occamsrazor-validator

occamsrazor-validator

This is a validator library with a very specific goal. Identifying if a value matches some criteria using (duck typing)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_typing] and assigning a score to the match.

It is a part of occamsrazor (https://github.com/sithmel/occamsrazor.js) that uses this library for picking the right function for a specific set of arguments.

Importing the library

var validator = require('occamsrazor-validator');

What is a validators

Ultimately a validator is a function. When it runs against an object, it returns null or a score (wrapped in a validationResult for convenience). Null means that an object doesn't fit in the validator's constraints. The score represent how well the object fits (its specificity). For example:

var isAnything = validator();

"validator()" creates the simplest validator. It matches everything with score 0:

isAnything('hello').value();     // 0
isAnything({width: 10}).value(); // 0

You can chain a function to create a more strict validation:

var hasWheels = isAnything.match(function (obj){
    return 'wheels' in obj;
});

So for example, the score of this new validator will be 1:

hasWheels({wheels: 4}).value(); // 1
hasWheels({feet: 2});           // returns null

You can go on having a more specific validator:

var hasWheelsAndWings = hasWheels.match(function (obj){
    return 'wings' in obj;
});

Every validator has a function "score" that returns its specificity:

isAnything.score()        // 0
hasWheels.score()         // 1
hasWheelsAndWings.score() // 2

In order to write validators you can use duck typing, type checking or whatever check you want to use:

// duck typing
var has_wings = validator().match(function (obj){
    return 'wings' in obj;
});

//type checking
var is_a_car = validator().match(function (obj){
    return Car.prototype.isPrototypeOf(obj);
});

//other
var is_year = validator().match(function (obj){
    var re = /[0-9]{4}/;
    return !!obj.match(re);
});

The "match" method allows to extend a validator using a terse syntax. You have already seen that it can take a function as argument. You can also pass a string or a regular expression for matching a string:

var is_hello = validator().match('hello');
var contains_nuts = validator().match(/nut/);

is_hello('hello');
contains_nuts('hazelnut');

Or numbers:

var is_ten = validator().match(10);
is_ten(10);

It works for booleans and null in the same way. If you pass an array it will match with any element of an input array with its content:

var has_1_2 = validator().match([1, 2]);

Finally you can perform deep property checking using an object and combining the previous checks:

// match with width and height equal to 10
var has_width_and_height_10 = validator().match({ width: 10, height: 10 });

// match with a center attribute with x and y subattributes
var isNumber = require('occamsrazor-match/extra/isNumber'); // you can find many helpers in this library
var has_center = validator().match({ center: { x: isNumber, y: isNumber } });

// match if obj.recipe.ingredients is a string and match with /nuts/
var recipe_has_nuts = validator().match({recipe: {ingredients: /nuts/}});

// match if obj.weight is a number bigger than 100
var is_heavy = validator().match({weight: function (obj){return obj > 100}});

You can find a lot of documentation and more "ready to use" validators in the occamsrazor-match

Combine validators

You might want to match a group of values. You can do it combining as many validators you want:

var isNumber = validator().match(function (n) {
  return typeof n === 'number';
});
var is5 = isNumber.match(5);
var is8 = isNumber.match(8);
var v = combineValidators([isNumber, is5, is8]);

and then test if it matches:

v([1, 5, 8]).value(); // it will return [1, 2, 2]

If all values match, the validator will return a validationResult with value [1, 2, 2]. The elements of the array are the values of the respective validators. If one of them doesn't match the result will be null:

v([1, 5, 5]); // it will return null

When the value returned is an array it is compared in this way (alphabetically):

[2, 3, 4] > [2, 2, 5]
[1] < [1, 2]
[2] > [1, 9, 5]

Sort and compare results

The resulting validator object has an useful property. It can be sorted and compared (greater than, lesser than) just like a basic js value. You can use the output of the toString attribute to compare for equality:

r0 > r1
var results = [r0, r1, r2, r3];
r.sort();
r0.toString() === r1.toString()

Adding a callback for debugging

If you need to inspect the state of the validation, you can add a callback to a validator or combined validator:

var has_width_and_height_10 = validator().match({width: 10, height: 10});
has_width_and_height_10({width: 10, height: 10}, function onError (o) {
  // "o" contains:
  // name: 'the validator name',
  // path: if the validation is applied to an object, the path of the current validation
  // value: the value used for the validation,
});

var v = combineValidators([isNumber, is5, is8]);
v([1, 8], function debug (o) {
  // "o" contains:
  // validatorName: the name of the combination of these validators
  // name: 'the validator name',
  // path: if the validation is applied to an object, the path of the current validation
  // value: the value used for the validation,
});

Syntax

Validator function

Syntax:

validator();

Returns a generic validator. It will validate every object with score 0.

validator().score

Syntax:

a_validator.score();

Returns the score returned by this validator. It can be useful for debugging or introspection.

validator().important

Syntax:

a_validator.important([n]);

It bumps the score by n (default to 64).

validator().match

Add a check to the validator, using an expressive syntax.

Syntax:

// execute a function against the value: returns true or false
var validator = validator().match(function);

// matches if value is equal to string
var validator = validator().match(string);

// matches if value is equal to null
var validator = validator().match(null);

// matches if value is equal to the boolean
var validator = validator().match(boolean);

// matches if value is equal to the number
var validator = validator().match(number);

// matches if value matches with the regular expression
var validator = validator().match(regular_expression);

// matches if these items matches respectively
var validator = validator().match([items]);

// deep matching
var validator = validator().match({propName1: "string", propName2: {propName3: "string"}});

The last two forms allow to perform the validation check recursively, walking the properties of the object/array. If a property is undefined the value will match any value.

For example:

var hasCenterX = validator()
  .match({ center: { x: /[0-9]+/ } });
// will match { center: {x: "10"} }

var hasCenterX10 = validator().match({center: {x: "10"}});
// will match {center: { x: "10" } } but not {center: { x: "11" } }

var hasCenter5or10 = validator().match({center: {x : function (c){
  return c === "5" || c === "10";
}}});
// will match {center: {x: "5"}} or {center: {x: "10"}}