Allow for stuff like:

• API/ExampleObjects
• API/ExampleObjects/SOME_INTEGER_ID/Children
• ...

with children knowing their owners (aka parents).

Full repo here

• Please be brutally honest if something can be improved!
• I couldn't add the rest tag as I don't have 150 rep yet.

<?php

class RestApi {

    private 
        $id,
        $owner
    ;


    public function __construct( $params = false ) {

        if( $params['request'] ) {
            // grab first piece of the request
            if( strlen($request = trim(strstr($params['request'], '/'), '/')) > 0 ) {
                // php 5.2 compatible
                $pieces = explode('/', $params['request']);

                if( is_numeric($pieces[0]) ) {
                    $this->setId( $pieces[0] );
                    $params['request'] = $request;
                }
                unset( $pieces );
            } else {
                // if the request is numeric, then it's an id
                if( is_numeric($params['request']) ) {
                    $this->setId( $params['request'] );
                    $params['request'] = '';
                }
            }
        }   
    }


    public function getInstance( $params ) {                
        if( isset($params['owner']) && is_object( $params['owner'] ) ) {
            $this->setOwner( $params['owner'] );
        }

        // if resource starts with "api/", strip it
        if( strpos($params['request'], 'api/' ) === 0 ){
            $params['request'] = substr($params['request'], 4);
        }

        if( $params['request'] ) {
            if( strlen($request = trim(strstr($params['request'], '/'), '/')) > 0 ) {
                // php 5.2 compatible
                $pieces = explode('/', $params['request']);
                $class = $pieces[0];
                unset( $pieces );
            } else {
                $class = $params['request'];
            }

            $class = get_class($this) . $class;

            $instance = new $class(array('request' => &$request));  
            $instance->setOwner( $this );

            if( $request ) {
                return $instance->getInstance(array(
                    'request' => $request
                ));
            }

            return $instance;
        }
    }

    public function getOwner() {
        return $this->owner;
    }

    protected function setOwner( $owner ) {
        $this->owner = $owner;
    }

    public function getId() {
        return $this->id;
    }

    protected function setId( $id ) {
        $this->id = (int)$id;
    }


}