Static Route throwing error

[RealMarvn]

Hey I am having trouble to implement a full frontend in my backend.
I have a directory called public where a index.html is placed.
Now I want the api routes to be listening on /api/ subgroup and everything else should redirect to index.html since my react frontend does manage the routing on its own.
I am always getting an error when trying to start that configuration. This is my code:

func main() {
	r := gin.Default()

	// API-Routes
	api := r.Group("/api")
	routes.RegisterRoutes(api)

	// Static routes
	r.Static("/", "./public")

	// Fallback for SPA
	r.NoRoute(func(c *gin.Context) {
		c.File("./public/index.html")
	})
	
	if err := r.Run(":8080"); err != nil {
		println("Error starting server:", err)
	}
}

[GIN-debug] [WARNING] Running in "debug" mode. Switch to "release" mode in production.

• using env: export GIN_MODE=release
• using code: gin.SetMode(gin.ReleaseMode)

[GIN-debug] GET /api/ping --> github.com/marvn/hms/backend/handlers.Ping (3 handlers)
[GIN-debug] GET /*filepath --> github.com/gin-gonic/gin.(*RouterGroup).createStaticHandler.func1 (3 handlers)
panic: catch-all wildcard '*filepath' in new path '/*filepath' conflicts with existing path segment 'api' in existing prefix '/api'

Can I somehow fix this?
BTW is there a discord or anything where I can ask those questions instead of opening an issue on Github?
THx for your help!

[1911860538]

I want to reproduce the issue you raised, but the variable 'routes' is not declared in the example code you provided.

[RealMarvn]

this is my routes:

package routes

import (
	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
	"github.com/marvn/hms/backend/handlers"
)

func RegisterRoutes(api *gin.RouterGroup) {
	api.GET("/ping", handlers.Ping)
}

And this is Ping:

package handlers

import "github.com/gin-gonic/gin"

func Ping(c *gin.Context) {
	c.JSON(200, gin.H{
		"message": "pong",
	})
}

[1911860538]

The code will cause a panic because r.Static("/", "./public") captures all paths starting with "/".

Root Cause

// API-Routes
api := r.Group("/api")
registerRoutes(api)

// Static routes
r.Static("/", "./public")  // This registers /*filepath - captures ALL paths

When you call r.Static("/", "./public"), Gin internally registers a wildcard route /*filepath that matches every path starting with "/", including:

• /api/ping
• /api/users
• /static/css/style.css
• Any other path starting with /

The wildcard route /*filepath conflicts with the specific /api route group because Gin's router cannot have both a wildcard and specific paths at the same level.

Fix

// Instead of r.Static("/", "./public")
r.Static("/static", "./public")  // Only captures /static/*
r.StaticFile("/", "./public/index.html")  // Specific file route

[RealMarvn]

But wouldn’t this be an issue with the path of the static js files of the Frontend? It would open index.html but index.html searches for /static/chunk.js for example but it would not find it because now the route would be /static/static/chunk.js Name ***@***.***> schrieb am Di. 5. Aug. 2025 um 11:37:

…

*1911860538* left a comment (gin-gonic/gin#4324) <#4324 (comment)> The Problem: Route Conflict The code will cause a panic because r.Static("/", "./public") *captures all paths starting with "/"*. Root Cause // API-Routesapi := r.Group("/api")registerRoutes(api) // Static routesr.Static("/", "./public") // This registers /*filepath - captures ALL paths When you call r.Static("/", "./public"), Gin internally registers a wildcard route /*filepath that matches *every path starting with "/"*, including: - /api/ping - /api/users - /static/css/style.css - Any other path starting with / The wildcard route /*filepath conflicts with the specific /api route group because Gin's router cannot have both a wildcard and specific paths at the same level. Fix // Instead of r.Static("/", "./public")r.Static("/static", "./public") // Only captures /static/*r.StaticFile("/", "./public/index.html") // Specific file route — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4324 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQGFGEJYU3XJVUZAP725FPT3MB3MTAVCNFSM6AAAAACC5GRTBWVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTCNJUGMZTMMZRHE> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>