Lumen - validation rules in model? - laravel

Question

I am creating a REST API and would like to attach some validation rules to the CREATE and UPDATE endpoints. The validation rules for these two endpoints would be exactly the same, so I would like to be able to specify them in one place only. Coming from a Laravel background I normally create Form Requests, or put the validation rules in the model within a rules() function.
However I think Lumen does validation a bit differently and their documentation suggests to put the validation logic in the router: https://lumen.laravel.com/docs/master/validation
However personally I don't think that is the best place for it and would prefer to put in the model instead. I tried using the rules() function within the model but that doesn't seem to do anything.
My create and update methods look like this:
public function create(Request $request)
{
$product = Product::create($request->all());
return response()->json($product, 201);
}
public function update($id, Request $request)
{
$product = Product::findOrFail($id);
$product->update($request->all());
return response()->json($product, 200);
}
Is it possible for me to put my validation rules within my Product model and have them run automatically?
Here is how I have attempted to do it in my model:
namespace App;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
class Product extends Model
{
/**
* The attributes that are mass assignable.
*
* #var array
*/
protected $fillable = [
'name', 'price', 'description',
];
/**
* The attributes excluded from the model's JSON form.
*
* #var array
*/
protected $hidden = [];
/**
* Set model validation rules.
*
* #return array
*/
public function validate()
{
return [
'name' => 'required',
'price' => 'required',
'description' => 'required',
];
}
}

Answer 1

As you mentioned and in accordance with the Lumen validation documentation (as of 5.8):
Form requests are not supported by Lumen. If you would like to use form requests, you should use the full Laravel framework.
Lumen doesn't have anything similar to the automatic validation provided by Form Requests in Laravel, therefore you will need to perform validation manually.
Product
class Product extends Model
{
/**
* Get model validation rules.
*
* #return array
*/
public static function getValidationRules()
{
return [
'name' => 'required',
'price' => 'required',
'description' => 'required',
];
}
}
The above defines your Product model validation rules as a static methods, the rules should be the same for all your Product objects. You may want to consider scenarios where a field should be unique in your database, providing an argument to the method would be an option.
ProductController
class ProductController extends Controller
{
public function create(Request $request)
{
// Perform your validation
$validatedData = $request->validate(Product::getValidationRules());
// The Product is valid
$product = Product::create($request->all());
return response()->json($product, 201);
}
public function update($id, Request $request)
{
$product = Product::findOrFail($id);
// Perform your validation
$validatedData = $request->validate(Product::getValidationRules());
// The Product is valid
$product->update($request->all());
return response()->json($product, 200);
}
}
Where your validation fails with the above, Lumen will automatically redirect the user back to the previous location and errors flashed to the session (as with Laravel). Obviously you can alter this workflow if you desire.

Answer 2

The same validate method should be available at the controller level as well. So if you want to reuse the rules you could do something like this:
private $product_rules = [
'name' => 'required',
];
public function create(Request $request)
{
$this->validate($request, $this->product_rules);
$product = Product::create($request->all());
return response()->json($product, 201);
}
public function update($id, Request $request)
{
$product = Product::findOrFail($id);
$this->validate($request, $this->product_rules);
$product->update($request->all());
return response()->json($product, 200);
}