05-concrete-api.md

Concrete API

There are many micro-frameworks that rely on magic methods. We don't. In this document we're gonna explore the Respect\Validation API without fluent interfaces or magic methods. We'll use a traditional dependency injection approach.

use Respect\Validation\Validator as v;

$usernameValidator = v::alnum()->noWhitespace()->length(1, 15);
$usernameValidator->validate('alganet'); // true

If you var_dump($usernameValidator), you'll see a composite of objects with Respect\Validation\Rules\Alnum, Respect\Validation\Rules\NoWhitespace and Respect\Validation\Rules\Length. There is a specific object for each rule, and the chain only builds the structure. You can build it by yourself:

use Respect\Validation\Rules;

$usernameValidator = new Rules\AllOf(
    new Rules\Alnum(),
    new Rules\NoWhitespace(),
    new Rules\Length(1, 15)
);
$usernameValidator->validate('alganet'); // true

This is still a very lean API. You can use it in any dependency injection container or test it in the way you want. Nesting is still possible:

use Respect\Validation\Rules;

$usernameValidator = new Rules\AllOf(
    new Rules\Alnum(),
    new Rules\NoWhitespace(),
    new Rules\Length(1, 15)
);
$userValidator = new Rules\Key('name', $usernameValidator);
$userValidator->validate(['name' => 'alganet']); // true

How It Works?

The Respect\Validation chain is an internal DSL. It acts in the creational realm of objects (where Abstract Factories and Builders live), and it's only job is to make rule construction terse and fluent.

FAQ

Is v in v::something a class name?

No! The class is Respect\Validation\Validator, we suggest v as a very short alias.

Is v::something() a static call?

Yes. Just like the default DateTime::createFromFormat() or Doctrine\ORM\Tools\Setup::createAnnotationMetadataConfiguration(). It builds something complex and returns for you.

I really don't like static calls, can I avoid it?

Yes. Just use $validator = new Validator(); each time you want a new validator, and continue from there.

Do you have a static method for each rule?

No. We use __callStatic().

Magic methods are slow! Why do you use them?

They're optional. If you use the new interface, they won't be called.

(still, do some benchmarks, you'd be surprised with our implementation).