MaxCharactersIs

MaxCharactersIs is a design constraint value used in software development to specify the maximum number of characters allowed for a given input field, string property, or data storage unit. It is commonly implemented as an integer constant or configuration setting and appears in code, schema definitions, and UI guidelines.

In practice, the exact meaning of the limit depends on encoding and context. Some systems count code units (such as UTF-16 code units), while others count user-perceived characters (grapheme clusters). This distinction matters for languages with combining marks or emoji. Implementations should validate on both client and server sides and document the counting method used.

Common use cases include form inputs, usernames, messages, and database fields. Examples include a web form input with HTML attribute maxlength="100", a database column defined as VARCHAR(100), and an API schema specifying maxLength: 100 in JSON Schema or OpenAPI.

Best practice is to separate the constraint from presentation and ensure consistent enforcement across layers. When labeling, avoid misinterpretation; clarify whether the limit refers to characters, bytes, or grapheme clusters. The term MaxCharactersIs serves as a concise descriptor of the limit in design specifications and code comments.