Request Lifecycle

Bhitti keeps the hot path direct and avoids starting stateful services before they are needed.

1. Entry point

public/index.php loads the application and captures the request:

$app = require dirname(__DIR__) . '/bootstrap/app.php';
$app->run(Request::capture());

2. Application bootstrap

The application loads configuration, services, the container, router, middleware kernel, and route dispatcher. In production, cached configuration and cached routes are used when available.

3. Kernel middleware

The kernel executes middleware.kernel.web or middleware.kernel.api before route matching.

These middleware must remain stateless because the session is not configured at this stage. Header/CORS-style middleware belongs here.

4. Route matching

FastRoute resolves the request.

• NOT_FOUND returns 404.
• METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED returns 405 and an Allow header.
• FOUND continues to route execution.

404/405 requests do not start route middleware or a web session.

5. Matched route execution

For a matched web route, the configured session driver is registered. If sessions are disabled, Bhitti uses the null session driver. API routes do not configure PHP sessions.

Bhitti then executes the matched-route middleware in this order:

1. route-level global middleware from config/middleware.php,
2. route-specific middleware from the route definition,
3. controller class-level #[Middleware] attributes,
4. controller method-level #[Middleware] attributes.

Controller attributes are collected during route registration and stored with the prepared route handler, so they are also part of the route cache. Only after middleware succeeds is the controller resolved from the container.

6. Controller arguments

Route scalar parameters are validated against built-in parameter types captured by the router (int, float, bool, and similar built-ins). Invalid typed route input receives a 400 response.

7. Controller result

• A Response object is sent.
• A string is emitted as the response body.
• Controller also return string. return "string";