From 7c16e5d8cbb3b140dbd533769e3436b5841987b8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Julien Gautier <jgautier.webdev@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:07:55 +0200
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+# Use express-validator for input validation at the route level
+
+* Status: accepted
+* Date: 2026-04-26
+
+## Context and Problem Statement
+
+API endpoints accepted user input without validating format, length, or type. A `fieldValidation` helper existed in several controllers but only checked for empty values, was duplicated across three controllers (users, articles, products), and had a critical bug: it called `next(error)` without `return`, so execution continued even when a field was invalid.
+
+## Decision Drivers
+
+* Input validation must happen before business logic and must halt execution on failure.
+* Validation rules should be declared at the route level, not buried inside controller logic.
+* The solution must be consistent and reusable across the codebase without adding a framework wrapper.
+
+## Considered Options
+
+* Keep and fix the `fieldValidation` helper
+* Joi with a validation middleware wrapper
+* express-validator with route-level chains
+
+## Decision Outcome
+
+Chosen option: "express-validator", because it integrates natively as Express middleware, allows validation rules to be declared directly in route definitions, and requires no wrapper function. A shared `validate.js` middleware reads `validationResult` and returns HTTP 422 with a structured error body if any rule fails.
+
+Structure:
+- `src/middlewares/validate.js` — shared middleware that checks `validationResult` and short-circuits on errors
+- `src/middlewares/validators/users.validators.js` — rule sets for user endpoints
+- `src/middlewares/validators/articles.validators.js` — rule sets for article endpoints
+- Rules applied at route level: `router.post('/', rules, validate, controller)`
+
+Initial coverage: CMS user endpoints (register, login, update profile/email/username/role) and article endpoints (create, update). Products and tags endpoints retain the old `fieldValidation` pattern pending a separate ecommerce validation pass.
+
+### Positive Consequences
+
+* Validation always runs before the controller — no risk of continuing on invalid input.
+* Rules are co-located with routes, making the contract of each endpoint visible at a glance.
+* Reusable rule sets can be composed and shared across routes.
+* `fieldValidation` removed from users and articles controllers — no more duplicated logic.
+
+### Negative Consequences
+
+* Products and tags controllers still use the old `fieldValidation` pattern — inconsistency until the ecommerce pass is done.
+* Validation rules must be maintained in sync with model constraints (e.g. if a column length changes, the validator must be updated manually).
+
+## Pros and Cons of the Options
+
+### Keep and fix fieldValidation
+
+* Good, because no new dependency.
+* Bad, because it is duplicated in every controller that needs it.
+* Bad, because it belongs in controllers, not at the boundary where input arrives.
+
+### Joi
+
+* Good, because schema-based validation with rich type coercion.
+* Bad, because requires a wrapper middleware to integrate with Express — adds boilerplate not present in the existing codebase.
+
+### express-validator
+
+* Good, because native Express middleware — no wrapper needed.
+* Good, because rule sets are plain arrays, easy to compose and test independently.
+* Good, because actively maintained with wide adoption in Express projects.
+* Bad, because rules are imperative chains rather than declarative schemas, which can be verbose for complex objects.