Using @PathVariable

Let's say that you are creating an user account-based web application in Spring 3.0. You would like to create a controller that would allow users to see each other's profile by using a URL such as
http://myapp/profile/username.

For example:
http://myapp/profile/Juan would show user Juan's profile.
http://myapp/profile/Gaby would show user Gaby's profile.


Spring 3.0's annotated controllers make this kind of mapping easy with the new @PathVariable mapping. @Controller public class ShowProfileController { @RequestMapping("/profile/{username}") public String showProfile(Model model, @PathVariable("username") final String username) { ... return "showProfile"; // show my jsp } } As you can see, the RequestMapping for the showProfile method has something a bit unusual: {username}
This is a PathVariable, and it means that this method will serve any request of the format "/profile/someUserName"

We capture the actual username in the next line using the @PathVariable annotation @PathVariable("username") and store it in the variable

final String username

Now we can use it however we want!
Viva Spring framework!!!