Getting Started

This guide shows how to configure EncolaJS Validator for real-world projects that require custom rules and error messages.

Validator Factory

The ValidatorFactory is the main entry point for creating validators:

• It maintains a registry of validation rules
• It serves as the entry point for registering new validation rules
• It provides a consistent way to create validator instances

import { ValidatorFactory } from '@encolajs/validator'

// Create a factory instance
const factory = new ValidatorFactory()

// Create a validator with rules
const validator = factory.make({
  'username': 'required|alpha_numeric',
  'email': 'required|email'
})

Defining Validation Rules

Rules can be specified in two formats:

1. String Format (recommended for most cases):

const rules = {
  'email': 'required|email',
  'age': 'required|number|min:18'
}

2. Object Format (provides more control):

import { RequiredRule, EmailRule } from '@encolajs/validator'

const rules = {
  'email': [
    { name: 'required', rule: new RequiredRule() },
    { name: 'email', rule: new EmailRule() }
  ]
}

Path Notation

The library uses dot notation for accessing nested properties and array indices:

const rules = {
  // Simple field
  'name': 'required',
  
  // Nested object
  'address.street': 'required',
  'address.city': 'required',

  // Specific array element
  'phones.0': 'required'
}

For more advanced path patterns including wildcards and nested arrays, check Common Validation Patterns.

Performing Validation

const validator = factory.make({
  'name': 'required|min_length:2',
  'email': 'required|email',
  'age': 'required|integer|min:18'
})

const data = {
  name: 'John',
  email: '[email protected]',
  age: 25
}

// Validate all fields
const isValid = await validator.validate(data)

if (!isValid) {
  // Get all validation errors
  const errors = validator.getErrors()
  console.log(errors)
}

Error Handling

The validator provides several methods to access validation errors:

// Get all errors
const allErrors = validator.getErrors()
// Returns: { fieldName: string[] }

// Get errors for specific field
const emailErrors = validator.getErrorsForPath('email')
// Returns: string[]

// Check if any errors exist
const hasErrors = validator.hasErrors()
// Returns: boolean

// Check if specific field has errors
const hasEmailErrors = validator.hasErrorsForPath('email')
// Returns: boolean

Next Steps

Explore these topics for more advanced validation capabilities:

• Common Validation Patterns: Frequently used validation patterns
• Built-in Validation Rules: Complete list of built-in validation rules
• Custom Validation rulesRules: Create your own validation rules
• Form Validation: Special considerations for validating forms
• Custom Error Messages: Customize error messages and format
• Complex Validation Patterns: Interdependent field validation