laravel-ascend

{ "pattern_id": "route-syntax-update", "name": "Route String Syntax to Action Array (Laravel 8)", "applies_to_versions": ["7-to-8"], "category": "syntax", "complexity": "medium", "description": "Converts string-based route controller syntax to action array syntax due to RouteServiceProvider namespace removal", "detection": { "file_patterns": [ "routes/**/*.php" ], "content_patterns": [ "Route::get(", "Route::post(", "@index", "@store" ], "ast_requirements": { "node_type": "Expr_StaticCall", "class": "Route", "method": ["get", "post", "put", "patch", "delete", "any", "match"], "string_controller_syntax": true }, "regex_patterns": [ "Route::(get|post|put|patch|delete|any|match)\\([^,]+,\\s*['\"][^'\"]+@[^'\"]+['\"]" ] }, "transformation": { "type": "route_controller_syntax_conversion", "automatable": true, "alternatives": [ { "name": "action_array_syntax", "description": "Convert to [ControllerClass::class, 'method'] syntax", "recommended": true }, { "name": "restore_namespace", "description": "Add $namespace back to RouteServiceProvider", "recommended": false, "note": "Not future-proof" } ], "steps": [ { "step": 1, "action": "parse_route_definition", "description": "Extract controller string and method from route" }, { "step": 2, "action": "resolve_controller_class", "description": "Determine full controller class name" }, { "step": 3, "action": "add_use_statement", "description": "Add use statement for controller at top of file" }, { "step": 4, "action": "convert_to_array_syntax", "description": "Replace string with [ControllerClass::class, 'method']" }, { "step": 5, "action": "organize_imports", "description": "Group and sort use statements" } ], "controller_resolution": { "default_namespace": "App\\Http\\Controllers", "check_file_exists": true, "subdirectory_support": true } }, "examples": { "basic_conversion": { "before": "<?php\n// routes/web.php\n\nRoute::get('/users', 'UserController@index');", "after": "<?php\n// routes/web.php\n\nuse App\\Http\\Controllers\\UserController;\n\nRoute::get('/users', [UserController::class, 'index']);" }, "multiple_routes": { "before": "<?php\n// routes/web.php\n\nRoute::get('/users', 'UserController@index');\nRoute::post('/users', 'UserController@store');\nRoute::get('/posts', 'PostController@index');", "after": "<?php\n// routes/web.php\n\nuse App\\Http\\Controllers\\UserController;\nuse App\\Http\\Controllers\\PostController;\n\nRoute::get('/users', [UserController::class, 'index']);\nRoute::post('/users', [UserController::class, 'store']);\nRoute::get('/posts', [PostController::class, 'index']);" }, "subdirectory_controller": { "before": "<?php\n// routes/api.php\n\nRoute::get('/admin/users', 'Admin\\UserController@index');", "after": "<?php\n// routes/api.php\n\nuse App\\Http\\Controllers\\Admin\\UserController;\n\nRoute::get('/admin/users', [UserController::class, 'index']);" }, "route_group": { "before": "<?php\n\nRoute::prefix('admin')->group(function () {\n Route::get('/users', 'Admin\\UserController@index');\n Route::get('/posts', 'Admin\\PostController@index');\n});", "after": "<?php\n\nuse App\\Http\\Controllers\\Admin\\UserController;\nuse App\\Http\\Controllers\\Admin\\PostController;\n\nRoute::prefix('admin')->group(function () {\n Route::get('/users', [UserController::class, 'index']);\n Route::get('/posts', [PostController::class, 'index']);\n});" }, "resource_route": { "before": "Route::resource('posts', 'PostController');", "after": "use App\\Http\\Controllers\\PostController;\n\nRoute::resource('posts', PostController::class);" }, "invokable_controller": { "before": "Route::get('/dashboard', 'DashboardController');", "after": "use App\\Http\\Controllers\\DashboardController;\n\nRoute::get('/dashboard', DashboardController::class);" } }, "validation": { "checks": [ { "type": "no_string_syntax", "error_message": "No routes should use string controller syntax" }, { "type": "controller_classes_exist", "error_message": "All controller classes must exist" }, { "type": "use_statements_added", "error_message": "All controllers must have use statements" }, { "type": "syntax_valid", "error_message": "Route files must have valid PHP syntax" }, { "type": "no_duplicate_imports", "error_message": "No duplicate use statements" } ] }, "edge_cases": [ { "case": "Controller in non-standard namespace", "detection": "Controller not in App\\Http\\Controllers", "solution": "Use full namespace path in use statement", "example": "use Custom\\Namespace\\MyController;" }, { "case": "Closure routes", "detection": "function () { }", "solution": "No change needed, closures don't use controllers", "example": "Route::get('/', function() { return view('welcome'); });" }, { "case": "Route::redirect()", "detection": "Route::redirect(", "solution": "No change needed, redirect doesn't use controllers" }, { "case": "Route::view()", "detection": "Route::view(", "solution": "No change needed, view doesn't use controllers" }, { "case": "Already using action array", "detection": "[*Controller::class,", "solution": "Skip, already updated" }, { "case": "API resource routes", "detection": "Route::apiResource(", "solution": "Convert controller string to ::class syntax", "example": "Route::apiResource('posts', PostController::class);" }, { "case": "Namespaced routes in groups", "detection": "Route::namespace()->group(", "solution": "Remove namespace(), convert routes to action arrays", "note": "namespace() method deprecated in Laravel 8" } ], "controller_detection": { "patterns": [ { "pattern": "'ControllerName@method'", "namespace": "App\\Http\\Controllers", "type": "standard" }, { "pattern": "'Subdir\\ControllerName@method'", "namespace": "App\\Http\\Controllers\\Subdir", "type": "subdirectory" }, { "pattern": "'ControllerName'", "namespace": "App\\Http\\Controllers", "type": "invokable", "note": "No @ symbol means __invoke method" } ] }, "import_organization": { "order": [ "Illuminate framework classes", "Third-party packages", "App namespace classes" ], "grouping": "By namespace hierarchy", "alphabetical": true }, "alternative_approach": { "name": "Restore RouteServiceProvider namespace", "description": "Keep string syntax by adding $namespace back", "steps": [ "Open app/Providers/RouteServiceProvider.php", "Add: protected $namespace = 'App\\\\Http\\\\Controllers';", "Keep all routes using string syntax" ], "pros": [ "No route file changes needed", "Quick migration" ], "cons": [ "Not future-proof", "Laravel 9+ may fully remove support", "Less explicit about controller location" ], "recommendation": "Use action array syntax for long-term maintainability" }, "automation_approach": { "regex_method": { "find": "Route::(get|post|put|patch|delete|any|match)\\(([^,]+),\\s*['\"]([^'\"@]+)@([^'\"]+)['\"]", "extract": { "method": "$1", "path": "$2", "controller": "$3", "action": "$4" }, "replace": "Route::$1($2, [App\\\\Http\\\\Controllers\\\\$3::class, '$4'])" }, "ast_method": { "detect": "Expr_StaticCall with scalar string arg containing @", "extract": "Controller and method from string", "transform": "Create array with ClassConstFetch and scalar string" } }, "testing_checklist": [ "All routes resolve correctly", "Middleware still applies", "Route model binding works", "Named routes work", "Route::resource works", "API routes work", "Authentication routes work" ], "common_routes_to_check": [ "Auth routes (if using Laravel UI/Breeze/Jetstream)", "Password reset routes", "Email verification routes", "API authentication routes (Sanctum/Passport)", "Admin panel routes" ], "migration_notes": [ "Can be done incrementally (one route file at a time)", "Test thoroughly after each file conversion", "Update any custom route macros or bindings", "Check that IDE autocomplete still works", "Ensure route caching still works (php artisan route:cache)" ], "references": [ "https://laravel.com/docs/8.x/upgrade#routing", "https://laravel.com/docs/8.x/routing#basic-routing" ] }