Today, I learned that API routes can be designed to use the hypen and dot for useful purposes. For instance, to pass/parse multiple pieces of information.

Example usage of the hypen

Route path: /flights/:from-:to
Request URL: http://localhost:3000/flights/LAX-SFO
req.params: { "from": "LAX", "to": "SFO" }

Example usage of the dot

Route path: /plantae/:genus.:species
Request URL: http://localhost:3000/plantae/Prunus.persica
req.params: { "genus": "Prunus", "species": "persica" }

There're other ways to pass multiple values to a route path such that uses an array or the same parameter.

Example

Route path: /test:
Request URL1: https://localhost:3000/test?array=a&array=b&array=c
Request URL2: https://localhost:3000/test?array[]=a&array[]=b&array[]=c

In the code

app.get('/test', function(req,res){
console.log(req.query.array); // array=[a,b,c]
res.send(200);
});

Note that query string exposes sensitive data to clients, so sensitive data shouldn't be put into a query string.