I don't understand Modules - zend-framework

Question

I am trying to learn Zend Framework 3 and I have done the Album tutorial and another Blog tutorial. I've been writing straight php apps for about 3 years and wrote 2 web apps using Slim 3. I am trying to wrap my head around Modules. I don't quit understand what a module is. The way I understood Modules, is that a Module was a tiny app inside of the main app. I was trying to create 2 controllers in the same module and render different views from those controllers. I have searched all day and could not find a way to create two controllers and have them route to different views. But, I have found many examples of an app having 5 different modules all with only one controller and maybe different views that a class method would point to. Is it my understanding that a module should be created for every page? For example, a login module and an about module and a contact module?
module.config.php
<?php
namespace Blog;
use Zend\Router\Http\Literal;
use Zend\Router\Http\Segment;
use Zend\ServiceManager\Factory\InvokableFactory;
return [
// this line opens the configuration fro the Route Manager
'router' => [
// open configuration for all possible routes
'routes' => [
// Define a new route called 'blog'
'blog' => [
// define 'literal' route type:
'type' => Literal::class,
// configure the route itself
'options' => [
// listen to '/blog' as uri:
'route' => '/blog',
// define default controller and action to be called when
// this route is matched
'defaults' => [
'controller' => Controller\ListController::class,
'action' => 'index',
],
'login' => [
'type' => Literal::class,
'options' => [
'route' => '/blog/login',
'defaults' => [
'controller' => Controller\LoginController::class,
'action' => 'login',
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
'service_manager' => [
'aliases' => [
Model\PostRepositoryInterface::class => Model\PostRepository::class,
],
'factories' => [
Model\PostRepository::class => InvokableFactory::class,
],
],
'controllers' => [
'factories' => [
Controller\ListController::class => Factory\ListControllerFactory::class,
Controller\LoginController::class => InvokableFactory::class,
],
],
'view_manager' => [
'template_map' => [
'login/login' => __DIR__ . '/../view/blog/login/login.phtml'
],
'template_path_stack' => [
__DIR__ . '/../view'
],
]
];
file structure
|-- module
| |-- Application
| | |-- config
| | | |-- module.config.php
| | |-- src
| | | |-- Module.php
| | | |-- Controller
| | | |-- IndexController.php
| | |-- test
| | | |-- Controller
| | | |-- IndexControllerTest.php
| | |-- view
| | |-- application
| | | |-- index
| | | |-- index.phtml
| | |-- error
| | | |-- 404.phtml
| | | |-- index.phtml
| | |-- layout
| | |-- layout.phtml
| |-- Blog
| |-- config
| | |-- module.config.php
| |-- src
| | |-- Module.php
| | |-- Controller
| | | |-- ListController.php
| | | |-- LoginController.php
| | |-- Factory
| | | |-- ListControllerFactory.php
| | |-- Model
| | |-- Post.php
| | |-- PostCommandInterface.php
| | |-- PostRepository.php
| | |-- PostRepositoryInterface.php
| |-- view
| |-- blog
| |-- list
| | |-- index.phtml
| |-- login
| |-- login.phtml
I'm working in the Blog module. When I call the LoginController.php I want it to show the login.phtml. If I comment out the blog route it will work, but when I uncomment the blog route I get a 'The requested URL could not be matched by routing.' error.

Answer 1

Routing is not related to the template that is shown, so it sounds like you actually have a routing problem.
Your routing configuration is not structured correctly. It should look more like this:
return [
// this line opens the configuration for the Route Manager
'router' => [
// open configuration for all possible routes
'routes' => [
// Define a new route called 'blog'
'blog' => [
// define 'literal' route type:
'type' => Literal::class,
// configure the route itself
'options' => [
// listen to '/blog' as uri:
'route' => '/blog',
// define default controller and action to be called when
// this route is matched
'defaults' => [
'controller' => Controller\ListController::class,
'action' => 'index',
],
],
'may_terminate' => true,
'child_routes' => [
'login' => [
'type' => Literal::class,
'options' => [
'route' => '/login',
'defaults' => [
'controller' => Controller\LoginController::class,
'action' => 'login',
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
Differences:
The 'login' route should be a child route, not part of the blog route options.
I added 'may_terminate' => true which makes the /blog route work (routes with child routes are not accessible by default)
I changed 'route' => '/blog/login', to 'route' => '/login', in the login route. As it's a child of the blog you don't need to repeat the blog route's path.
Edit: if you want both routes at the top level instead:
return [
// this line opens the configuration for the Route Manager
'router' => [
// open configuration for all possible routes
'routes' => [
// Define a new route called 'blog'
'blog' => [
// define 'literal' route type:
'type' => Literal::class,
// configure the route itself
'options' => [
// listen to '/blog' as uri:
'route' => '/blog',
// define default controller and action to be called when
// this route is matched
'defaults' => [
'controller' => Controller\ListController::class,
'action' => 'index',
],
],
],
'login' => [
'type' => Literal::class,
'options' => [
'route' => '/login',
'defaults' => [
'controller' => Controller\LoginController::class,
'action' => 'login',
],
],
],
],
],
This adds routes for /blog and /login. If you want the login page to be at /blog/login you'll have to edit the path in the login route appropriately.