> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dualship.run/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Request Node

> Validate incoming request data

The `request` node validates incoming request data against a schema. Use it at the start of flows to ensure data meets requirements before processing.

## Configuration

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_input",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.body",
    "schema": {
      "name": "required|string|min:2|max:100",
      "email": "required|email",
      "age": "integer|min:18"
    }
  }
}
```

## Config Fields

| Field      | Type   | Required | Description                                                                       |
| ---------- | ------ | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `source`   | string | Yes      | Context path to validate (e.g., `request.body`, `request.query`, `request.files`) |
| `schema`   | object | Yes      | Field-to-rules mapping                                                            |
| `on_error` | object | No       | Custom error handling                                                             |

## on\_error Config

| Field    | Type   | Default   | Description                |
| -------- | ------ | --------- | -------------------------- |
| `action` | string | `"abort"` | `"abort"` or `"continue"`  |
| `status` | number | `400`     | HTTP status code for abort |
| `body`   | object | -         | Custom error response body |

## Output

### On Success

```json theme={null}
{
  "valid": true,
  "data": {
    "name": "John Doe",
    "email": "john@example.com",
    "age": 25
  }
}
```

### On Failure

```json theme={null}
{
  "valid": false,
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "email",
      "rule": "email",
      "message": "The email field must be a valid email address"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Validation Rules

Rules are separated by `|` (pipe). Some rules accept parameters after `:` (colon).

### Presence Rules

| Rule        | Description                         |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------- |
| `required`  | Field must be present and not empty |
| `nullable`  | Field can be null                   |
| `present`   | Field must exist (can be empty)     |
| `sometimes` | Only validate if field exists       |

### Conditional Required

| Rule                                 | Description                                |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------ |
| `required_if:field,value`            | Required if another field equals value     |
| `required_unless:field,value`        | Required unless another field equals value |
| `required_with:field`                | Required if another field is present       |
| `required_without:field`             | Required if another field is absent        |
| `required_with_all:field1,field2`    | Required if all listed fields present      |
| `required_without_all:field1,field2` | Required if all listed fields absent       |

### Type Rules

| Rule      | Description           |
| --------- | --------------------- |
| `string`  | Must be a string      |
| `integer` | Must be an integer    |
| `numeric` | Must be a number      |
| `boolean` | Must be true or false |
| `array`   | Must be an array      |
| `object`  | Must be an object     |

### Size Rules

| Rule              | Description                      |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `min:n`           | Minimum value/length/count       |
| `max:n`           | Maximum value/length/count       |
| `size:n`          | Exact value/length/count         |
| `between:min,max` | Value/length/count between range |

### Format Rules

| Rule            | Description           |
| --------------- | --------------------- |
| `email`         | Valid email format    |
| `url`           | Valid URL format      |
| `uuid`          | Valid UUID format     |
| `ip`            | Valid IP address      |
| `ipv4`          | Valid IPv4 address    |
| `ipv6`          | Valid IPv6 address    |
| `json`          | Valid JSON string     |
| `regex:pattern` | Matches regex pattern |

### Date Rules

| Rule                   | Description                     |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| `date`                 | Valid date format               |
| `datetime`             | Valid datetime format           |
| `before:date`          | Must be before date             |
| `after:date`           | Must be after date              |
| `before_or_equal:date` | Must be before or equal to date |
| `after_or_equal:date`  | Must be after or equal to date  |

### File Rules

| Rule                     | Description                                  |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| `file`                   | Must be an uploaded file                     |
| `image`                  | Must be an image (jpeg, png, gif, bmp, webp) |
| `mimes:type1,type2`      | Must be one of the specified MIME types      |
| `extensions:ext1,ext2`   | Must have one of the specified extensions    |
| `dimensions:constraints` | Image dimension constraints                  |

**Dimension Constraints:** `min_width`, `max_width`, `min_height`, `max_height`, `width`, `height`, `ratio`

### Comparison Rules

| Rule              | Description                             |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| `same:field`      | Must match another field                |
| `different:field` | Must differ from another field          |
| `confirmed`       | Must have matching `field_confirmation` |
| `gt:field`        | Greater than another field              |
| `gte:field`       | Greater than or equal to another field  |
| `lt:field`        | Less than another field                 |
| `lte:field`       | Less than or equal to another field     |

### Inclusion Rules

| Rule                    | Description                      |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `in:val1,val2,val3`     | Must be one of listed values     |
| `not_in:val1,val2,val3` | Must not be one of listed values |

### Control Rules

| Rule   | Description                            |
| ------ | -------------------------------------- |
| `bail` | Stop validating field on first failure |

## Examples

### User Registration

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_registration",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.body",
    "schema": {
      "username": "required|string|min:3|max:20",
      "email": "required|email",
      "password": "required|string|min:8",
      "password_confirmation": "required|same:password",
      "age": "required|integer|min:13",
      "terms_accepted": "required|boolean"
    }
  }
}
```

### Product Creation

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_product",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.body",
    "schema": {
      "name": "required|string|max:200",
      "price": "required|numeric|min:0",
      "category": "required|in:electronics,clothing,food,other",
      "stock": "integer|min:0",
      "sku": "sometimes|string|regex:^[A-Z]{3}-[0-9]{4}$"
    }
  }
}
```

### Array Validation

Use `.*` wildcard to validate array items:

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_order",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.body",
    "schema": {
      "items": "required|array|min:1",
      "items.*.product_id": "required|string|uuid",
      "items.*.quantity": "required|integer|min:1|max:100"
    }
  }
}
```

### Optional Fields

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_profile_update",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.body",
    "schema": {
      "name": "sometimes|string|max:100",
      "bio": "nullable|string|max:500",
      "website": "sometimes|url"
    }
  }
}
```

### File Upload Validation

Validate uploaded files using `request.files` as the source:

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_avatar",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.files",
    "schema": {
      "avatar": "required|image|dimensions:min_width=200,min_height=200,ratio=1/1"
    }
  }
}
```

### Document Upload with Constraints

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_document",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.files",
    "schema": {
      "document": "required|file|extensions:pdf,doc,docx|mimes:application/pdf,application/msword",
      "thumbnail": "sometimes|image|dimensions:max_width=400,max_height=400"
    }
  }
}
```

### Combined Body and File Validation

Validate both form fields and files in separate nodes:

```json theme={null}
[
  {
    "id": "validate_body",
    "type": "request",
    "config": {
      "source": "request.body",
      "schema": {
        "title": "required|string|max:200",
        "description": "nullable|string|max:1000"
      }
    }
  },
  {
    "id": "validate_files",
    "type": "request",
    "config": {
      "source": "request.files",
      "schema": {
        "image": "required|image|dimensions:min_width=800"
      }
    }
  }
]
```

### Custom Error Response

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "validate_with_custom_error",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.body",
    "schema": {
      "email": "required|email"
    },
    "on_error": {
      "action": "abort",
      "status": 422,
      "body": {
        "success": false,
        "error": "validation_failed",
        "message": "{{first_error}}",
        "errors": "{{validation_errors}}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Continue on Error

Capture validation errors without aborting:

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "soft_validate",
  "type": "request",
  "config": {
    "source": "request.body",
    "schema": {
      "email": "required|email"
    },
    "on_error": {
      "action": "continue"
    }
  }
}
```

Then check validation result:

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "check_validation",
  "type": "condition",
  "config": {
    "conditions": [
      {
        "if": "{{soft_validate.output.valid}} == true",
        "then": ["process_data"]
      }
    ],
    "else": ["handle_invalid"]
  }
}
```

## Error Response Context

In custom error body templates, these variables are available:

| Variable                    | Description                         |
| --------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| `{{validation_errors}}`     | Array of all error objects          |
| `{{validation_errors_map}}` | Map of field to first error message |
| `{{first_error}}`           | First error message                 |
| `{{error_count}}`           | Total number of errors              |

## Default Error Response

Without custom `on_error.body`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "success": false,
  "message": "Validation failed",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "email",
      "rule": "email",
      "message": "The email field must be a valid email address"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Related

* [Validation Rules Reference](/reference/validation-rules) - Complete rules documentation
* [HTTP Trigger](/triggers/http) - File uploads via multipart/form-data
* [Transform Node](/nodes/transform) - Transform validated data
* [Condition Node](/nodes/condition) - Branch based on validation