Defining routes in Vue Router establishes the navigation structure and component mapping for single-page applications with flexible configuration options. As the creator of CoreUI with extensive Vue.js development experience, I’ve implemented complex routing systems in enterprise applications and component libraries. From my expertise, the most effective approach is configuring route objects with path patterns, component mappings, and metadata for comprehensive navigation control. This pattern provides the foundation for all Vue Router functionality including nested routes, dynamic segments, and route guards.