In a web application, routing is the process of mapping the path component of a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) to the handler code that represents a given resource. There are many ways to implement this functionality, all with positive and negative consequences for performance, usability, and functionality. The Echo framework provides an efficient solution to this problem through the implementation of a Radix Tree. Other frameworks range in routing implementation by using regular expressions, maps, and other mechanisms to perform this mapping functionality.

Within this chapter, we will go through examples of how the routing capabilities within the Echo framework perform better than many other web application frameworks. We will dive into route organization, grouping of routes, and real examples of best practices when coming up with your routing. By the end of this chapter, you should have confidence with the following:

• How routing works within a web application:
  • How to effectively group routes within your web application
  • How to organize your application routes
• Internals and capabilities of the Echo router
• Comparisons with other routers:
  • Performance considerations
  • Functional considerations