When to use validation rules

Summary

Validation rules in Sails.js are powerful tools that save time and reduce code by automating data validation during record creation or updates. However, they run every time a record is created or updated, which may not always be ideal. For example, in scenarios like dual sign-up methods (manual and OAuth), validation rules like required: true might not work well because certain fields (e.g., email) may not always be provided. In such cases, custom business logic in controllers or actions may be more flexible. Use validation rules when you want consistent, automatic validation, but consider custom logic for more complex or conditional validation needs.

Transcript

Now that we’ve explored various validation rules in Sails, let’s discuss when to use them. Validation rules are great because they save you from writing repetitive code in your controllers or actions. However, it’s important to note that these rules run every time you create or update a record. If you’re okay with this behavior, validation rules are a fantastic choice.

But there are cases where validation rules might not be ideal. For example, consider an application with two sign-up methods: manual sign-up and OAuth (e.g., GitHub). In this scenario, the email field might be provided manually or by the GitHub API, but not both. Using required: true on the email attribute wouldn’t work well here because one method will always lack an email.

In such cases, it’s better to handle validation logic in your controller or action. For instance, you could write custom checks in the sign-up action to validate the email based on the sign-up method.

Key Considerations:

Pros of Validation Rules:

• Save time and reduce code.

• Automatically enforce consistency during creation and updates.

Cons of Validation Rules:

• Run every time a record is created or updated.

• May not suit complex or conditional validation needs.

When to Use Custom Logic:

• For conditional validation (e.g., dual sign-up methods).

• When you need custom validation messages or flexible handling.

Ultimately, the choice depends on your application’s needs. You can use a mix of validation rules and custom logic or rely entirely on one approach. The goal is to ensure data integrity while maintaining flexibility for your business use cases.