Request/Response Lifecycle

This page explains how Webflo orchestrates each interaction from request to response, and how you can hook into various stages, including realtime.

Overview

1. A request is received and a route is resolved.
2. Matching handler(s) execute, optionally delegating via next() for nested routes.
3. A value is produced: data, Response, or LiveResponse.
4. The client renders data into the UI or consumes the response stream.
5. Optional realtime keeps the channel open for additional updates until closed.

The HttpEvent

• event.request, event.url — normalized request data.
• event.cookies, event.session, event.user — common state interfaces.
• event.signal — aborts when lifecycle completes or client aborts.
• event.waitUntil(promise) — extend lifecycle to await background work.
• event.respondWith(value, optionsOrCallback) — emit one or more responses.

See also: /api/webflo-routing/HttpEvent

Delegation via next()

export default async function (event, next) {
  if (next.stepname) return next();
  return { title: 'Home' };
}

Returning Values

• Single value: return {...} or return Response.json({...})
• Multiple/progressive values: call event.respondWith(...) one or more times
• Generators or live functions can yield multiple values naturally

See: /api/webflo-routing/handler

Realtime

Realtime extends the lifecycle beyond a single response so server and client can exchange multiple messages.

Close conditions:

• Handler finishes and no more messages are expected
• HttpEvent.signal aborts (client navigated away or server closed)

See: /docs/concepts/realtime

Completion and Abort

• The root event aborts when all subtree handlers complete or the request aborts.
• Child events inherit from the parent and abort when the parent aborts.