose, backend Tags: routes/**/*.php, laravel, php, backend, routing, routes, api, web

Rules

• API routes in routes/api.php; web routes in routes/web.php
• Group related routes with prefixes and middleware
• Use route model binding where possible
• Use resourceful route names: invoices.index, invoices.store
• Use kebab-case for URL segments: /invoice-lines
• Prefix API routes with /api (handled by Laravel automatically via api.php)
• Apply authentication middleware at the group level
• Apply throttle middleware on API endpoints
• Use custom middleware for webhook signature verification

Examples

// routes/api.php
Route::middleware('auth:sanctum')->group(function () {
    Route::apiResource('invoices', InvoiceController::class);

    Route::prefix('invoices')->group(function () {
        Route::post('{invoice}/pay', PayInvoiceController::class)->name('invoices.pay');
    });
});

Route::middleware(['throttle:webhook'])->group(function () {
    Route::post('webhooks/stripe', ProcessStripeWebhookController::class)
        ->middleware(VerifyStripeSignature::class)
        ->name('webhooks.stripe');
});

// Route model binding — automatic resolution
Route::get('invoices/{invoice}', ShowInvoiceController::class);

// Controller resolves the model automatically
public function __invoke(Invoice $invoice): JsonResponse { ... }

// Naming with resourceful convention
Route::apiResource('invoice-lines', InvoiceLineController::class);
// Generates: invoice-lines.index, invoice-lines.store, invoice-lines.show, etc.

Anti-Patterns

• Mixing API and web routes in the same file
• Not using route model binding when an ID is passed to look up a model
• Applying authentication middleware per route instead of at the group level
• Using camelCase or snake_case in URL segments instead of kebab-case
• Not naming routes (anonymous routes are harder to reference and refactor)

References

• Laravel Routing
• Related: Controllers/SKILL.md — controllers that handle routes
• Related: Middleware/SKILL.md — middleware applied at the route group level