Valitron
A simple, elegant, stand-alone validation library for PHP with no dependencies.
What is Valitron?
Valitron is a lightweight, stand-alone validation library for PHP that focuses on readable syntax and ease of use. It validates arrays, form data, and nested structures without external dependencies, avoiding the bloat of other libraries. It provides over 40 built-in rules, custom rule creation, and flexible error messaging.
PHP developers building web applications, APIs, or any system requiring data validation, especially those prioritizing minimal dependencies and clean, maintainable code. It suits projects where validating form submissions, API payloads, or configuration arrays is needed.
Developers choose Valitron for its dependency-free design, avoiding unnecessary files from frameworks like Symfony's HttpFoundation. Its concise, chainable syntax and pragmatic approach offer everything needed for validation without extra complexity, making it a straightforward alternative to heavier libraries.
Overview
Valitron is a simple, elegant, stand-alone validation library with NO dependencies
Use Cases
Best For
- Validating form data from $_POST arrays in PHP web applications
- Enforcing business rules on nested or multi-dimensional array structures using dot notation
- Adding custom validation logic via closures without extending a framework
- Implementing conditional validation with rules like requiredWith, requiredWithout, and optional
- Localizing error messages for multilingual applications with field-label substitution
- Ensuring data integrity in APIs by validating incoming JSON payloads converted to arrays
Not Ideal For
- Projects deeply integrated with full-stack PHP frameworks like Laravel or Symfony that have built-in validation systems
- Applications requiring validation on object-oriented data models without manual array conversion
- Teams needing built-in database validation or ORM integration for uniqueness checks
Pros & Cons
Pros
Valitron is completely stand-alone with no external libraries, avoiding bloat from frameworks like Symfony's HttpFoundation and keeping the codebase minimal, as emphasized in the 'Why Valitron?' section.
Uses simple, chainable methods and dot-notation for nested arrays, making validation rules concise and easy to understand, shown in examples like validating 'settings.*.threshold'.
Includes over 40 built-in rules covering common needs such as email, date, creditCard, and conditional logic like requiredWith, reducing the need for custom code.
Allows adding custom validation logic via closures using the addRule method, enabling flexible, project-specific validations without extending the library.
Cons
Validates arrays only, requiring manual conversion for object-oriented data structures, unlike some validation libraries that work directly with objects or entities.
Doesn't integrate natively with popular PHP frameworks, which may lead to redundant validation layers or compatibility issues in ecosystem-heavy projects.
Lacks built-in rules for database checks like uniqueness or existence, necessitating separate queries and additional logic outside the validation layer.
Frequently Asked Questions
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