angular__skills/angular-developer/references/define-routes.md

Define Routes

Routes are objects that define which component should render for a specific URL path.

Basic Configuration

Define routes in a Routes array and provide them using provideRouter in your appConfig.

// app.routes.ts
export const routes: Routes = [
  {path: '', component: HomePage},
  {path: 'admin', component: AdminPage},
];

// app.config.ts
export const appConfig: ApplicationConfig = {
  providers: [provideRouter(routes)],
};

URL Paths

• Static: Matches an exact string (e.g., 'admin').
• Route Parameters: Dynamic segments prefixed with a colon (e.g., 'user/:id').
• Wildcard: Matches any URL using **. Useful for "Not Found" pages. Always place at the end of the array.

Matching Strategy

Angular uses a first-match wins strategy. Specific routes must come before less specific ones.

Redirects

Use redirectTo to point one path to another.

{ path: 'articles', redirectTo: '/blog' },
{ path: 'blog', component: Blog },

Conditional Redirects

Pass a function to redirectTo to apply logic when redirecting.

{
  path: 'restaurant/:location/menu',
  redirectTo: ({ params }) => {
    const base = `/restaurant/${params['location']}/menu`;
    const hour = new Date().getHours();

    if (hour < 11) return `${base}/breakfast`;
    if (hour < 17) return `${base}/lunch`;
    return `${base}/dinner`;
  },
},

Page Titles

Associate titles with routes for accessibility. Titles can be static or dynamic (via ResolveFn or a custom TitleStrategy).

{ path: 'home', component: Home, title: 'Home Page' }

Route Data and Providers

• Static Data: Attach metadata using the data property.
• Route Providers: Scope dependencies to a specific route and its children using the providers array.

Nested (Child) Routes

Define sub-views using the children property. Parent components must include a <router-outlet />.

{
  path: 'product/:id',
  component: Product,
  children: [
    { path: 'info', component: ProductInfo },
    { path: 'reviews', component: ProductReviews },
  ],
}