vue-router

What is vue-router?

The vue-router npm package is the official router for Vue.js. It integrates closely with Vue.js core to make building Single Page Applications with Vue.js a breeze. Features include nested routes/mappings, modular, component-based router configuration, route params, query, wildcards, transitions, fine-grained navigation control, and view transition effects powered by Vue.js' transition system.

What are vue-router's main functionalities?

Dynamic Route Matching

This feature allows you to create routes that are dynamically matched to the path. For example, different user IDs can be matched to the same route pattern.

{"const router = new VueRouter({
  routes: [
    { path: '/user/:id', component: User }
  ]
})
const User = {
  template: '<div>User {{ $route.params.id }}</div>'
}"}

Nested Routes

This feature allows you to map nested paths to components. It's useful for creating sub-sections of a page without having to create complex configurations.

{"const router = new VueRouter({
  routes: [
    { path: '/user/:id', component: User,
      children: [
        {
          // UserProfile will be rendered inside User's <router-view>
          path: 'profile',
          component: UserProfile
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
})
const User = {
  template: '<div>User <router-view></router-view></div>'
}"}

Programmatic Navigation

Vue-router allows you to navigate without using <router-link> by using the router instance methods.

{"router.push('/home')
router.replace('/home')
router.go(-1)"}

Named Routes

Instead of using URLs, you can navigate using route names, making your code more readable and maintainable.

{"const router = new VueRouter({
  routes: [
    { name: 'user', path: '/user/:id', component: User }
  ]
})
// navigate to a named route
router.push({ name: 'user', params: { id: 123 }})"}

Route Guards

Route guards are used to protect routes that require authentication, perform checks before entering a route, or confirm navigation away from a route.

{"const router = new VueRouter({
  routes: [
    { path: '/secret', component: Secret, beforeEnter: (to, from, next) => {
      // ... guard logic
      next();
    }}
  ]
})"}

Other packages similar to vue-router

react-router

React Router is a standard library for routing in React. It has a similar set of features to vue-router, such as dynamic route matching, nested routes, and navigation control, but it is designed for React instead of Vue.

angular-router

Angular's router is a powerful navigation library for Angular. It offers features like lazy loading, nested routes, and route guards. It is comparable to vue-router but is used within the Angular ecosystem.

reach-router

Reach Router is a small, simple router for React that is accessible and easy to use. It is similar to vue-router but with a focus on simplicity and accessibility.

next/router

Next.js has its own router that supports features like dynamic routes and server-side rendering. It is designed specifically for Next.js applications and offers a different approach compared to vue-router.