Some ideas on a small framework. Yet another web framework.

gistfile1.rb

class Lists < App
  all { List.all }
  find { List.find(params[:id]) }
  instance { List.new(params[:list]) }

  to_update { list.update_attributes(params[:list]) }
  to_destroy { list.destroy }

  # Setting actions
  actions :index, :show, :new, :create, :remove, :destroy, :edit, :update

  # The actions above can be shortened as following:
  actions :all

  # To register a new action. This would be done in a global file,
  # when more than one router needs this specific action.
  register :search, :path => ":endpoint/search", :method => :get do
    collection { default_finder.search(params[:query]) }
    render :search
  end

  # Or if you want to set an action to this router only.
  get :search do
    collection { List.search(params[:query]) }
  end

  # To set custom paths
  action :index   => "/lists"
  action :show    => "/lists/:id"
  action :new     => "/lists/new"
  action :create  => "/lists/new"
  action :edit    => "/lists/:id/edit"
  action :update  => "/lists/:id/edit"
  action :remove  => "/lists/:id/remove"
  action :destroy => "/lists/:id/remove"
  action :search  => "/lists/search"
end

class Tasks < App
  all { list.tasks.all }
  find(:list) { List.find(params[:list_id]) }
  find { list.tasks.find(params[:task_id]) }
  instance { list.tasks.new(params[:task]) }

  to_update { task.update_attributes(params[:task]) }
  to_destroy { task.destroy }

  base_path { "/lists/:list" }
  actions :all
end

# register :new, :path => ":endpoint/new", :method => :get do
#   respond_with(instance)
# end
#
# register :create, :path => ":endpoint/new", :method => :create do
#   respond_with(instance)
# end
#
# register :edit, :path => ":endpoint/:id/edit", :method => :get do
#   respond_with(default_finder)
# end
#
# register :update, :path => ":endpoint/:id/edit", :method => :patch do
#   run :to_update
#   respond_with(default_finder, :location => :show)
# end
#
# register :remove, :path => ":endpoint/:id/remove", :method => :get do
#   respond_with(default_finder)
# end
#
# register :destroy, :path => ":endpoint/:id/remove", :method => :destroy do
#   run :to_destroy
#   respond_with(:location => :index)
# end

Still need to think about view rendering, presenters, layout files and filters.