ruby on rails - Nested routes that do not imply resource association -

is considered bad practice (or un-restful) create nested routes resources otherwise have no association? example have:

resources :foos   resources :bars end 

but have no business logic elsewhere in database or application associates :foos :bars.

the reason want this: many of routes created resources nested under :groups resource. can grab group_id param , show layout matches group user "in". i'm comfortable when resource belongs_to group:

/groups/1/comments/1

but when other comment not belong_to group (group1) , want @ through layout "branded" group1, impulse route this:

/groups/1/comments/2

is ok do, maybe i'm overthinking this?

i maintain app similar requirements. along lines of:

class user   has_and_belongs_to_many :groups   belongs_to :active_group, class_name 'group'    def active_group     return super unless super.nil?      group = groups.first     update_columns(active_group_id: group.id)     group   end end 

the user class validates assigned 1 or more groups , active_group method overriden provide default if first login. approach need provide action set active group user can switch groups (presumably requirement).

this assumes have kind of authentication in place know current user. if restricting access groups not concern, can forego habtm relationship , substitute groups.first group.first.

if don't have/want/need authentication, drop active_group_id in session cookie. consider bad practice nest unrelated resources.