Malio is a tiny framework to validate POJOs using annotations. It is easy to use by just adding annotations to members of a POJO. No writing of validations or validators. Based on the annotations inside the POJO, the processor generates a validator. The generated validator can be used to check or validate the POJO.
Each validator offers two methods for validation:
- check: check the POJO and as soon as an error is detected throw an exception
- validate: validate the POJO, collect all error messages and return a validation result
Here is an example using Malio:
@MalioValidator
public class Person {
@NotNull
@NotBlank
@MaxLength(20)
private String name;
@NotNull
@NotBlank
@MaxLength(value = 20, message = "First name too long!")
private String firstName;
@NotNull
private Address address;
public Person() {
}
// getters and setters ...
}and
@MalioValidator
public class Address {
@NotNull
@NotBlank
@MaxLength(20)
private String street;
@NotNull
@NotBlank
@MaxLength(5)
private String zip;
@NotNull
@NotBlank
@MaxLength(20)
private String city;
public Address() {
}
// getters and setters ...
}Running the validation:
Address address = new Address();
// set values
Person person = new Person();
person.setAddress
// set values
// throws an exception in case of error ...
PersonMalioValidator.INSTANCE.check(model);As we moved from GWT RPC to Spring Boot Rest Controller and Domino-Rest, we expose the services of our web application. As long as we have GET-calls, we can use Spring security for the parameters. As soon as we work with POST, we have to validate more complex objects. We started looking for a solution but did not find a suitable one that work with GWT or J2CL.
So we decided to create a simple solution to validate our input classes (which are located inside the shared project).
We don't want to create a replacement for bean-validation. Just a simple tin framework to validate objects.
Let's assume, we have a POJO like this:
public class Person {
private String name;
private String firstName;
public Person() {
}
// getters and setters ...
}These are the steps to trigger the creation of a validator.
To use Malio, add the following dependencies to your pom (in case they are missing):
- SNAPSHOT
<dependency>
<groupId>com.github.nalukit</groupId>
<artifactId>malio</artifactId>
<version>HEAD-SNAPSHOT</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>com.github.nalukit</groupId>
<artifactId>malio-processor</artifactId>
<version>HEAD-SNAPSHOT</version>
<scope>provided</scope>
</dependency>- GWT 2.9.0 (and newer) - Release
<dependency>
<groupId>com.github.nalukit</groupId>
<artifactId>malio</artifactId>
<version>1.0.0</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>com.github.nalukit</groupId>
<artifactId>malio-processor</artifactId>
<version>1.0.0</version>
<scope>provided</scope>
</dependency>The processor is only needed at compile time!
Due to a bug in older version of the maven-compiler-plugin, the output of a annotation processor - during a Maven build - will not be logged. To ensure, that the processor output is logged, use the latest maven-compiler-plugin.
First, we need to trigger the creation of a validator. This is done by adding MalioValidator to the class:
@MalioValidator
public class Person {
private String name;
private String firstName;
public Person() {
}
// getters and setters ...
}Now, Malio will create a validator. Next we have to add constraints:
@MalioValidator
public class Person {
@NotNull
@NotBlank
@MaxLength(20)
private String name;
@NotNull
@NotBlank
@MaxLength(20)
private String firstName;
@NotNull
private Address address;
public Person() {
}
// getters and setters ...
}Malio will create a validator for the Person class. The validator will be called [name of the class] + '
MalioValidator'.
To validate an instance of the class, call:
PersonMalioValidator.INSTANCE.check(myInstenceOfPerson);
Malio will generate for each class that is annotated with @MalioValidator a validator class. Inside the validator, all
constraints are collected and processed. In case the type of a variable has a Malio validator, the validator of this type
will also be called. In case classes are extending user classes, Malio will also look for existing validators of
super classes.
Malio comes with predefined and localized messages, which can be set
via LocalizedMessages.INSTANCE.setMessages(new MessagesEN());.
At the moment, malio only provides messages for english and german. Contributions are welcome!
See IMessages.java
and locales.
The user can overwrite the dynamic messages with own static messages in every annotation. E.g., @MaxLength:
@MaxLength(value = 20, message = "First name too long!")
private String firstName;These are the annotations provided by Malio:
@MalioValidatorThe MalioValidator-annotation can be added to a class. The annotation is necessary to trigger the creation of a
validator. Without this annotation no validator or constraint will be created!
The annotation has two parameters:
- generateCheckMethod: to trigger the generation of the
check-method. (default: true) - generateValidateMethod: to trigger the generation of the
validate-method. (default: true)
In case you only want to generate the check-method, set generateValidateMethod = false to avoid generating
the validate-method.
This annotation can also be used with abstract classes.
The following annotation can only be used on variable types.
@Blacklist({"x", "y"})The annotation accepts a list of String values that are not allowed for the field. The constrain will look for the String values inside the variable and in case one of the values are found, create an error - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
@DecimalMax("0.5")The annotation accepts a String value of the maximal value that is allowed for the field - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type BigDecimal.
@DecimalMin("0.5")The annotation accepts a String value of the minimal value that is allowed for the field - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type BigDecimal.
@EmailThe annotation check the value of the field for a formal valid email address - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
@MalioIgnoreThe annotation can be added to variable. It will tell Malio - in case there is a validator for the type of the variable - to ignore the validator and not calling it. This annotation can be used to avoid circular validations.
@MaxLength(20)The annotation accepts a int value of the maximal numbers of characters. This is the maximal length allowed for the variable - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
@Max(99)The annotation accepts a long value of the maximal value of Number. This is the maximal length allowed for the variable - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type Number and their unboxed variants.
@MinLength(10)The annotation accepts a int value of the minimal numbers of characters. This is the minimal length allowed for the variable - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
@Min(10)The annotation accepts a long value of the maximal value of Number. This is the maximum allowed for the variable - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type Number and their unboxed variants.
@NotBlankThe annotation indicates that the String should not be empty - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
@NotEmptyThe annotation ensures that a Collection is not empty.
This annotation can only be used on fields of types extending Collection (List, Set, ...).
@NotNullThe annotation indicates that the variable should not be null.
This annotation can be used on any complex type of field.
@Regexp(regexp = "\\d{5}")The annotation indicates that the value of the variable will be tested against the regular expression - if the value of the variable is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
@Size(min=1, max=99)The annotation defines the minimum and maximum size of a collection. The constraint will not be checked if the collection is null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of types extending Collection (List, Set, ...).
@ArraySize(min=1, max=99)The annotation defines the minimum and maximum size of an array. The constraint will not be checked if the array is null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of types array (int[], String[], ...).
@UuidThe annotation check the value of the field for a formal valid UUID - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
@Whitelist({"x","y"})The annotation accepts a list of String values that are allowed for the field. The constrain will look for the String values inside the variable and in case a value is not contained inside the list, an error is created - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String.
The following annotation can only be used on variable types that are arrays.
@ArrayItemMaxLength(20)The annotation accepts a int value of the maximal numbers of characters. This is the maximal length allowed for an item inside a String array - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String[].
@ArrayItemMinLength(20)The annotation accepts a int value of the minimal numbers of characters. This is the minimal length allowed for an item inside a String array - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String[].
@ArrayItemNotBlankThe annotation indicates that the String of an array should not be empty - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type String[].
@ArrayItemNotNullThe annotation indicates that an item of an array should not be null.
This annotation can be used on any array that uses a complex type of field.
The following annotation can only be used on variable types that are Collection or sub classes of it.
@CollectionItemMaxLength(20)The annotation accepts a int value of the maximal numbers of characters. This is the maximal length allowed for an item inside a collection of String - if the value of the item is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type List.
@CollectionItemMinLength(20)The annotation accepts a int value of the minimal numbers of characters. This is the minimal length allowed for an item inside a collection of String - if the value of the item is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type List.
@CollectionItemNotBlankThe annotation indicates that the String of a collection should not be empty - if the value is not null.
This annotation can only be used on fields of type List.
@CollectionItemNotNullThe annotation indicates that an item of a collection should not be null.
This annotation can be used on any collection that uses a complex type of field.
Important: Collection need a type. Otherwise, the annotation will not work!
Please use the Nalu Gitter room.
Examples can be found inside the test cases.
In case you find a bug, please open an issue or post it inside the Nalu Gitter room.
Malio does not support the validation of the following data types:
- multi dimensional arrays f.e.: String[][]
- Collections of type Collection f.e.: List<List>
- Collections of type array List<String[]>
- Maps