Response Helpers

Every route handler's ctx carries a small set of methods for building a Response. They exist so common cases, JSON, plain text, HTML, a redirect, do not each require constructing headers by hand.

ctx.json({ ok: true });
ctx.text('hello');
ctx.html('<strong>hello</strong>');
ctx.markdown('# hello');
ctx.redirect('/login');
ctx.stream(readableStream);
ctx.send(formData);

The same helpers are also available directly on the root app, for the rare case where you need to build a Response outside of a request, such as inside onNotFound.

json

ctx.json({ id: '1', name: 'Ada' });
ctx.json({ id: '1' }, { status: 201 });

Serializes the value with JSON.stringify and sets content-type: application/json; charset=utf-8, unless your init.headers already sets a content-type, in which case yours is kept.

text

ctx.text('pong');

Sets content-type: text/plain; charset=utf-8.

html

ctx.html('<h1>Hello</h1>');

Sets content-type: text/html; charset=utf-8. The string is sent as-is, with no escaping or templating, so build the markup safely before calling it.

markdown

ctx.markdown('# Release notes\n\n- Fixed a bug');

Sets content-type: text/markdown; charset=utf-8. Useful for an endpoint meant to be read as raw Markdown, such as the llms.txt-style routes a documentation site might serve.

redirect

ctx.redirect('/login');           // 302 by default
ctx.redirect('/login', 301);      // permanent redirect

Sets the Location header and returns an empty body. Only 301, 302, 307, and 308 are accepted, any other status throws.

stream

const file = await Deno.open('./report.csv', { read: true });
ctx.stream(file.readable, {
  headers: { 'content-type': 'text/csv' },
});

Passes the ReadableStream straight to Response with no transformation and no automatic content-type. Set your own content-type in init.headers when it matters.

send

ctx.send(formData);
ctx.send(null, { status: 204 });

The most direct helper. It accepts anything a native Response body accepts, BodyInit or null, and applies no defaults at all. Reach for it when none of the other helpers fit, such as returning a FormData body or an empty 204 No Content.