validateInputs

validateInputs is a routine used in software systems to verify that incoming data conforms to expected criteria before it is consumed by downstream logic. It is commonly applied to user input, API payloads, form submissions, and data migrations to prevent runtime errors, security issues, and inconsistent state.

The primary purpose is to enforce data integrity and safety. Typical checks include type validation, presence of required fields, value ranges, formats (such as email or date), and cross-field constraints. Some implementations also sanitize or normalize data, such as trimming whitespace or converting string numbers to numeric types. Depending on the design, validateInputs may return a simple boolean, a detailed validation result, or throw an exception when validation fails.

Common approaches fall into a few patterns:

- Rule-based validators, where each field has explicit validation rules.

- Schema-based validators, which define the overall shape and constraints of the data.

- Custom validators for domain-specific logic.

Error reporting is often structured, with an errors object or map that associates field names with descriptive messages. This makes it easier for callers to present meaningful feedback to users or to handle failures programmatically.

Usage considerations include performing validation early in the data flow, balancing strictness with user experience, and ensuring security by avoiding leakage of internal details in error messages. Validation should be deterministic and testable, with clear handling for optional fields and default values.

Example scenarios involve validating a sign-up payload to ensure required fields are present, strings are within length limits, and formats match expectations.