Adding APIs and global middleware with Universal Middleware (or not)

[ambergristle]

i know that there's been some back + forth on how apis should be integrated, but that it is possible to add middleware/handlers to /server/entry. the comments in the starter template say:

Note: You can directly define a server middleware instead of defining a Universal Middleware. (You can remove @universal-middleware/* — Vike's scaffolder uses https://github.com/magne4000/universal-middleware only to simplify its internal logic)

thanks to feedback from @magne4000, i now understand that:
the advantages of using universal-middleware are mainly about portability (for devs) and development/maintenance cost (for vike)

if so, then it seems like there wouldn't be any major downsides to something like this if i wanted to run some middleware or add an api layer:

function startApp() {
  const app = new Hono()
    .use(/** */)
    .get(/** */)

  apply(app)
}

original conversation: https://discord.com/channels/1105779924658303058/1125707822705938454/1475187486060712009

[ambergristle]

i'll add more specific questions that i have as they come up here. numbering for clarity only:

1. Are there any hidden costs to applying middleware to the Hono app directly, instead of with Universal Middleware?
2. Can you confirm that only GET and POST requests are/will be supported for API routes added this way?

[magne4000]

You should be able to use Hono however you please :)

Are there any hidden costs to applying middleware to the Hono app directly, instead of with Universal Middleware?

There is no hidden cost.

Can you confirm that only GET and POST requests are/will be supported for API routes added this way?

No, any request method is supported, you can add HEAD or OPTIONS handlers if you want to. Just think about it like Hono is using Vike, not the other way around.

[brillout]

To add to magne4000's answer, you can completely remove @universal-middleware/* — consider the Universal Middleware usage as temporary code that helps Vike's scaffolder generate middlewares that work with any server (Hono, Express.js, etc.).