Controllers

Controllers are the heart of your application, as they determine how HTTP requests should be handled.

What is a Controller?

A Controller is simply a class file that handles an HTTP request. URI Routing associates a URI with a controller. It returns a view string or Response object.

Every controller you create should extend BaseController class. This class provides several features that are available to all of your controllers.

Constructor

The CodeIgniter’s Controller has a special constructor initController(). It will be called by the framework after PHP’s constructor __construct() execution.

If you want to override the initController(), don’t forget to add parent::initController($request, $response, $logger); in the method:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

use CodeIgniter\HTTP\RequestInterface;
use CodeIgniter\HTTP\ResponseInterface;
use Psr\Log\LoggerInterface;

class Product extends BaseController
{
    public function initController(
        RequestInterface $request,
        ResponseInterface $response,
        LoggerInterface $logger,
    ) {
        parent::initController($request, $response, $logger);

        // Add your code here.
    }

    // ...
}

Important

You cannot use return in the constructor. So return redirect()->to('route'); does not work.

The initController() method sets the following three properties.

Included Properties

The CodeIgniter’s Controller provides these properties.

Request Object

The application’s main Request Instance is always available as a class property, $this->request.

Response Object

The application’s main Response Instance is always available as a class property, $this->response.

Logger Object

An instance of the Logger class is available as a class property, $this->logger.

Helpers

You can define an array of helper files as a class property. Whenever the controller is loaded these helper files will be automatically loaded into memory so that you can use their methods anywhere inside the controller:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class MyController extends BaseController
{
    protected $helpers = ['url', 'form'];
}

forceHTTPS

A convenience method for forcing a method to be accessed via HTTPS is available within all controllers:

<?php

if (! $this->request->isSecure()) {
    $this->forceHTTPS();
}

By default, and in modern browsers that support the HTTP Strict Transport Security header, this call should force the browser to convert non-HTTPS calls to HTTPS calls for one year. You can modify this by passing the duration (in seconds) as the first parameter:

<?php

if (! $this->request->isSecure()) {
    $this->forceHTTPS(31536000); // one year
}

Note

A number of time-based constants are always available for you to use, including YEAR, MONTH, and more.

Validating Data

$this->validateData()

New in version 4.2.0.

To simplify data checking, the controller also provides the convenience method validateData().

The method accepts (1) an array of data to validate, (2) an array of rules, (3) an optional array of custom error messages to display if the items are not valid, (4) an optional database group to use.

The Validation Library docs have details on rule and message array formats, as well as available rules:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class StoreController extends BaseController
{
    public function product(int $id)
    {
        $data = [
            'id'   => $id,
            'name' => $this->request->getPost('name'),
        ];

        $rule = [
            'id'   => 'integer',
            'name' => 'required|max_length[255]',
        ];

        if (! $this->validateData($data, $rule)) {
            return view('store/product', [
                'errors' => $this->validator->getErrors(),
            ]);
        }

        // ...
    }
}

$this->validate()

Important

This method exists only for backward compatibility. Do not use it in new projects. Even if you are already using it, we recommend that you use the validateData() method instead.

The controller also provides the convenience method validate().

Warning

Instead of validate(), use validateData() to validate POST data only. validate() uses $request->getVar() which returns $_GET, $_POST or $_COOKIE data in that order (depending on php.ini request-order). Newer values override older values. POST values may be overridden by the cookies if they have the same name.

The method accepts an array of rules in the first parameter, and in the optional second parameter, an array of custom error messages to display if the items are not valid.

Internally, this uses the controller’s $this->request instance to get the data to be validated.

The Validation Library docs have details on rule and message array formats, as well as available rules:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class UserController extends BaseController
{
    public function updateUser(int $userID)
    {
        if (! $this->validate([
            'email' => "required|is_unique[users.email,id,{$userID}]",
            'name'  => 'required|alpha_numeric_spaces',
        ])) {
            // The validation failed.
            return view('users/update', [
                'errors' => $this->validator->getErrors(),
            ]);
        }

        // The validation was successful.

        // Get the validated data.
        $validData = $this->validator->getValidated();

        // ...
    }
}

Warning

When you use the validate() method, you should use the getValidated() method to get the validated data. Because the validate() method uses the Validation::withRequest() method internally, and it validates data from $request->getJSON() or $request->getRawInput() or $request->getVar(), and an attacker could change what data is validated.

Note

The $this->validator->getValidated() method can be used since v4.4.0.

If you find it simpler to keep the rules in the configuration file, you can replace the $rules array with the name of the group as defined in app/Config/Validation.php:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class UserController extends BaseController
{
    public function updateUser(int $userID)
    {
        if (! $this->validate('userRules')) {
            // The validation failed.
            return view('users/update', [
                'errors' => $this->validator->getErrors(),
            ]);
        }

        // The validation was successful.

        // Get the validated data.
        $validData = $this->validator->getValidated();

        // ...
    }
}

Note

Validation can also be handled automatically in the model, but sometimes it’s easier to do it in the controller. Where is up to you.

Protecting Methods

In some cases, you may want certain methods hidden from public access. To achieve this, simply declare the method as private or protected. That will prevent it from being served by a URL request.

For example, if you were to define a method like this for the Helloworld controller:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Helloworld extends BaseController
{
    protected function utility()
    {
        // some code
    }
}

and to define a route (helloworld/utitilty) for the method. Then trying to access it using the following URL will not work:

example.com/index.php/helloworld/utility

Auto-routing also will not work.

Auto Routing (Improved)

New in version 4.2.0.

Auto Routing (Improved) is a new, more secure automatic routing system.

See Auto Routing (Improved) for details.

Auto Routing (Legacy)

Important

This feature exists only for backward compatibility. Do not use it in new projects. Even if you are already using it, we recommend that you use the Auto Routing (Improved) instead.

This section describes the functionality of Auto Routing (Legacy) that is a routing system from CodeIgniter 3. It automatically routes an HTTP request, and executes the corresponding controller method without route definitions. The auto-routing is disabled by default.

Warning

To prevent misconfiguration and miscoding, we recommend that you do not use Auto Routing (Legacy). It is easy to create vulnerable apps where controller filters or CSRF protection are bypassed.

Important

Auto Routing (Legacy) routes an HTTP request with any HTTP method to a controller method.

Important

Since v4.5.0, if Auto Routing (Legacy) doesn’t find the controller, it will throw PageNotFoundException exception before the Controller Filters execute.

Consider this URI:

example.com/index.php/helloworld/

In the above example, CodeIgniter would attempt to find a controller named Helloworld.php and load it.

Note

When a controller’s short name matches the first segment of a URI, it will be loaded.

Let’s try it: Hello World! (Legacy)

Let’s create a simple controller so you can see it in action. Using your text editor, create a file called Helloworld.php, and put the following code in it. You will notice that the Helloworld Controller is extending the BaseController. you can also extend the CodeIgniter\Controller if you do not need the functionality of the BaseController.

The BaseController provides a convenient place for loading components and performing functions that are needed by all your controllers. You can extend this class in any new controller.

For security reasons be sure to declare any new utility methods as protected or private:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Helloworld extends BaseController
{
    public function index()
    {
        return 'Hello World!';
    }
}

Then save the file to your app/Controllers directory.

Important

The file must be called Helloworld.php, with a capital H. When you use Auto Routing, Controller class names MUST start with an uppercase letter and ONLY the first character can be uppercase.

Now visit your site using a URL similar to this:

example.com/index.php/helloworld

If you did it right you should see:

Hello World!

This is valid:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Helloworld extends BaseController
{
    // ...
}

This is not valid:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class helloworld extends BaseController
{
    // ...
}

This is not valid:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class HelloWorld extends BaseController
{
    // ...
}

Also, always make sure your controller extends the parent controller class so that it can inherit all its methods.

Note

The system will attempt to match the URI against Controllers by matching each segment against directories/files in app/Controllers, when a match wasn’t found against defined routes. That’s why your directories/files MUST start with a capital letter and the rest MUST be lowercase.

If you want another naming convention you need to manually define it using the Defined Route Routing. Here is an example based on PSR-4 Autoloader:

<?php

/*
 * Folder and file structure:
 * \<NamespaceName>(\<SubNamespaceNames>)*\<ClassName>
 */

$routes->get('helloworld', '\App\Controllers\HelloWorld::index');

Methods (Legacy)

In the above example, the method name is index(). The index() method is always loaded by default if the second segment of the URI is empty. Another way to show your “Hello World” message would be this:

example.com/index.php/helloworld/index/

The second segment of the URI determines which method in the controller gets called.

Let’s try it. Add a new method to your controller:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Helloworld extends BaseController
{
    public function index()
    {
        return 'Hello World!';
    }

    public function comment()
    {
        return 'I am not flat!';
    }
}

Now load the following URL to see the comment method:

example.com/index.php/helloworld/comment/

You should see your new message.

Passing URI Segments to Your Methods (Legacy)

If your URI contains more than two segments they will be passed to your method as parameters.

For example, let’s say you have a URI like this:

example.com/index.php/products/shoes/sandals/123

Your method will be passed URI segments 3 and 4 ('sandals' and '123'):

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Products extends BaseController
{
    public function shoes($sandals, $id)
    {
        return $sandals . $id;
    }
}

Default Controller (Legacy)

The Default Controller is a special controller that is used when a URI end with a directory name or when a URI is not present, as will be the case when only your site root URL is requested.

Defining a Default Controller (Legacy)

Let’s try it with the Helloworld controller.

To specify a default controller open your app/Config/Routing.php file and set this property:

public string $defaultController = 'Helloworld';

Where Helloworld is the name of the controller class you want to be used.

And comment out the line in app/Config/Routes.php:

$routes->get('/', 'Home::index');

If you now browse to your site without specifying any URI segments you’ll see the “Hello World” message.

Note

The line $routes->get('/', 'Home::index'); is an optimization that you will want to use in a “real-world” app. But for demonstration purposes we don’t want to use that feature. $routes->get() is explained in URI Routing

For more information, please refer to the the Configuration Options (Legacy) documentation.

Organizing Your Controllers into Sub-directories (Legacy)

If you are building a large application you might want to hierarchically organize or structure your controllers into sub-directories. CodeIgniter permits you to do this.

Simply create sub-directories under the main app/Controllers, and place your controller classes within them.

Important

Directory names MUST start with an uppercase letter and ONLY the first character can be uppercase.

When using this feature the first segment of your URI must specify the directory. For example, let’s say you have a controller located here:

app/Controllers/Products/Shoes.php

To call the above controller your URI will look something like this:

example.com/index.php/products/shoes/show/123

Note

You cannot have directories with the same name in app/Controllers and public/. This is because if there is a directory, the web server will search for it and it will not be routed to CodeIgniter.

Each of your sub-directories may contain a default controller which will be called if the URL contains only the sub-directory. Simply put a controller in there that matches the name of your default controller as specified in your app/Config/Routing.php file.

CodeIgniter also permits you to map your URIs using its Defined Route Routing..

Remapping Method Calls

Note

Auto Routing (Improved) does not support this feature intentionally.

As noted above, the second segment of the URI typically determines which method in the controller gets called. CodeIgniter permits you to override this behavior through the use of the _remap() method:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Products extends BaseController
{
    public function _remap()
    {
        // Some code here...
    }
}

Important

If your controller contains a method named _remap(), it will always get called regardless of what your URI contains. It overrides the normal behavior in which the URI determines which method is called, allowing you to define your own method routing rules.

The overridden method call (typically the second segment of the URI) will be passed as a parameter to the _remap() method:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Products extends BaseController
{
    public function _remap($method)
    {
        if ($method === 'some_method') {
            return $this->{$method}();
        }

        return $this->default_method();
    }
}

Any extra segments after the method name are passed into _remap(). These parameters can be passed to the method to emulate CodeIgniter’s default behavior.

Example:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

class Products extends BaseController
{
    public function _remap($method, ...$params)
    {
        $method = 'process_' . $method;

        if (method_exists($this, $method)) {
            return $this->{$method}(...$params);
        }

        throw \CodeIgniter\Exceptions\PageNotFoundException::forPageNotFound();
    }
}

Extending the Controller

If you want to extend the controller, see Extending the Controller.

That’s it!

That, in a nutshell, is all there is to know about controllers.