---
name: routing
description: File-based routing, dynamic routes, navigation, and middleware in Nuxt
---

# Routing

Nuxt uses file-system routing based on vue-router. Files in `app/pages/` automatically create routes.

## Basic Routing

```
pages/
├── index.vue      → /
├── about.vue      → /about
└── posts/
    ├── index.vue  → /posts
    └── [id].vue   → /posts/:id
```

## Dynamic Routes

Use brackets for dynamic segments:

```
pages/
├── users/
│   └── [id].vue       → /users/:id
├── posts/
│   └── [...slug].vue  → /posts/* (catch-all)
└── [[optional]].vue   → /:optional? (optional param)
```

Access route parameters:

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
const route = useRoute();
// /posts/123 → route.params.id = '123'
console.log(route.params.id);
</script>
```

## Navigation

### NuxtLink Component

```vue
<template>
  <nav>
    <NuxtLink to="/">Home</NuxtLink>
    <NuxtLink to="/about">About</NuxtLink>
    <NuxtLink :to="{ name: 'posts-id', params: { id: 1 } }">Post 1</NuxtLink>
  </nav>
</template>
```

NuxtLink automatically prefetches linked pages when they enter the viewport.

### Programmatic Navigation

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
const router = useRouter();

function goToPost(id: number) {
  navigateTo(`/posts/${id}`);
  // or
  router.push({ name: 'posts-id', params: { id } });
}
</script>
```

## Route Middleware

### Named Middleware

```ts
// middleware/auth.ts
export default defineNuxtRouteMiddleware((to, from) => {
  const isAuthenticated = false; // Your auth logic

  if (!isAuthenticated) {
    return navigateTo('/login');
  }
});
```

Apply to pages:

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
definePageMeta({
  middleware: 'auth',
  // or multiple: middleware: ['auth', 'admin']
});
</script>
```

### Global Middleware

Name files with `.global` suffix:

```ts
// middleware/logging.global.ts
export default defineNuxtRouteMiddleware((to, from) => {
  console.log('Navigating to:', to.path);
});
```

### Inline Middleware

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
definePageMeta({
  middleware: [
    function (to, from) {
      // Inline middleware logic
    },
  ],
});
</script>
```

## Page Meta

Configure page-level options:

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
definePageMeta({
  title: 'My Page',
  layout: 'custom',
  middleware: 'auth',
  validate: (route) => {
    // Return false for 404, or object with status/statusText
    return /^\d+$/.test(route.params.id as string);
  },
});
</script>
```

## Route Validation

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
definePageMeta({
  validate: (route) => {
    // Must return boolean or object with status
    return typeof route.params.id === 'string' && /^\d+$/.test(route.params.id);
  },
});
</script>
```

## Layouts

Define layouts in `app/layouts/`:

```vue
<!-- layouts/default.vue -->
<template>
  <div>
    <header>Header</header>
    <slot />
    <footer>Footer</footer>
  </div>
</template>
```

```vue
<!-- layouts/admin.vue -->
<template>
  <div class="admin">
    <AdminSidebar />
    <main>
      <slot />
    </main>
  </div>
</template>
```

Use in pages:

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
definePageMeta({
  layout: 'admin',
});
</script>
```

Dynamic layout:

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
const layout = ref('default');

function enableAdmin() {
  setPageLayout('admin');
}
</script>
```

## Navigation Hooks

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
onBeforeRouteLeave((to, from) => {
  // Confirm before leaving
  const answer = window.confirm('Leave?');
  if (!answer) return false;
});

onBeforeRouteUpdate((to, from) => {
  // Called when route changes but component is reused
});
</script>
```

<!--
Source references:
- https://nuxt.com/docs/getting-started/routing
- https://nuxt.com/docs/directory-structure/app/pages
- https://nuxt.com/docs/directory-structure/app/middleware
-->
