Response

• Basics
• Setting cookies
• Setting headers
• Response filters
• Caching and compression
• Special responses
  • Redirecting
  • Files
  • Streams

The response class helps you build a HTTP response.

An instance of the response class is always avaiable in all controller classes. It is also easily made avaiable in route closures.

Basics

The body method allows you to set the response body. This is not normally needed as the framework automatically sets the response body to the return value of your controller/route action. It can however be useful if you want to alter the response body in an after filter.

public function afterFilter()
{
	$this->response->body(strtoupper($this->response->getBody()));
}

The getBody method returns the response body.

$responseBody = $this->response->getBody();

The type method lets you define the response type as well as the response charset. The default response type is text/html and the default charset is UTF-8. The default charset is defined in your app\config\application.php config file.

$this->response->type('application/json');

// You can also override the default charset

$this->response->type('application/json', 'iso-8859-1');

The getType method returns the current response type.

$responseType = $this->response->getType();

The charset method lets you set the response charset. The default charset is UTF-8and it is defined in your app\config\application.php config file.

$this->response->charset('iso-8859-1');

The getCharset returns the current response charset.

$responseCharset = $this->response->getCharset();

The status method lets you set the response status.

$this->response->status(404); // Sends the 404 "Not Found" header.

The getStatus method returns the current status code.

$responseStatus = $this->response->getStatus();

The back method will redirect the user back to the previous page.

return $this->response->back();

// You also specify the status header (default is 302)

return $this->response->back(301);

Setting cookies

The cookie method adds a cookie to the response.

// Sets a cookie that expires when the browser closes

$this->response->cookie('name', 'value');

// Sets a cookie that expires after 1 hour

$this->response->cookie('name', 'value', 3600);

// You can also set the path, domain, secure and httponly options using the fourth parameter

$this->response->cookie('name', 'value', 3600, ['path' => '/mydir', 'domain' => '.example.org']);

The signedCookie method has the same method signature as the cookie method. The difference is that the cookie will be signed using the application secret defined in the app/config/application.php config file.

$this->response->signedCookie('name', 'value');

The benefit of using signed cookies over regular cookies is that their values can not be tampered with on the client site.

The hasCookie method returns TRUE if the response has the specified cookie and FALSE if not.

$hasCookie = $this->response->hasCookie('name');

The removeCookie method allows you to remove a cookie from the response.

$this->response->removeCookie('name');

The deleteCookie method deletes a cookie from the browser. It can be used to delete both normal and signed cookies.

$this->response->deleteCooke('name');

// You can also set the path, domain, secure and httponly options using the second parameter

$this->response->deleteCookie('name', ['path' => '/mydir', 'domain' => '.example.org']);

The getCookies method returns an array of all the cookies that have been set.

$responseCookies = $this->response->getCookies();

The clearCookies method will clear all cookies that have been set.

$this->response->clearCookies();

Setting headers

The header method adds a header to your response. The first parameter is the header field while the second is the header value.

$this->response->header('access-control-allow-origin', '*');

The hasHeader method returns TRUE if the response has the specified header and FALSE if not.

$hasHeader = $this->response->hasHeader('access-control-allow-origin'):

The removeHeader method allows you to remove a previously set header from the response.

$this->response->removeHeader('access-control-allow-origin');

The getHeaders method will return an array of all the response headers that have been set.

$responseHeaders = $this->response->getHeaders();

The clearHeaders method will clear all response headers that have been set

$this->response->clearHeaders();

Response filters

The filter methods allows you to add a response filter that the response body will be passed through before being sent to the browser. You can define multiple filters and they will be executed in the order that they were defined.

$this->response->filter(function($responseBody)
{
	return strtoupper($responseBody);
});

The getFilters method will return an array containing all the defined response filters.

$responseFilters = $this->response->getFilters();

The clearFilters method will clear all the defined response filters.

$this->response->clearFilters();

Caching and compression

You can enable ETag caching using the cache method. Doing so can save bandwidth as the response body will only be sent if it has been modified since the last request.

$this->response->cache();

The disableCaching method disables ETag caching if it has been enabled.

$this->response->disableCaching();

The compress method enables output compression. This will save you bandwidh in excahge for a slight bump in CPU usage.

$this->response->compress();

The disableCompression method disables output compression if it has been enabled.

$this->response->disableCompression();

Special responses

Redirecting

The redirect method returns a redirect response container.

return $this->response->redirect($urlBuilder->toRoute('home'));

You can also set the status header (default is 302) by chaining the status method.

return $this->response->redirect($urlBuilder->toRoute())->status(301);

Files

The file method returns a file response container. The file download will be resumable, something that can be very useful when downloading large files.

return $this->response->file('/path/to/file.ext');

You can set a custom file name, content type, content disposition and a callback to be executed after a completed download using the second parameter.

return $this->response->file('/path/to/file.ext', ['file_name' => 'foo.ext']);

Note that any errors in the callback will not be displayed as it happens after the output has been sent. You'll have to check your logs for errors.

Streams

The stream method returns a stream response container. They can be usefull when sending large ammounts data as the data will be flushed to the client in chunks, thus minimizing your application memory usage. It also allows you to begin transmitting dynamically-generated content before knowing the total size of the content.

$this->response->type('text/plain');

return $this->response->stream(function($stream)
{
	$stream->flush('Hello, world!');

	sleep(2);

	$stream->flush('Hello, world!');
});

This might not work as expected as some webservers and reverse proxies will buffer the output before sending it.