INPUTINVALID

INPUTINVALID is a label used in software systems to denote that provided input fails to meet the required criteria. It is not a formal standard, but a pragmatic error indicator found in many codebases, validation libraries, and API responses. As a type of input validation failure, it typically signals that data is missing, of the wrong type, out of range, or does not match an expected pattern.

In practice, INPUTINVALID functions as a status or error code that applications return or raise when user-supplied data cannot be processed without modification. It is often implemented as a constant or enumerated value and may appear in logs, exceptions, or API error bodies. Because naming conventions vary, it can appear as INPUTINVALID, INPUT_INVALID, InvalidInput, or similar variants within different projects or languages.

Common usage patterns include validation of form fields, API payloads, and command-line arguments. For example, an API might return an HTTP 400 or 422 status with a body indicating INPUTINVALID along with a human-readable message such as "Age must be a positive integer." The term is typically accompanied by a descriptive message to help users and developers locate the source of the issue.

Best practices encourage providing specific feedback rather than relying solely on the generic label. While INPUTINVALID communicates that input failed validation, applications should aim to specify which field is invalid and why, enabling quicker correction and better user experience.

See also: input validation, INVALID_INPUT, HTTP 400 and 422 status codes, validation error handling.