Question 1

How does router.cr compare to Kemal for building web apps in Crystal?

Accepted Answer

router.cr is a lightweight middleware focused solely on routing, offering better performance and minimalism, while Kemal is a full web framework with built-in templating, middleware, and more features but higher overhead. Choose router.cr for microservices or APIs where speed is paramount, and Kemal for full-stack applications needing rapid development tools.

Question 2

How to add custom middleware like logging or authentication to router.cr?

Accepted Answer

Since router.cr integrates with Crystal's HTTP::Server, you can chain additional middleware by modifying the server setup. Use Crystal's standard middleware pattern to add handlers before or after the `route_handler` for functionalities like logging or auth.

Question 3

Does router.cr support WebSockets or real-time features?

Accepted Answer

No, router.cr does not support WebSockets; it is designed exclusively for HTTP routing. For real-time capabilities, you'll need to use Crystal's WebSocket library or other tools alongside router.cr, adding complexity.

Question 4

What are the actual performance benchmarks for router.cr vs other routers?

Accepted Answer

The README links to benchmarks showing router.cr's excellent performance in routing speed, often outperforming alternatives in Crystal. It's optimized for low latency and high throughput, making it suitable for critical applications.

Question 5

How to handle errors like 404s or exceptions in router.cr?

Accepted Answer

Error handling must be implemented manually, as router.cr is minimal. Define custom routes for error pages, use middleware for exception catching, or add logic within route blocks to manage failures, which requires extra coding effort.

Question 6

Can I use router.cr with databases or ORMs in Crystal?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but it's not integrated out of the box. You'll need to separately include and configure database libraries like Granite or ActiveRecord, then access them within your route handlers, adding setup complexity.

router.cr

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