.. _-path-:

path
====

Matches the complete unmatched path of the ``RequestContext`` against the given ``PathMatcher``, potentially extracts
one or more values (depending on the type of the argument).


Signature
---------

.. includecode2:: /../../akka-http/src/main/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/server/directives/PathDirectives.scala
   :snippet: path


Description
-----------

This directive filters incoming requests based on the part of their URI that hasn't been matched yet by other
potentially existing :ref:`-pathPrefix-` directives on higher levels of the routing structure.
Its one parameter is usually an expression evaluating to a ``PathMatcher`` instance (see also: :ref:`pathmatcher-dsl`).

As opposed to the :ref:`-rawPathPrefix-` or :ref:`-rawPathPrefixTest-` directives ``path`` automatically adds a leading
slash to its ``PathMatcher`` argument, you therefore don't have to start your matching expression with an explicit slash.

The ``path`` directive attempts to match the **complete** remaining path, not just a prefix. If you only want to match
a path prefix and then delegate further filtering to a lower level in your routing structure use the :ref:`-pathPrefix-`
directive instead. As a consequence it doesn't make sense to nest a ``path`` or :ref:`-pathPrefix-` directive
underneath another ``path`` directive, as there is no way that they will ever match (since the unmatched path underneath
a ``path`` directive will always be empty).

Depending on the type of its ``PathMatcher`` argument the ``path`` directive extracts zero or more values from the URI.
If the match fails the request is rejected with an :ref:`empty rejection set <empty rejections>`.


Example
-------

.. includecode2:: ../../../../code/docs/http/scaladsl/server/directives/PathDirectivesExamplesSpec.scala
  :snippet: path-example