Symfony Route Usage Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Steps

1. Installation

   composer require symplify/symfony-route-usage
   

   Register the bundle in config/bundles.php if using Symfony Flex:

   return [
       Symplify\SymfonyRouteUsage\SymfonyRouteUsageBundle::class => ['all' => true],
   ];
   

2. Database Setup Run migrations to create the route_usage table:

   php bin/console doctrine:migrations:diff
   php bin/console doctrine:migrations:migrate
   

3. First Use Case Trigger the route tracking by visiting your application or running tests. Then inspect usage:

   php bin/console show-route-usage
   

Where to Look First

• Console Commands:
  • show-route-usage → Lists all routes with last usage timestamps.
  • show-dead-routes → Flags routes unused for a configurable threshold (default: 30 days).
• Database Table: route_usage stores route calls with timestamps.
• Configuration: config/packages/symfony_route_usage.yaml (if manually configured).

Implementation Patterns

Workflows

1. Development Workflow

   • Use during feature development to track new routes.
   • Run show-dead-routes after refactoring to identify removable routes.

2. CI/CD Integration

   • Add to deployment pipeline to audit routes post-deploy:

     php bin/console show-dead-routes --days=90
     

   • Fail builds if critical routes are unused (e.g., admin endpoints).

3. Testing

   • Seed the route_usage table with test data to simulate usage:

     // tests/Functional/RouteUsageTest.php
     public function testRouteUsageTracking()
     {
         $this->client->request('GET', '/test');
         $this->assertDatabaseHas('route_usage', ['path' => '/test']);
     }
     

Integration Tips

• Symfony Flex: The bundle auto-registers; no manual config needed unless overriding defaults.
• Custom Thresholds: Adjust dead-route detection in config/packages/symfony_route_usage.yaml:

  symfony_route_usage:
      dead_route_days: 60  # Routes unused for >60 days are flagged
  

• Exclude Routes: Skip tracking for health checks or internal routes:

  symfony_route_usage:
      ignored_routes:
          - '^/health'
          - '^/_profiler'
  

• Laravel Adaptation:
  • Use the original Laravel package for Laravel projects.
  • For Symfony/Laravel hybrid apps, mock the RouteUsage service in tests.

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Database Dependencies

   • Issue: Forgetting to run migrations after installation.
   • Fix: Add to composer.json scripts:

     "post-install-cmd": [
         "php bin/console doctrine:migrations:migrate --no-interaction"
     ]
     

   • Debug: Check for route_usage table existence with:

     php bin/console doctrine:schema:validate
     

2. Route Caching

   • Issue: Symfony’s route cache may delay tracking updates.
   • Fix: Clear cache after changes:

     php bin/console cache:clear
     

3. Ignored Routes Misconfiguration

   • Issue: Overly broad ignored routes (e.g., ^/).
   • Fix: Use precise regex patterns and test with:

     php bin/console debug:router | grep "ignored route"
     

4. Performance Overhead

   • Issue: High-traffic apps may see DB load from tracking.
   • Fix: Disable in production if unused:

     symfony_route_usage:
         enabled: "%kernel.environment% != 'prod'"
     

Debugging

• Missing Data: Verify the SymfonyRouteUsageBundle is loaded:

  php bin/console debug:container symfony_route_usage.route_usage
  

• Console Command Errors: Check for typos in bundles.php or missing dependencies.
• Timestamp Issues: Ensure server time is synchronized (affects "dead route" calculations).

Extension Points

1. Custom Storage

   • Override the RouteUsageStorage service to use Redis or Elasticsearch:

     services:
         symfony_route_usage.route_usage.storage:
             class: App\Service\RedisRouteUsageStorage
             arguments: ['@redis']
     

   • Implement Symplify\SymfonyRouteUsage\Contract\RouteUsageStorageInterface.

2. Event Listeners

   • Extend route tracking logic by subscribing to kernel.request:

     // src/EventListener/RouteUsageListener.php
     public function onKernelRequest(GetResponseEvent $event)
     {
         if (!$event->isMasterRequest()) return;
         $this->routeUsage->record($event->getRequest()->getPathInfo());
     }
     

3. API Endpoint

   • Expose usage data via a custom controller:

     // src/Controller/RouteUsageController.php
     public function getUsage(RouteUsage $routeUsage)
     {
         return $this->json($routeUsage->findAll());
     }