javax.validation

Interface Validator

All Known Implementing Classes:

ValidatorImpl

public interface Validator

Validates bean instances. Implementations of this interface must be thread-safe.

Author:

Emmanuel Bernard, Hardy Ferentschik, Gunnar Morling

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
ExecutableValidator	forExecutables() Returns the contract for validating parameters and return values of methods and constructors.
BeanDescriptor	getConstraintsForClass(Class<?> clazz) Returns the descriptor object describing bean constraints.
<T> T	unwrap(Class<T> type) Returns an instance of the specified type allowing access to provider-specific APIs.
<T> Set<ConstraintViolation<T>>	validate(T object, Class<?>... groups) Validates all constraints on object.
<T> Set<ConstraintViolation<T>>	validateProperty(T object, String propertyName, Class<?>... groups) Validates all constraints placed on the property of object named propertyName.
<T> Set<ConstraintViolation<T>>	validateValue(Class<T> beanType, String propertyName, Object value, Class<?>... groups) Validates all constraints placed on the property named propertyName of the class beanType would the property value be value.

Method Detail

validate

<T> Set<ConstraintViolation<T>> validate(T object,
                                         Class<?>... groups)

Validates all constraints on object.

Type Parameters:

T - the type of the object to validate

Parameters:

object - object to validate

groups - the group or list of groups targeted for validation (defaults to Default)

Returns:

constraint violations or an empty set if none

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if object is null or if null is passed to the varargs groups

ValidationException - if a non recoverable error happens during the validation process

validateProperty

<T> Set<ConstraintViolation<T>> validateProperty(T object,
                                                 String propertyName,
                                                 Class<?>... groups)

Validates all constraints placed on the property of object named propertyName.

Type Parameters:

T - the type of the object to validate

Parameters:

object - object to validate

propertyName - property to validate (i.e. field and getter constraints)

groups - the group or list of groups targeted for validation (defaults to Default)

Returns:

constraint violations or an empty set if none

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if object is null, if propertyName is null, empty or not a valid object property or if null is passed to the varargs groups

ValidationException - if a non recoverable error happens during the validation process

validateValue

<T> Set<ConstraintViolation<T>> validateValue(Class<T> beanType,
                                              String propertyName,
                                              Object value,
                                              Class<?>... groups)

Validates all constraints placed on the property named propertyName of the class beanType would the property value be value.

ConstraintViolation objects return null for ConstraintViolation.getRootBean() and ConstraintViolation.getLeafBean().

Type Parameters:

T - the type of the object to validate

Parameters:

beanType - the bean type

propertyName - property to validate

value - property value to validate

groups - the group or list of groups targeted for validation (defaults to Default).

Returns:

constraint violations or an empty set if none

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if beanType is null, if propertyName is null, empty or not a valid object property or if null is passed to the varargs groups

ValidationException - if a non recoverable error happens during the validation process

getConstraintsForClass

BeanDescriptor getConstraintsForClass(Class<?> clazz)

Returns the descriptor object describing bean constraints.

The returned object (and associated objects including ConstraintDescriptors) are immutable.

Parameters:

clazz - class or interface type evaluated

Returns:

the bean descriptor for the specified class

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if clazz is null

ValidationException - if a non recoverable error happens during the metadata discovery or if some constraints are invalid.

unwrap

<T> T unwrap(Class<T> type)

Returns an instance of the specified type allowing access to provider-specific APIs.

If the Bean Validation provider implementation does not support the specified class, ValidationException is thrown.

Type Parameters:

T - the type of the object to be returned

Parameters:

type - the class of the object to be returned

Returns:

an instance of the specified class

Throws:

ValidationException - if the provider does not support the call

forExecutables

ExecutableValidator forExecutables()

Returns the contract for validating parameters and return values of methods and constructors.

Returns:

contract for method and constructor validation

Since:

1.1