quantum-php / quantum-php/framework
Refactor language URL routing to use explicit @lang special route tokens instead of positional segment detection
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Description
Summary
Refactor Quantum language URL routing so routes can explicitly declare language segments using the special route token:
@lang
instead of relying on positional URL segment detection through config such as lang.url_segment.
Why
Current language URL handling is implicit and positional.
Today, language detection relies on config-driven segment index logic, for example:
lang.url_segment
and the framework then tries to detect the language by reading a configured request segment position, with additional prefix-aware adjustment logic.
That works, but it has several weaknesses:
- route structure does not explicitly show where language lives
- language handling depends on URL segment position math
- routes are harder to reason about when combined with prefixes or other special segments
- the model does not align with the new special route token direction
With special route token support in place, language routing should become explicit in the route pattern itself.
Goal
Allow routes to explicitly declare the language segment using:
@lang
so the router can treat language as a framework-owned route context rather than a positional URL convention.
Proposed Direction
Routes that are language-aware should explicitly include:
@lang
Examples:
$route->get('@lang/posts', 'PostController', 'posts');
$route->get('@lang/post/[uuid=:any]', 'PostController', 'post');
This should allow URLs such as:
/en/posts/es/posts
or, when module prefix is present:
/web/en/posts/api/en/posts
depending on module prefix configuration.
Config Direction
Language config should continue to define language behavior such as:
- whether language is enabled
- supported languages
- default language
But routed language placement should no longer depend on positional config like:
lang.url_segment
The route itself should explicitly declare where language lives.
Important behavior
The resolved language should be:
- matched through the
@langtoken - validated against configured supported languages
- made available to framework internals as language route context
- kept distinct from ordinary controller action parameters by default
Migration Direction
This feature should replace routed language URL detection based on positional segment config for routes that adopt @lang.
Backward compatibility strategy can be decided during implementation, but the intended direction is for explicit routed language segments to become the preferred and cleaner model.
Acceptance Criteria
- routes can explicitly declare language position using
@lang - matched
@langvalues are validated against configured supported languages - language route context is resolved through
@langrather than positional URL segment detection for token-based routes - routed language values do not become ordinary positional controller action parameters by default
- tests cover
@langroute matching and language resolution behavior - templates and examples can be updated to use
@langwhere appropriate
Notes
Relevant code:
src/Lang/Factories/LangFactory.phpsrc/Router/PatternCompiler.phpsrc/Router/MatchedRoute.phpsrc/Http/Traits/Request/Route.php- module route templates currently using language-prefixed route patterns
This ticket depends on:
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reading src/Router/PatternCompiler.php, src/Router/MatchedRoute.php, src/Http/Traits/Request/Route.php, and src/Lang/Factories/LangFactory.php, then inspect existing routing tests. Trace how route tokens and language resolution currently work. Done means @lang routes match supported languages, preserve language as route context rather than an ordinary parameter, and have matching tests plus updated templates or examples where needed.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- php
- Domain
- backend
- Issue type
- Refactor
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100