BlackTDN :: JSON Schema Validation: A Comprehensive Guide

# JSON Schema Validation: A Comprehensive Guide

## Understanding JSONSchemaValidator

Ensuring the integrity and compliance of JSON data is crucial for modern applications. **JSONSchemaValidator** is a powerful class designed to validate JSON data against a specified JSON Schema. It provides robust methods to check types, patterns, numerical constraints, required properties, and both internal and external schema references.

This guide breaks down the key features and functionalities of JSONSchemaValidator, making it easier for developers to implement schema validation effectively.

🔗 **GitHub Repository:** [JSONSchemaValidator](https://github.com/naldodj/naldodj-hb-jsonschema-validator)

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## Key Features

✅ **Schema-Based Validation** – Ensures JSON data conforms to a predefined schema.
✅ **Error Handling & Logging** – Captures validation errors for debugging.
✅ **Fast Mode Support** – Stops validation upon detecting the first error.
✅ **Internal & External Reference Handling** – Resolves `$ref` references dynamically.
✅ **Type Checking & Enum Validation** – Verifies data types and allowed values.
✅ **Regular Expression & Format Validation** – Supports patterns, date-time, email, and other format rules.

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## How It Works

### 🔹 Setting Up the Validator

1️⃣ Instantiate the validator with a JSON Schema.
2️⃣ Configure settings like _fast mode_ for optimized performance.
3️⃣ Validate JSON data and retrieve error messages if any.

```harbour
// Create an instance with the JSON Schema
LOCAL oValidator := JSONSchemaValidator():New( cMyJSONSchema )

// Enable fast validation mode
oValidator:SetFastMode( .T. )

// Validate JSON data
IF oValidator:Validate( cMyJSONData )
   ? "✅ Validation successful!"
ELSE
   ? "❌ Errors found:"
   FOR EACH cError IN oValidator:GetErrors()
      ? cError
   NEXT
ENDIF
```

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## Why JSON Schema Validation Matters

🚀 **Data Integrity** – Ensures consistency and correctness of JSON data.
🔒 **Security** – Prevents malicious or unexpected data from causing issues.
🔄 **Interoperability** – Facilitates seamless data exchange across services.
📌 **Scalability** – Helps maintain data standards as applications grow.

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## Ready to Implement JSON Validation?

Integrating JSONSchemaValidator into your project enhances data validation and integrity. Whether you're working with APIs, data pipelines, or microservices, enforcing schema compliance is a best practice.

💡 **What are your thoughts on JSON validation? Have you faced any challenges in enforcing data schemas? Let’s discuss in the comments!** 👇

🔗 **GitHub Repository:** [JSONSchemaValidator](https://github.com/naldodj/naldodj-hb-jsonschema-validator)