# Rails routing demystified

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-routing-demystified/128548>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [February 8, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-routing-demystified/128548 "2008-02-08T18:08:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sharon](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@sharon](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sharon)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-routing-demystified/128548/1 "2008-02-08T18:08:57Z")

</div>

Routing examines the URL of an incoming request and determines what the  
application should do. “Rails routing can be a bit of a tough nut to  
crack.  
But it turns out that most of the toughness resides in a small number of  
concepts. After you’ve got a handle on those, the rest falls into place  
nicely,” says Rails developer Obie F…

In a chapter from his book The Rails Way, Fernandez explains how to best  
use  
the Rails routes.rb file, including what the default route does; as well  
as  
how to write custom routes, use static strings and wildcards in routes,  
create your own “receptors,” and more.

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