The Heroku router is a core component of the Heroku platform that automatically routes HTTP requests sent to your application's hostname(s) to your web dynos.
Essentially, it acts as the intelligent traffic director for your Heroku application. When a user accesses your application through its assigned herokuapp.com domain (or a custom domain), the Heroku router receives the request and forwards it to an available web dyno that can handle it.
Here's a breakdown of its function:
- Traffic Management: The router handles incoming HTTP requests.
- Dyno Routing: It directs these requests to the appropriate web dyno within your application. This ensures that user requests are efficiently distributed.
- Automatic Operation: This routing process is handled automatically by Heroku and requires no manual configuration on your part (in most cases).
- Entry Point: The
herokuapp.comdomain acts as a direct routing path, meaning the Heroku router is the first point of contact for requests to your application on the Common Runtime.
In short, the Heroku router is the system that intelligently and automatically manages and routes web traffic to your application's web dynos, ensuring your application is accessible and responsive to user requests.
