# Routex Extensions
> #### List of extensions {: .info}
> A [list of included extensions](README.md#extensions) can be found in the README.
Routex Extensions extend the functionality provided by Routex to transform
routes or generate new route based helper functions. Each extension is a module
which implements the `Routex.Extension` behaviour.
Routex will call those callbacks at different stages before Routex handsoff the
list with routes to `Phoenix.Router` for compilation.
Each extension provides a single feature and should minimize hard dependencies
on other extensions. Instead, Routex advises to make use of the `Routex.Attrs`
system to share attributes; allowing extensions to work together without being
coupled.
The documentation of each extension lists any provided or required
`Routex.Attrs`.
## Callbacks and stages
### Stage 1: Configure
This stage enables extensions to preprocess backend options upfront.
The `configure/2` callback is called with the options provided to
`Routex.Backend` and the name of the Routex backend. It is expected to return a
new list of options.
Routex collects all options in this stage for subsequent stages. Therefore,
extensions should add any fallback/default they might use themselves to the
options in this stage.
To aid in code completion, the final configuration is passed as a struct to
subsequent stages.
### Stage 2: Transform
This stage is meant to change the properties of routes, which are at that moment
`Phoenix.Router.Route` structs. The routes are grouped by Routex backend and
processed per group, allowing an extension to use accumulating values within one
iteration.
The `transform/3` callback is called with a list of routes belonging to a
Routex backend, the name of the backend and the current environment. It is
expected to return a list of Phoenix.Router.Route structs.
#### Flattening option values
Extensions can make use of `Routex.Attrs` provided by Routex itself, Routex
backends and other extensions.
To make the availability of the attributes as predictable as possible, Routex
uses a flat structure which is stored in a routes' `private.routex` field.
However, using a flat structure might conflict with developer experience;
sometimes a nested structure to provide configuration options might be more
suitable.
One responsibility of the `transform/3` callback is to flatten the structure of
attributes they use for each route they receive, so other extensions can use
attributes set by the current extension without knowledge of the configuration
structure.
**Example**
The Alternatives extension uses nested options and allows inheritance
of attributes from parent branches.
```
alternatives: %{
"/" =>
helper: nil,
locale: "en_GB",
branches: %{
"nl" => %{
helper: "nl",
locale: "nl_NL"
},
"gb" => %{
helper: "gb",
}
}
}
```
The Alternatives module is therefor responsible for flattening those for
(itself and) other extensions to use. To take the route responsible for the
"gb" branch as an example, the extension should add flattened attributes in the
Route struct. It can do so using the helper function `Routex.Attrs.put/2`.
```
Routex.Attrs.put(route, [locale: "en_GB", helper: "gb"])
```
Now the `Translation` extension can search for the option `:locale` in the
route's attributes, unaware of how that locale was initially configured.
### Stage 3: Post Transform
The `post_transform` stage can be used knowing all other attributes of a route
are available and no path will be transformed any further.
### Stage 4: Create helper functions
In this stage helper functions can be generated which will be added to
`MyAppWeb.Router.RoutexHelpers`.
The `create_helpers/3` callback is called with a list of routes belonging to a
Routex backend, the name of the Routex backend and the current environment.
It is expected to return Elixir AST.
As a result the developer only has to `import MyAppWeb.Router.RoutexHelpers`
for all helpers generated by extensions to be included in the app.
## Guidelines
* make functions not defined by the `Routex.Extension` behaviour private.
* provide as many options and `Routex.Attrs` as possible; other extensions might use the information.
* provide additional options and `Routex.Attrs` as flat list(s) so other extensions don't have to guess structure.
* as other extensions might use options set by your extension, try to preserve any previously defined option or `Routex.Attrs` in future development
## Important information about creating helpers
In Elixir, it's common practice to define multiple function clauses to handle
different routes or patterns. However, during compilation, the Elixir compiler
(leveraging the underlying Erlang compiler) transforms these multiple function
clauses into a single function that uses a case expression for pattern matching.
The key issue here isn't the efficiency of a case statement at runtime; rather,
it's the transformation process itself. When you have hundreds of function
clauses, the compiler must merge them into one case expression, which can lead
to significant compile-time overhead.
To mitigate this, consider defining a single function clause that directly
contains an explicit case expression. By doing so, you avoid triggering the
compiler’s internal transformation process on a large number of separate
clauses, thereby reducing the compile-time cost while keeping your runtime
behavior clear and efficient.
**Bad**
```elixir
def my_generated_helper("a"), do: "A"
def my_generated_helper("b"), do: "B"
def my_generated_helper("c"), do: "C"
```
**Good**
```elixir
def my_generated_helper(letter) do
case letter do
"a" -> "A"
"b" -> "B"
"c" -> "C"
end
end
```
### Documentation
@moduledoc """
Summary of feature provided.
## Options
- `name` - description
## Example configuration
```diff
# file lib/example_web/routex_backend.ex
defmodule ExampleWeb.RoutexBackend do
use Routex.Backend,
extensions: [
+ Routex.Extension.Name
Routex.Extension.Attrs
],
+ name_config: [name_opt: "value"]
```
## Usage example
```elixir
# file lib/example_web/template.ex
transform_template("/products/:id/edit")
```
## Pseudo result
```
/products/:id/edit ⇒ /products/:id/edit
```
## `Routex.Attrs`
**Requires**
- none
**Sets**
- none
## Helpers
function_name(arg1 :: type) :: type
"""
