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Overview

THorse is the main class of the Horse web framework. It extends THorseProvider (which extends THorseCore) and provides all routing, middleware, and server control functionality. 
type
  THorse = class(THorseProvider);

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Routing Methods

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Get

Register a route that responds to GET requests. 
class function Get(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Get(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequestResponse): THorseCore;
class function Get(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequest): THorseCore;
class function Get(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackResponse): THorseCore; // Delphi only
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APath
string
required
The route path (e.g., ‘/users’, ‘/products/:id’)
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ACallback
THorseCallback | THorseCallbackRequestResponse | THorseCallbackRequest | THorseCallbackResponse
required
The callback function to execute when the route is matched
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse.Get('/users',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    Res.Send('List of users');
  end);

// With route parameters
THorse.Get('/users/:id',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    Res.Send('User ID: ' + Req.Params['id']);
  end);

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Post

Register a route that responds to POST requests. 
class function Post(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Post(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequestResponse): THorseCore;
class function Post(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequest): THorseCore;
class function Post(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackResponse): THorseCore; // Delphi only
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APath
string
required
The route path
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ACallback
THorseCallback | THorseCallbackRequestResponse | THorseCallbackRequest | THorseCallbackResponse
required
The callback function to execute
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse.Post('/users',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    // Create new user with Req.Body
    Res.Status(THTTPStatus.Created).Send('User created');
  end);

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Put

Register a route that responds to PUT requests. 
class function Put(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Put(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequestResponse): THorseCore;
class function Put(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequest): THorseCore;
class function Put(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackResponse): THorseCore; // Delphi only
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APath
string
required
The route path
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ACallback
THorseCallback | THorseCallbackRequestResponse | THorseCallbackRequest | THorseCallbackResponse
required
The callback function to execute
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse.Put('/users/:id',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    // Update user with ID from Req.Params['id']
    Res.Send('User updated');
  end);

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Delete

Register a route that responds to DELETE requests. 
class function Delete(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Delete(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequestResponse): THorseCore;
class function Delete(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequest): THorseCore;
class function Delete(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackResponse): THorseCore; // Delphi only
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APath
string
required
The route path
​
ACallback
THorseCallback | THorseCallbackRequestResponse | THorseCallbackRequest | THorseCallbackResponse
required
The callback function to execute
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse.Delete('/users/:id',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    // Delete user with ID from Req.Params['id']
    Res.Status(THTTPStatus.NoContent).Send('');
  end);

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Patch

Register a route that responds to PATCH requests. 
class function Patch(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Patch(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequestResponse): THorseCore;
class function Patch(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequest): THorseCore;
class function Patch(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackResponse): THorseCore; // Delphi only
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APath
string
required
The route path
​
ACallback
THorseCallback | THorseCallbackRequestResponse | THorseCallbackRequest | THorseCallbackResponse
required
The callback function to execute
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse.Patch('/users/:id',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    // Partially update user
    Res.Send('User patched');
  end);
Register a route that responds to HEAD requests. 
class function Head(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Head(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequestResponse): THorseCore;
class function Head(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequest): THorseCore;
class function Head(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackResponse): THorseCore; // Delphi only
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APath
string
required
The route path
​
ACallback
THorseCallback | THorseCallbackRequestResponse | THorseCallbackRequest | THorseCallbackResponse
required
The callback function to execute
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse.Head('/users',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    Res.Status(THTTPStatus.Ok);
  end);

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All

Register a route that responds to all HTTP methods. 
class function All(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function All(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequestResponse): THorseCore;
class function All(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackRequest): THorseCore;
class function All(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallbackResponse): THorseCore; // Delphi only
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APath
string
required
The route path
​
ACallback
THorseCallback | THorseCallbackRequestResponse | THorseCallbackRequest | THorseCallbackResponse
required
The callback function to execute
​
Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse.All('/status',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    Res.Send('Server is running');
  end);

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Middleware Methods

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Use

Register middleware that executes for all routes or routes matching a specific path. 
class function Use(const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Use(const APath: string; const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Use(const ACallbacks: array of THorseCallback): THorseCore;
class function Use(const APath: string; const ACallbacks: array of THorseCallback): THorseCore;
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APath
string
Optional path prefix to apply middleware to. If not provided, middleware applies to all routes.
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ACallback
THorseCallback
required
The middleware callback function
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ACallbacks
array of THorseCallback
required
Array of middleware callbacks to register
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
// Global middleware
THorse.Use(
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    Writeln('Request received: ' + Req.PathInfo);
    Next; // Call next middleware/route
  end);

// Path-specific middleware
THorse.Use('/api',
  procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
  begin
    // Middleware only for /api/* routes
    Next;
  end);

// Multiple middlewares
THorse.Use([Middleware1, Middleware2, Middleware3]);

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AddCallback

Add a callback to a collection that will be registered with the next route definition. 
class function AddCallback(const ACallback: THorseCallback): THorseCore;
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ACallback
THorseCallback
required
The callback function to add
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
THorse
  .AddCallback(AuthMiddleware)
  .AddCallback(LoggingMiddleware)
  .Get('/protected', GetProtectedResource);

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AddCallbacks

Add multiple callbacks to a collection that will be registered with the next route definition. 
class function AddCallbacks(const ACallbacks: TArray<THorseCallback>): THorseCore;
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ACallbacks
TArray<THorseCallback>
required
Array of callback functions to add
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Result
THorseCore
Returns the Horse instance for method chaining
Example: 
var
  Middlewares: TArray<THorseCallback>;
begin
  SetLength(Middlewares, 2);
  Middlewares[0] := AuthMiddleware;
  Middlewares[1] := LoggingMiddleware;
  
  THorse
    .AddCallbacks(Middlewares)
    .Get('/protected', GetProtectedResource);
end;

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Grouping and Routing

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Route

Create a route builder for advanced route configuration. 
class function Route(const APath: string): IHorseCoreRoute<THorseCore>;
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APath
string
required
The route path
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Result
IHorseCoreRoute<THorseCore>
Returns a route builder interface
Example: 
THorse.Route('/users')
  .Get(
    procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
    begin
      Res.Send('Get users');
    end)
  .Post(
    procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
    begin
      Res.Send('Create user');
    end);

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Group

Create a group builder for organizing related routes. 
class function Group: IHorseCoreGroup<THorseCore>;
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Result
IHorseCoreGroup<THorseCore>
Returns a group builder interface
Example: 
THorse.Group
  .Prefix('/api/v1')
  .Get('/users',
    procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
    begin
      Res.Send('Users');
    end)
  .Get('/products',
    procedure(Req: THorseRequest; Res: THorseResponse; Next: TProc)
    begin
      Res.Send('Products');
    end);

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Server Control Methods

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Listen

Start the HTTP server and begin listening for requests. 
class procedure Listen; overload;
class procedure Listen(const APort: Integer; const AHost: string = '0.0.0.0'; const ACallbackListen: TProc = nil; const ACallbackStopListen: TProc = nil); overload;
class procedure Listen(const APort: Integer; const ACallbackListen: TProc; const ACallbackStopListen: TProc = nil); overload;
class procedure Listen(const AHost: string; const ACallbackListen: TProc = nil; const ACallbackStopListen: TProc = nil); overload;
class procedure Listen(const ACallbackListen: TProc; const ACallbackStopListen: TProc = nil); overload;
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APort
Integer
The port number to listen on (default: 9000)
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AHost
string
The host address to bind to (default: ‘0.0.0.0’)
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ACallbackListen
TProc
Optional callback executed when server starts listening
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ACallbackStopListen
TProc
Optional callback executed when server stops listening
Example: 
// Simple listen on default port 9000
THorse.Listen;

// Listen on specific port
THorse.Listen(8080);

// Listen with callback
THorse.Listen(9000,
  procedure
  begin
    Writeln('Server is running on port 9000');
  end);

// Listen on specific host and port
THorse.Listen(8080, '127.0.0.1',
  procedure
  begin
    Writeln('Server started on 127.0.0.1:8080');
  end,
  procedure
  begin
    Writeln('Server stopped');
  end);

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StopListen

Stop the HTTP server. 
class procedure StopListen;
Example: 
THorse.StopListen;

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Server Configuration Properties

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Port

Get or set the server port. 
class property Port: Integer read GetPort write SetPort;
Example: 
THorse.Port := 8080;
THorse.Listen;

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Host

Get or set the server host address. 
class property Host: string read GetHost write SetHost;
Example: 
THorse.Host := '127.0.0.1';
THorse.Listen;

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MaxConnections

Get or set the maximum number of simultaneous connections. 
class property MaxConnections: Integer read GetMaxConnections write SetMaxConnections;
Example: 
THorse.MaxConnections := 1000;
THorse.Listen;

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ListenQueue

Get or set the listen queue size (pending connections backlog). 
class property ListenQueue: Integer read GetListenQueue write SetListenQueue;
Example: 
THorse.ListenQueue := 50;
THorse.Listen;

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KeepConnectionAlive

Get or set whether to keep connections alive after requests. 
class property KeepConnectionAlive: Boolean read GetKeepConnectionAlive write SetKeepConnectionAlive;
Example: 
THorse.KeepConnectionAlive := True;
THorse.Listen;

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IsRunning

Check whether the Horse server is currently running. 
class function IsRunning: Boolean;
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Result
Boolean
Returns True if the server is running, False otherwise
Example: 
if THorse.IsRunning then
  Writeln('Server is running')
else
  Writeln('Server is stopped');

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Module Methods

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ToModule

Convert the current Horse instance to a module that can be mounted in another Horse application. 
class function ToModule: THorseModule;
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Result
THorseModule
Returns a THorseModule that can be used in another Horse instance
Example: 
var
  App, AdminModule: THorse;
begin
  AdminModule := THorse.Create;
  AdminModule.Get('/users', GetUsers);
  AdminModule.Get('/settings', GetSettings);
  
  App := THorse.Create;
  App.Use('/admin', AdminModule.ToModule);
  App.Listen(9000);
end;

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Utility Methods

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Version

Get the current Horse framework version. 
class function Version: string;
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Result
string
Returns the version string
Example: 
Writeln('Horse version: ' + THorse.Version);

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See Also

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