ajv vs joi vs express-validator vs express-openapi-validator vs openapi-backend
Data Validation and OpenAPI Integration Comparison
1 Year
ajvjoiexpress-validatorexpress-openapi-validatoropenapi-backendSimilar Packages:
What's Data Validation and OpenAPI Integration?

Data validation and OpenAPI integration libraries in Node.js provide tools for ensuring that incoming data (such as request bodies, query parameters, and headers) conform to specified formats, types, and structures. These libraries help improve the reliability and security of applications by validating data before processing it, thus preventing errors and potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, some of these libraries integrate with OpenAPI specifications, allowing for automatic generation of API documentation and validation based on defined schemas. This integration enhances collaboration between developers and API consumers, ensuring a clear understanding of the expected data formats. Overall, these libraries are essential for building robust and well-documented APIs in Node.js applications.

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ajv126,761,73114,0781.03 MB2868 months agoMIT
joi11,049,91821,050531 kB1878 months agoBSD-3-Clause
express-validator701,6846,187145 kB692 months agoMIT
express-openapi-validator358,381943422 kB1823 days agoMIT
openapi-backend47,000635155 kB1004 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: ajv vs joi vs express-validator vs express-openapi-validator vs openapi-backend

Validation Methodology

  • ajv:

    ajv (Another JSON Schema Validator) is a JSON schema validator that focuses on performance and compliance with the JSON Schema specification. It validates data against schemas defined in JSON format, supporting all versions of JSON Schema. ajv is known for its speed and low memory usage, making it suitable for applications where performance is critical. It also supports asynchronous validation, custom keywords, and error formatting, allowing for flexible and efficient data validation.

  • joi:

    joi is a powerful schema description language and data validator for JavaScript. It allows developers to define complex validation rules for objects, arrays, strings, numbers, and more using a fluent and expressive API. joi is particularly useful for validating nested data structures and provides detailed error messages when validation fails. It supports asynchronous validation, custom validators, and integration with other libraries, making it a versatile choice for ensuring data integrity in applications. joi is often used in conjunction with frameworks like Express.js to validate incoming request data.

  • express-validator:

    express-validator is a set of middlewares for validating and sanitizing data in Express.js applications. It allows developers to define validation rules for incoming request data (such as query parameters, body, and headers) using a simple and expressive API. The validation logic is defined directly in the route handlers, making it easy to understand and maintain. express-validator supports asynchronous validation, custom validators, and error handling, providing a flexible and powerful solution for ensuring data integrity in web applications.

  • express-openapi-validator:

    express-openapi-validator is a middleware for Express.js that validates incoming requests and outgoing responses against an OpenAPI (formerly Swagger) specification. It ensures that the API implementation adheres to the defined OpenAPI schema, validating parameters, request bodies, and responses automatically. This package helps catch discrepancies between the API implementation and its documentation, improving consistency and reliability. It also provides detailed error messages for validation failures, making it easier to debug and fix issues.

  • openapi-backend:

    openapi-backend is a Node.js library that provides a framework for building APIs that adhere to OpenAPI specifications. It offers features like request validation, response validation, and automatic routing based on the OpenAPI definition. The library ensures that incoming requests conform to the defined schemas, helping to catch errors early and improve API reliability. It also supports middleware integration, making it easy to use with frameworks like Express.js. openapi-backend is designed to enhance API development by enforcing standards and providing tools for better documentation and validation.

OpenAPI Integration

  • ajv:

    ajv does not provide built-in OpenAPI integration, but it can be used alongside OpenAPI tools to validate JSON data against schemas defined in OpenAPI specifications. You would need to extract the relevant JSON Schema from the OpenAPI definition and use ajv to validate the data against it.

  • joi:

    joi can be integrated with OpenAPI by converting joi schemas into OpenAPI-compatible schemas. There are libraries available that facilitate this conversion, allowing you to use joi for validation while also generating OpenAPI documentation from the same schema definitions. However, this integration is not built-in and requires additional tooling.

  • express-validator:

    express-validator does not have native OpenAPI integration, but you can document your validation rules and integrate them with OpenAPI manually. There are third-party tools and libraries that can help generate OpenAPI documentation based on the validation rules defined using express-validator, but it requires additional setup.

  • express-openapi-validator:

    express-openapi-validator is specifically designed for OpenAPI integration. It validates requests and responses against the OpenAPI schema defined for your API, ensuring that the implementation complies with the documented specifications. This package automates the validation process based on the OpenAPI definition, making it easy to enforce standards and catch errors.

  • openapi-backend:

    openapi-backend provides comprehensive OpenAPI integration, including request validation, response validation, and automatic routing based on the OpenAPI specification. It is designed to work seamlessly with OpenAPI definitions, ensuring that your API implementation adheres to the specified standards.

Customization and Extensibility

  • ajv:

    ajv allows for customization and extensibility through the use of custom keywords, formats, and error messages. You can define your own validation logic and integrate it with ajv while still leveraging its core functionality. The library is designed to be lightweight and fast, making it easy to extend without significant overhead.

  • joi:

    joi is designed with customization and extensibility in mind. It allows developers to create custom validation rules, error messages, and even extend existing schemas. joi provides a rich set of APIs for defining complex validation logic, making it easy to adapt to various use cases while maintaining clarity and readability.

  • express-validator:

    express-validator is highly customizable and extensible. You can create your own validation middleware, define custom validators, and modify error handling behavior. The library is designed to be flexible, allowing developers to implement complex validation logic while keeping the code organized and maintainable.

  • express-openapi-validator:

    express-openapi-validator is customizable, allowing you to modify validation behavior, error handling, and middleware configuration. You can extend its functionality by adding custom validators or middleware as needed, but it is primarily focused on enforcing the OpenAPI specification as defined in your API documentation.

  • openapi-backend:

    openapi-backend allows for some customization, particularly in how requests and responses are validated. You can extend its functionality by adding custom validation logic, middleware, and error handling. However, its primary focus is on adhering to the OpenAPI specification, which may limit extensibility in certain areas.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

  • ajv:

    ajv is known for its simplicity and ease of use, especially for developers familiar with JSON Schema. Its API is straightforward, and it provides clear documentation. However, understanding JSON Schema concepts is essential for effectively using ajv for validation.

  • joi:

    joi offers an intuitive and expressive API for defining validation schemas, making it easy to use for both simple and complex validations. Its documentation is thorough, and the ability to chain validation methods enhances readability and usability.

  • express-validator:

    express-validator is easy to use, particularly for developers already working with Express.js. Its middleware approach integrates seamlessly with Express, and the ability to define validation rules inline makes it intuitive. The documentation is comprehensive, aiding quick implementation.

  • express-openapi-validator:

    express-openapi-validator is user-friendly for those familiar with OpenAPI specifications. It automates much of the validation process, reducing the need for manual coding. Clear documentation and examples make it easy to integrate into Express applications.

  • openapi-backend:

    openapi-backend provides a straightforward approach to building OpenAPI-compliant APIs. Its integration with OpenAPI specifications simplifies validation and routing. The documentation is clear, helping developers understand how to implement it effectively.

How to Choose: ajv vs joi vs express-validator vs express-openapi-validator vs openapi-backend
  • ajv:

    Choose ajv if you need a fast, lightweight JSON schema validator that supports the latest JSON Schema standards. It is ideal for projects where performance is critical and you need a simple, no-frills solution for validating JSON data against schemas.

  • joi:

    Opt for joi if you prefer a powerful and expressive schema-based validation library. It allows you to define complex validation rules using a fluent API, making it suitable for both simple and highly nested data structures. joi is great for projects that require detailed validation logic and error handling.

  • express-validator:

    Use express-validator if you need a flexible and customizable validation library for Express.js. It allows you to define validation rules directly in your route handlers, making it easy to validate and sanitize incoming data on a per-route basis.

  • express-openapi-validator:

    Select express-openapi-validator if you want to enforce OpenAPI specifications in your Express application. It automatically validates requests and responses based on your OpenAPI schema, ensuring compliance and generating detailed error messages for invalid data.

  • openapi-backend:

    Choose openapi-backend if you want a comprehensive solution for building OpenAPI-compliant backends. It provides request validation, response validation, and automatic routing based on your OpenAPI specification, making it a good choice for projects that prioritize adherence to OpenAPI standards.

README for ajv
Ajv logo

 

Ajv JSON schema validator

The fastest JSON validator for Node.js and browser.

Supports JSON Schema draft-04/06/07/2019-09/2020-12 (draft-04 support requires ajv-draft-04 package) and JSON Type Definition RFC8927.

build npm npm downloads Coverage Status SimpleX Gitter GitHub Sponsors

Ajv sponsors

Mozilla

Microsoft

RetoolTideliftSimpleX

Contributing

More than 100 people contributed to Ajv, and we would love to have you join the development. We welcome implementing new features that will benefit many users and ideas to improve our documentation.

Please review Contributing guidelines and Code components.

Documentation

All documentation is available on the Ajv website.

Some useful site links:

Please sponsor Ajv development

Since I asked to support Ajv development 40 people and 6 organizations contributed via GitHub and OpenCollective - this support helped receiving the MOSS grant!

Your continuing support is very important - the funds will be used to develop and maintain Ajv once the next major version is released.

Please sponsor Ajv via:

Thank you.

Open Collective sponsors

Performance

Ajv generates code to turn JSON Schemas into super-fast validation functions that are efficient for v8 optimization.

Currently Ajv is the fastest and the most standard compliant validator according to these benchmarks:

Performance of different validators by json-schema-benchmark:

performance

Features

Install

To install version 8:

npm install ajv

Getting started

Try it in the Node.js REPL: https://runkit.com/npm/ajv

In JavaScript:

// or ESM/TypeScript import
import Ajv from "ajv"
// Node.js require:
const Ajv = require("ajv")

const ajv = new Ajv() // options can be passed, e.g. {allErrors: true}

const schema = {
  type: "object",
  properties: {
    foo: {type: "integer"},
    bar: {type: "string"},
  },
  required: ["foo"],
  additionalProperties: false,
}

const data = {
  foo: 1,
  bar: "abc",
}

const validate = ajv.compile(schema)
const valid = validate(data)
if (!valid) console.log(validate.errors)

Learn how to use Ajv and see more examples in the Guide: getting started

Changes history

See https://github.com/ajv-validator/ajv/releases

Please note: Changes in version 8.0.0

Version 7.0.0

Version 6.0.0.

Code of conduct

Please review and follow the Code of conduct.

Please report any unacceptable behaviour to ajv.validator@gmail.com - it will be reviewed by the project team.

Security contact

To report a security vulnerability, please use the Tidelift security contact. Tidelift will coordinate the fix and disclosure. Please do NOT report security vulnerabilities via GitHub issues.

Open-source software support

Ajv is a part of Tidelift subscription - it provides a centralised support to open-source software users, in addition to the support provided by software maintainers.

License

MIT