express and phases

example.js

function createLoopBackApp() {
  var app = express();
  // add loopback stuff

  app.phase('routes').use(function(req, res, next) {
    if (app._router) {
      app._router.handle(res, res, next);
    } else {
      next();
    }
  }
}

app.handle = function(req, res, next) {
  done = done || this.createFinalHandler();

  // run our LoopBack's custom phase code
  this._phases.run({ req: req, res: res }, done);
}

refactored-express.js

app.handle = function(req, res, done) {
  var router = this._router;

  // final handler
  done = done || this.createFinalHandler();

  // no routes
  if (!router) {
    debug('no routes defined on app');
    done();
    return;
  }

  router.handle(req, res, done);
};

app.createFinalHandler = function() {
  return finalhandler(req, res, {
    env: this.get('env'),
    onerror: logerror.bind(this)
  });
}