How to Use Middleware in Echo

You use middleware in Echo by calling e.Use() with a function that wraps the next handler. This function executes before and after the handler, allowing you to modify requests or responses.

package main

import (
	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
	"net/http"
	"time"
)

func main() {
	e := echo.New()

	// Middleware: Logs request start time
	e.Use(func(next echo.HandlerFunc) echo.HandlerFunc {
		return func(c echo.Context) error {
			start := time.Now()
			err := next(c)
			c.Logger().Infof("%s %s %v", c.Request().Method, c.Request().RequestURI, time.Since(start))
			return err
		}
	})

	e.GET("/", func(c echo.Context) error {
		return c.String(http.StatusOK, "Hello, World!")
	})

	e.Start(":1323")
}

Middleware is code that runs before and after your main request handler. Think of it like a security guard checking IDs before letting someone into a party and logging their exit time afterward. You use it to handle common tasks like logging, authentication, or timing without repeating code in every single route.