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The URL builder helps you generate URLs for your application’s named routes. It ensures your URLs are always correct and makes it easy to change route patterns without updating links throughout your codebase.

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Basic usage

Generate URLs using the router’s makeUrl() method: 
import router from '@adonisjs/core/services/router'

// Define a named route
router.get('/users/:id', '#controllers/users_controller.show').as('users.show')

// Generate URL
const url = router.makeUrl('users.show', { id: 1 })
// Returns: /users/1

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Named routes

Name your routes using the .as() method: 
router.get('/posts/:id/:slug', '#controllers/posts_controller.show')
  .as('posts.show')

router.post('/posts', '#controllers/posts_controller.store')
  .as('posts.store')

router.get('/profile', '#controllers/profile_controller.show')
  .as('profile')

​
Route parameters

Pass parameters to generate URLs with dynamic segments: 
// Route with single parameter
router.get('/users/:id', '#controllers/users_controller.show').as('users.show')

const url = router.makeUrl('users.show', { id: 42 })
// Returns: /users/42

// Route with multiple parameters
router.get('/posts/:id/:slug', '#controllers/posts_controller.show').as('posts.show')

const url = router.makeUrl('posts.show', { id: 1, slug: 'hello-world' })
// Returns: /posts/1/hello-world

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Query strings

Add query string parameters: 
router.get('/posts', '#controllers/posts_controller.index').as('posts.index')

const url = router.makeUrl('posts.index', {}, {
  qs: { page: 2, limit: 10 }
})
// Returns: /posts?page=2&limit=10

// With route parameters and query string
const url = router.makeUrl('posts.show', { id: 1 }, {
  qs: { ref: 'homepage' }
})
// Returns: /posts/1?ref=homepage

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Absolute URLs

Generate absolute URLs with protocol and domain: 
const url = router.makeUrl('users.show', { id: 1 }, {
  prefixUrl: 'https://example.com'
})
// Returns: https://example.com/users/1

// Using app URL from config
const url = router.makeUrl('users.show', { id: 1 }, {
  prefixUrl: app.config.get('app.appUrl')
})

​
Signed URLs

Generate signed URLs for temporary access: 
// Generate signed URL
const signedUrl = router.makeSignedUrl('download.file', 
  { id: 1 },
  {
    expiresIn: '30m' // Expires in 30 minutes
  }
)
// Returns: /download/1?signature=...

// Without expiration
const signedUrl = router.makeSignedUrl('download.file', { id: 1 })

​
Verifying signed URLs

Verify signed URLs in your route handlers: 
import router from '@adonisjs/core/services/router'

router
  .get('/download/:id', async ({ request, response, params }) => {
    // Verify signature
    if (!request.hasValidSignature()) {
      return response.badRequest({ error: 'Invalid or expired signature' })
    }
    
    // Proceed with download
    const file = await File.find(params.id)
    return response.download(file.path)
  })
  .as('download.file')

​
Using in templates

The route() helper is available in Edge templates: 
{{-- Generate URL --}}
<a href="{{ route('users.show', { id: user.id }) }}">
  View Profile
</a>

{{-- With query string --}}
<a href="{{ route('posts.index', {}, { qs: { page: 2 } }) }}">
  Next Page
</a>

{{-- Signed URL --}}
<a href="{{ signedRoute('download.file', { id: file.id }, { expiresIn: '1h' }) }}">
  Download File
</a>

​
Route groups and prefixes

Route names inherit group prefixes: 
router.group(() => {
  router.get('/users', '#controllers/users_controller.index')
    .as('users.index')
  
  router.get('/users/:id', '#controllers/users_controller.show')
    .as('users.show')
}).as('api.v1')

// Generate URL with group prefix
const url = router.makeUrl('api.v1.users.show', { id: 1 })
// Returns: /users/1

​
Domain-based routes

Generate URLs for domain-specific routes: 
router
  .get('/articles/:id', '#controllers/articles_controller.show')
  .domain('blog.example.com')
  .as('articles.show')

const url = router.makeUrl('articles.show', { id: 1 }, {
  prefixUrl: 'https://blog.example.com'
})
// Returns: https://blog.example.com/articles/1

​
Form actions

Generate form action URLs: 
<form method="POST" action="{{ route('users.store') }}">
  {{ csrfField() }}
  
  <input type="email" name="email">
  <input type="password" name="password">
  
  <button type="submit">Sign Up</button>
</form>

{{-- Update form --}}
<form method="POST" action="{{ route('users.update', { id: user.id }) }}">
  {{ csrfField() }}
  {{ methodField('PUT') }}
  
  <input type="text" name="name" value="{{ user.name }}">
  
  <button type="submit">Update</button>
</form>

​
Checking route existence

Check if a route exists: 
if (router.has('users.show')) {
  const url = router.makeUrl('users.show', { id: 1 })
}

​
URL builder in Edge

Edge provides the formAttributes() helper for forms: 
<form {{ formAttributes({ action: 'users.store' }) }}>
  {{ csrfField() }}
  
  <input type="email" name="email">
  <button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

{{-- With route parameters --}}
<form {{ formAttributes({ 
  action: 'users.update',
  params: { id: user.id },
  method: 'PUT'
}) }}>
  {{ csrfField() }}
  
  <input type="text" name="name" value="{{ user.name }}">
  <button type="submit">Update</button>
</form>

​
TypeScript support

The URL builder is fully typed: 
import type { InferRouteParams } from '@adonisjs/core/types/http'

// Define route
router.get('/posts/:id/:slug', '#controllers/posts_controller.show')
  .as('posts.show')

// Infer parameters
type PostShowParams = InferRouteParams<'/posts/:id/:slug'>
// { id: string, slug: string }

// Type-safe URL generation
const url = router.makeUrl('posts.show', {
  id: 1,
  slug: 'hello-world'
})

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Best practices

Name routes that you’ll reference in templates or redirect to:
// Good
router.get('/users/:id', '#controllers/users_controller.show')
  .as('users.show')

// Avoid hardcoding URLs
response.redirect(`/users/${id}`)

// Use named routes instead
response.redirect().toRoute('users.show', { id })
Follow RESTful naming conventions:
  • resource.index - List all
  • resource.show - Show one
  • resource.create - Show create form
  • resource.store - Create new
  • resource.edit - Show edit form
  • resource.update - Update existing
  • resource.destroy - Delete
Always verify signatures for protected routes:
router
  .get('/download/:id', async ({ request, response }) => {
    if (!request.hasValidSignature()) {
      return response.badRequest({ error: 'Invalid signature' })
    }
    // Process download
  })
  .as('download.file')

Routing

Learn more about defining routes

Response

Learn about redirecting to routes