cpp-httplib/docs-src/pages/en/cookbook/s11-pre-request.md

title, order, status

title	order	status
S11. Authenticate Per Route with a Pre-Request Handler	30	draft

The set_pre_routing_handler() from S09 runs before routing, so it has no idea which route matched. When you want per-route behavior, set_pre_request_handler() is what you need.

Pre-routing vs. pre-request

Hook	When it runs	Route info
set_pre_routing_handler	Before routing	Not available
set_pre_request_handler	After routing, right before the route handler	Available via req.matched_route

In a pre-request handler, req.matched_route holds the pattern string that matched. You can vary behavior based on the route definition itself.

Switch auth per route

svr.set_pre_request_handler(
  [](const httplib::Request &req, httplib::Response &res) {
    // require auth for routes starting with /admin
    if (req.matched_route.rfind("/admin", 0) == 0) {
      auto token = req.get_header_value("Authorization");
      if (!is_admin_token(token)) {
        res.status = 403;
        res.set_content("forbidden", "text/plain");
        return httplib::Server::HandlerResponse::Handled;
      }
    }
    return httplib::Server::HandlerResponse::Unhandled;
  });

matched_route is the pattern before path parameters are expanded (e.g. /admin/users/:id). You compare against the route definition, not the actual request path, so IDs or names don't throw you off.

Return values

Same as pre-routing — return HandlerResponse.

• Unhandled: continue (the route handler runs)
• Handled: we're done, skip the route handler

Passing auth info to the route handler

To pass decoded user info into the route handler, use res.user_data. See S12. Pass Data Between Handlers with res.user_data.