---
title: route.js
description: API reference for the route.js special file.
---

Route Handlers allow you to create custom request handlers for a given route using the Web [Request](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Request) and [Response](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Response) APIs.

## HTTP Methods

A **route** file allows you to create custom request handlers for a given route. The following [HTTP methods](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Methods) are supported: `GET`, `POST`, `PUT`, `PATCH`, `DELETE`, `HEAD`, and `OPTIONS`.

```ts filename="route.ts" switcher
export async function GET(request: Request) {}

export async function HEAD(request: Request) {}

export async function POST(request: Request) {}

export async function PUT(request: Request) {}

export async function DELETE(request: Request) {}

export async function PATCH(request: Request) {}

// If `OPTIONS` is not defined, Next.js will automatically implement `OPTIONS` and  set the appropriate Response `Allow` header depending on the other methods defined in the route handler.
export async function OPTIONS(request: Request) {}
```

```js filename="route.js" switcher
export async function GET(request) {}

export async function HEAD(request) {}

export async function POST(request) {}

export async function PUT(request) {}

export async function DELETE(request) {}

export async function PATCH(request) {}

// If `OPTIONS` is not defined, Next.js will automatically implement `OPTIONS` and  set the appropriate Response `Allow` header depending on the other methods defined in the route handler.
export async function OPTIONS(request) {}
```

> **Good to know**: Route Handlers are only available inside the `app` directory. You **do not** need to use API Routes (`pages`) and Route Handlers (`app`) together, as Route Handlers should be able to handle all use cases.

## Parameters

### `request` (optional)

The `request` object is a [NextRequest](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/next-request) object, which is an extension of the Web [Request](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Request) API. `NextRequest` gives you further control over the incoming request, including easily accessing `cookies` and an extended, parsed, URL object `nextUrl`.

### `context` (optional)

```ts filename="app/dashboard/[team]/route.js"
export async function GET(request, context: { params }) {
  const team = params.team // '1'
}
```

Currently, the only value of `context` is `params`, which is an object containing the [dynamic route parameters](/docs/app/building-your-application/routing/dynamic-routes) for the current route.

| Example                          | URL            | `params`                  |
| -------------------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------- |
| `app/dashboard/[team]/route.js`  | `/dashboard/1` | `{ team: '1' }`           |
| `app/shop/[tag]/[item]/route.js` | `/shop/1/2`    | `{ tag: '1', item: '2' }` |
| `app/blog/[...slug]/route.js`    | `/blog/1/2`    | `{ slug: ['1', '2'] }`    |

## NextResponse

Route Handlers can extend the Web Response API by returning a `NextResponse` object. This allows you to easily set cookies, headers, redirect, and rewrite. [View the API reference](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/next-response).

## Version History

| Version   | Changes                        |
| --------- | ------------------------------ |
| `v13.2.0` | Route handlers are introduced. |
