How Do I Import Routes From Other XML Files?

Since Camel 2.3

When defining routes in Camel using Spring XML you may want to define some routes in other XML files. For example, you may have many routes, and it may help to maintain the application if some routes are in separate XML files. You may also want to store common and reusable routes in other XML files, which you can simply import when needed.

In Camel 2.3 it is now possible to define routes outside <camelContext/> which you do in a new <routeContext/> tag.

When you use <routeContext> then they are separated, and cannot reuse existing <onException>, <intercept>, <dataFormats> and similar cross-cutting functionality defined in the <camelContext>. In other words the <routeContext> is currently isolated. This may change in Camel 3.x.

For example, we could have a file named myCoolRoutes.xml which contains a couple of routes as shown in this example.

Then in your XML file which contains the CamelContext you can use Spring to import the myCoolRoute.xml file. And then inside <camelContext/> you can refer to the <routeContext/> by its id as shown below in this example.

Also notice that you can mix and match, having routes inside CamelContext and also externalized in RouteContext.

You can have as many <routeContextRef/> as you like.

Reusable routes

The routes defined in <routeContext/> can be reused by multiple <camelContext/>. However, it is only the definition which is reused. At runtime each CamelContext will create its own instance of the route based on the definition.