Routable Apps

Routing in webforJ is an optional tool. Developers can choose between the webforJ routing solution or a traditional model with Frame manipulation and without deep linking. To enable routing, the @Routify annotation must be applied at the level of a class implementing App. This grants webforJ the authority to manage browser history, respond to navigation events, and render the app’s components based on the URL.

info

To learn more about building UIs using frames, built-in, and custom components, visit the Building UIs section.

Purpose of the @Routify Annotation

@Routify enables the framework to automatically register routes, manage frame visibility, and define routing behaviors such as debugging and frame initialization, allowing for dynamic, flexible routing in the app.

Usage of @Routify

The @Routify annotation is applied at the class level of the main app class. It specifies the set of packages to scan for routes and handles other routing-related settings such as frame initialization and visibility management.

Here’s a basic example:

@Routify(
  packages = {"com.myapp.views"},
  defaultFrameName = "MainFrame",
  initializeFrame = true,
  manageFramesVisibility = false,
  debug = true
)
public class MyApp extends App {

  @Override
  public void run() {
    // Application logic goes here
  }
}

Routify Default Configurations

The @Routify annotation comes with reasonable default configurations. It assumes that the current package where the app is defined, along with all its subpackages, should be scanned for routes. Additionally, it assumes the app manages only one frame by default. If your app follows this structure, there's no need to provide any custom configurations to the annotation.

Key elements of @Routify

1. packages

The packages element defines which packages should be scanned for route definitions. It enables automatic discovery of routes without manual registration, streamlining the process of expanding the app routing system.

@Routify(packages = {"com.myapp.views"})

If no packages are specified, the default package of the app is used.

2. defaultFrameName

This element specifies the name of the default frame that the app initializes. Frames represent top-level UI containers, and this setting controls how the first frame is named and managed.

@Routify(defaultFrameName = "MainFrame")

By default, if not explicitly provided, the value is set to Routify.DEFAULT_FRAME_NAME.

3. initializeFrame

The initializeFrame flag determines whether the framework should automatically initialize the first frame when the app starts. Setting this to true simplifies the initial frame setup.

@Routify(initializeFrame = true)

4. manageFramesVisibility

This element controls whether the framework should automatically toggle the visibility of frames during navigation. When enabled, the matched route automatically shows the corresponding frame while hiding others, ensuring a clean and focused UI. This setting is only relevant when your app is managing multiple frames.

@Routify(manageFramesVisibility = true)

5. debug

The debug flag enables or disables routing debug mode. When enabled, routing information and actions are logged to the console for easier debugging during development.

@Routify(debug = true)

Router Debug Mode and webforJ Debug Mode

If router debug mode is set to true but webforJ debug mode is set to false, no debugging information will be displayed in the console.