How It Works

1. Scan

The plugin scans the API directory (default src/api) for route files ([name].[method].ts or .js) and middleware files (middleware.ts or middleware.js).

2. Loading

Handlers and middlewares are loaded using Vite's module system so that they benefit from Vite's resolution, transforms, and caching.

3. Type Generation

For TypeScript projects, the plugin analyzes route files and generates api.types.ts with params, body, query types and a VitekRoute union. Types are updated when files change.

4. Service Generation

The plugin generates api.services.ts (TypeScript) or api.services.js (JavaScript) with typed helper functions that call your API. These are updated when routes change.

5. Integration

A middleware is registered on the Vite dev server that intercepts requests under the API base path (default /api). Incoming requests are matched against the parsed routes; the matched handler runs after applicable middlewares.

6. Hot Reload

The plugin watches the API directory. When you add, change, or remove route or middleware files, routes and generated types/services are updated and the dev server reflects the changes without a full restart.

7. Build and production

When you run vite build (and buildApi is not disabled), the plugin also bundles your API into dist/vitek-api.mjs. For production (or local production-like runs), use vitek-serve: it serves static assets and the API from one Node process. See Production server. vite preview is for quick local preview of the static build only.