CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phpvalidationzend-frameworkzend-form
DatsunBing
DatsunBing

Reputation: 9076

PHP: Validate in the domain layer or the mapper layer?

I am building a PHP application with a domain layer and a mapper layer and I need to decide where to validate user input. Most validation will be done against a Zend_Form instance. (Per tutorials from Matthew Wierer O'Phinney I am viewing the validation aspects of Zend_Form as belonging to the model).

It seems to me that the two options are:

  1. In the domain layer upon user input. For example, upon new user($_POST), the __construct() method would validate $_POST against the input form
  2. In the mapper layer upon persisting the data. For example, the $userMapper->insert($user) method would validate $user against the input form

My sense is that the validation should be handled in the domain layer, since validation rules are often driven by business rules. Having said that, I could be missing something, and since it's a major design decision, I am hoping for your input.

In addition to the model validation, I have database constraints at the back end and am planning JS validation to improve the user experience!

Thanks for your input!!!

Upvotes: 1

Views: 152

Answers (1)

RockyFord
RockyFord

Reputation: 8519

I don't see anything really wrong about doing some validation in the domain model, however you might be doing yourself a disservice.
If you start having to build a larger number of domain models you will likely find yourself rewriting the same validation code over and over again. It might to your benefit to have a service model provide the validation.
That way as you add domain models you just pass the data through the validation service and you can add and remove validators in one place for all of your models. You may also find that some of the validators the ZF already provides are enough.

just my opinion... Good Luck

Upvotes: 1

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