Basic route definition in Laravel - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Basic route definition

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple Laravel web application that needs to respond to user visits on specific web addresses (routes).Each route will show a simple message to the visitor.

🎯 Goal: Create basic routes in Laravel that return simple text responses when users visit the URLs.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a route for the home page ('/') that returns the text 'Welcome to the homepage!'

Create a route for '/about' that returns the text 'About us page'

Create a route for '/contact' that returns the text 'Contact us here'

Use Laravel's Route facade and closure syntax for defining routes

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Defining routes is the first step in building any Laravel web application to respond to user requests.

💼 Career

Understanding basic route definitions is essential for backend web developers working with Laravel.

1

Create the home page route

Create a route for the home page URL '/' using Route::get that returns the text 'Welcome to the homepage!'.

Laravel

<?php

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;

// Create a route for '/' that returns 'Welcome to the homepage!'
// Your code here

Hint

Use Route::get with the URL '/' and a closure that returns the welcome text.

2

Add the about page route

Add a route for the URL '/about' using Route::get that returns the text 'About us page'.

Laravel

<?php

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;

Route::get('/', function () {
    return 'Welcome to the homepage!';
});

// Add a route for '/about' that returns 'About us page'
// Your code here

Hint

Use Route::get with the URL '/about' and a closure that returns the about text.

3

Add the contact page route

Add a route for the URL '/contact' using Route::get that returns the text 'Contact us here'.

Laravel

<?php

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;

Route::get('/', function () {
    return 'Welcome to the homepage!';
});

Route::get('/about', function () {
    return 'About us page';
});

// Add a route for '/contact' that returns 'Contact us here'
// Your code here

Hint

Use Route::get with the URL '/contact' and a closure that returns the contact text.

4

Complete the routes file

Ensure the routes file includes all three routes for '/', '/about', and '/contact' with their respective return texts as closures.

Laravel

<?php

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;

Route::get('/', function () {
    return 'Welcome to the homepage!';
});

Route::get('/about', function () {
    return 'About us page';
});

Route::get('/contact', function () {
    return 'Contact us here';
});

// Confirm all routes are defined correctly
// Your code here

Hint

Check that all three routes are present and return the correct text.

Practice

1. What does the following Laravel route definition do?
Route::get('/home', function () { return 'Welcome Home'; });

easy

A. It redirects '/home' to another URL.

B. It creates a database entry for '/home'.

C. It responds with 'Welcome Home' when the '/home' URL is visited.

D. It deletes the '/home' route.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Route::get usage

   The Route::get method defines a route that listens for GET requests on a specific URL.

2. Step 2: Analyze the callback function

   The callback returns the string 'Welcome Home' when the '/home' URL is accessed.

3. Final Answer:

   It responds with 'Welcome Home' when the '/home' URL is visited. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Route::get('/home', ...) returns 'Welcome Home' [OK]

Hint: Route::get defines response for a URL visit [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it creates or deletes database entries
• Confusing route response with redirection
• Assuming it modifies URLs instead of responding

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to define a route in Laravel that responds to a GET request at URL '/about'?

easy

A. Route::get('/about', function () { return 'About Us'; });

B. Route.get('/about', function () { return 'About Us'; });

C. Route::post('/about', function () { return 'About Us'; });

D. Route::get('/about') { return 'About Us'; };

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct method and syntax

   Laravel uses Route::get() with double colon and parentheses to define GET routes.

2. Step 2: Check callback function syntax

   The callback must be an anonymous function inside parentheses returning the response.

3. Final Answer:

   Route::get('/about', function () { return 'About Us'; }); -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Correct Laravel route syntax uses Route::get(...) [OK]

Hint: Use Route::get() with function callback for GET routes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using dot instead of double colon
• Using Route::post for GET requests
• Missing parentheses around function

3. What will be the output when visiting the URL '/greet' given this route?

Route::get('/greet', function () { return 'Hello, Laravel!'; });

medium

A. Hello, Laravel!

B. 404 Not Found error

C. Syntax error

D. Redirect to homepage

Solution

1. Step 1: Check route URL and method

   The route listens for GET requests at '/greet'. Visiting '/greet' triggers this route.

2. Step 2: Analyze the returned response

   The callback returns the string 'Hello, Laravel!' which will be shown in the browser.

3. Final Answer:

   Hello, Laravel! -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Route returns string response on GET request [OK]

Hint: Route::get returns callback output on URL visit [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting a 404 error if route is defined
• Confusing output with redirect or error
• Assuming syntax error without checking code

4. Identify the error in this Laravel route definition:

Route::get('/contact', function { return 'Contact Page'; });

medium

A. Route URL should not start with '/'

B. Missing parentheses after function keyword

C. Return statement is not allowed in routes

D. Route::get should be Route::post

Solution

1. Step 1: Check function syntax in route callback

   Anonymous functions require parentheses after the function keyword even if no parameters are used.

2. Step 2: Verify other parts of the route

   The URL starting with '/' is correct, return statements are allowed, and Route::get is valid for GET requests.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing parentheses after function keyword -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Anonymous functions need () after function [OK]

Hint: Always add () after function keyword in callbacks [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting parentheses after function
• Thinking URL cannot start with '/'
• Confusing GET and POST methods

5. You want to create a route that returns a JSON response with a message 'Success' when visiting '/api/status'. Which is the correct Laravel route definition?

hard

A. Route::get('/api/status', function () { echo json_encode(['message' => 'Success']); });

B. Route::get('/api/status', function () { return 'Success'; });

C. Route::post('/api/status', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Success']); });

D. Route::get('/api/status', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Success']); });

Solution

1. Step 1: Choose correct HTTP method and URL

   The route should respond to GET requests at '/api/status'.

2. Step 2: Return JSON response properly

   Laravel's response()->json() helper returns a JSON response correctly formatted with headers.

3. Step 3: Check other options for correctness

   Route::get('/api/status', function () { return 'Success'; }); returns plain text, Route::post('/api/status', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Success']); }); uses POST instead of GET, Route::get('/api/status', function () { echo json_encode(['message' => 'Success']); }); uses echo which is not recommended in routes.

4. Final Answer:

   Route::get('/api/status', function () { return response()->json(['message' => 'Success']); }); -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   Use response()->json() for JSON output in routes [OK]

Hint: Use response()->json() to return JSON in routes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using wrong HTTP method (POST instead of GET)
• Returning plain string instead of JSON
• Using echo instead of return in route