# Apache Commons Validator 1.11.0 API

# Introduction

Apache Commons Validator helps you with common issues when receiving data either electronically or from user input and verifying the integrity of that data. This work is repetitive and becomes even more complicated when different sets of validation rules need to be applied to the same set of data based on locale. Error messages may also vary by locale. This package addresses some of these issues to speed development and maintenance of validation rules.

# Features

Commons Validator provides two distinct sets of functionality:

1. A configurable (typically XML) validation engine
2. Reusable "primitive" validation methods

Your validation methods are plugged into the engine and executed against your data. Often, these methods use resources specific to one application or framework so Commons Validator doesn't directly provide pluggable validator actions. However, it does have a set of common validation methods (email addresses, dates, URLs, etc.) that help in creating pluggable actions.

# Using Commons Validator

In order to use the Validator, the following basic steps are required:

- Create a new instance of the `org.apache.commons.validator.Validator` class. Currently Validator instances may be safely reused if the current ValidatorResources are the same, as long as you have completed any previous validation, and you do not try to utilize a particular Validator instance from more than one thread at a time.
- Add any resources needed to perform the validations, such as the JavaBean to validate.
- Call the validate method on `org.apache.commons.validator.Validator`.

# Requirements

- Java 8 or above.
- If using OSGi, R7 or above.

Packages
Package
Description
org.apache.commons.validator
The Validator package provides validation for JavaBeans based on an xml file.
org.apache.commons.validator.routines
This package contains independent validation routines.
org.apache.commons.validator.routines.checkdigit
This package contains Check Digit validation/calculation routines.
org.apache.commons.validator.util
This package contains utility classes used by Commons Validator.