[[HowDoIImportRoutesFromOtherXMLFiles-HowDoIImportRoutesFromOtherXMLFiles]]
= How Do I Import Routes From Other XML Files?

*Since Camel 2.3*

When defining routes in Camel using xref:ROOT:xml-configuration.adoc[XML Configuration]
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 of the 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.

[NOTE]
====
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:

https://github.com/apache/camel/tree/main/components/camel-spring/src/test/resources/org/apache/camel/spring/config/myCoolRoutes.xml

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:

https://github.com/apache/camel/tree/main/components/camel-spring/src/test/resources/org/apache/camel/spring/config/RouteRefIncludeXmlFileTest.xml

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 its only the definition which is reused. At
runtime each `CamelContext` will create its own instance of the route
based on the definition.
