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Core Components

The HTTP layer is organized into several key modules, each handling a specific part of the lifecycle:

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1. Controllers

Controllers are the entry points for your business logic. Each controller typically handles a single route and method.
  • Base Class: AbstractApivalkController
  • Responsibility: Receive a typed Request and return a typed Response.
  • Learn more: Controllers Documentation

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2. Requests

Requests in Apivalk are more than just wrappers around $_GET and $_POST. They are strongly typed objects that automatically populate and validate themselves based on your documentation.
  • Base Class: AbstractApivalkRequest
  • Data Storage: Data is organized into “Bags” (Query, Body, Path, Header, File).
  • Learn more: Requests Documentation

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3. Responses

Apivalk encourages the use of semantic response objects rather than raw arrays or strings. This ensures consistency across your API.
  • Base Class: AbstractApivalkResponse
  • Pre-defined Types: BadRequestApivalkResponse, NotFoundApivalkResponse, UnauthorizedApivalkResponse, etc.
  • Learn more: Responses Documentation

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4. HTTP Methods

HTTP verbs are represented as objects implementing MethodInterface. This allows the framework to handle routing and method validation cleanly.
  • Implementations: GetMethod, PostMethod, PutMethod, DeleteMethod, PatchMethod.
  • Factory: MethodFactory is used to instantiate these from strings.

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5. Renderers

Renderers are responsible for taking an AbstractApivalkResponse and sending the appropriate headers and body to the client.
  • Interface: RendererInterface
  • Default: JsonRenderer, which automatically handles JSON encoding and Content-Type: application/json headers.

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The HTTP Workflow

  1. Routing: The Router matches the incoming request URI and method to a specific Controller.
  2. Request Preparation: The framework instantiates the controller and its associated AbstractApivalkRequest.
  3. Population & Validation: The Request object is populated from superglobals. RequestValidationMiddleware then ensures the data matches the defined schema.
  4. Execution: The Controller’s __invoke() method is called with the populated Request.
  5. Return: The Controller returns an AbstractApivalkResponse.
  6. Rendering: The Renderer (e.g., JsonRenderer) converts the Response object into the final HTTP output.

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Specialized Helpers

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Pagination

For APIs returning lists of data, Apivalk provides dedicated tools to handle offset-based pagination consistently.

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Why use this structure?

  • Predictability: Every endpoint follows the same pattern, making the codebase easier to navigate.
  • Type Safety: You never have to wonder if a variable is a string or an integer; the framework guarantees it before your code runs.
  • Zero Boilerplate: Automatic population and validation mean you focus only on business logic.
  • Documentation Synergy: Because the HTTP layer is driven by the same definitions used for OpenAPI generation, your implementation and documentation are always in sync.