---
title: Matching requests using AltoRouter
layout: default
---
<h1>
    <small>Using AltoRouter</small>
    Matching Requests
</h1>

<p>To match the current request, just call the `match()` method without any parameters.</p>

{% highlight php startinline %}
$match = $router->match();
{% endhighlight %}

<p>If a match was found, the <code>match()</code> method will return an associative array with the following 3 keys.</p>

<p>
	<code>target</code> (mixed)<br />
	The target of the route, given during mapping the route.
</p>

<p>
	<code>params</code> (array)<br />
	Named parameters found in the request url.
</p>

<p>
	<code>name</code> (string)<br />
	The name of the route.
</p>

<p><em>Example</em></p>

{% highlight php startinline %}
$router = new AltoRouter();
$router->map( 'GET', '/', function() { .. }, 'home' );

// assuming current request url = '/'
$match = $router->match();

/*
array(3) {
	["target"]	=> object(Closure)#2 (0) { }
	["params"]	=> array(0) { }
	["name"] 	=> 'home'
}
*/
{% endhighlight %}

<p>AltoRouter does not process the request for you, you are free to use the method you prefer. Here is a simplified example <a href="/usage/processing-requests.html">how to process requests using closures</a> though.</p>

<p>
    <a style="float:left;" href="{{ '/usage/mapping-routes.html' | relative_url }}">&laquo; Mapping routes</a>
    <a style="float:right;" href="{{ '/usage/processing-requests.html' | relative_url }}">Processing requests &raquo;</a>
    <br style="clear:both;">
</p>