PHP Slim Framework Create Controller

Question

I am creating an API using the Slim framework. Currently I use a single file to create the route and pass a closure to it:

$app->get('/', function($req, $resp){
//Code...
})

But I realise that my file has grown rapidly. What I want to do is use controllers instead, so I will have a controller class and just pass the instance/static methods to the route, like below

class HomeController
{
   public static function index($req, $resp){}
}

and then pass the function to the route

$app->get('/', HomeController::index);

I tried this, but it does not work, and I wonder if there is a way I can use it to manage my files.

Answer 1

Turn the controller into a functor:

class HomeController
{
    public function __invoke($req, $resp) {}
}

and then route like this:

$app->get('/', HomeController::class);

For reference, see

• http://www.slimframework.com/docs/objects/router.html#how-to-create-routes
• http://www.slimframework.com/docs/objects/router.html#route-callbacks.

Answer 2

PHP 5.6 Slim 2.6.2

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

class HelloController {
    public static function index()  {
        global $app;

        echo "<pre>";
        var_dump($app->request);
        echo "</pre>";
    }
}

$app = new \Slim\Slim();
$app->get('/', 'HelloController::index');
$app->run();

Update: PHP 5.6 Slim 3.0.0

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

class HelloController {
    public static function hello(\Slim\Http\Request $req, \Slim\Http\Response $response, $args)  {
        echo "<pre>";
        var_dump($args);
        echo "</pre>";
    }
}

$app = new \Slim\App();
$app->get('/hello/{name}', 'HelloController::hello');
$app->run();

The problem with class based routing in Slim 3.0 is access to $this/$app. I think you will need to use global $app to access it.

In my pet project I use route groups with require_once. Something like

$app->group('/dashboard', function () {
    $this->group('/auctions', function () use ($app){
        require_once('routes/dashboard/auctions.php');
    });
    $this->group('/rss', function () {
        require_once('routes/dashboard/rss.php');
    });
    $this->group('/settings', function () {
        require_once('routes/dashboard/settings.php');
    });
});

Looks not as beauty as could be with pure classes but works like expected with all features accessible without additional coding.