Sentinel

Smart javascript form validator

Sentinel is a simple jQuery plugin which aims to simplify client side validations on any kind of form. Sentinel comes bundled with a couple of common validators and two callbacks (one for success and one for failure), but lets you add and use your own. Example

Let's say you have a simple form with 2 input fields in which your server side script expects to find an email and a confirmation of it. Sentinel would validate that form like this:

$('form').sentinel()
  .check('#email')
    .for('email')
      .error_message('Wrong email format')
    .for('presence')
      .error_message('Mandatory field')      
  .check('#email_confirmation')
    .for('confirmation')
      .error_message('Email confirmation should be equal to email')
  .start()

If you need custom validations or custom callbacks, you can easily extend Sentinel and add as many as you need (Of course this should be done before setting up Sentinel to work with your form).

Sentinel.prototype.validations.custom_validation = function(){
  // your fancy code goes here
}

Sentinel.prototype.callbacks.custom_callback = function(){
  // callback behaviour goes here
}

Custom validators work just as bundled ones, just call them via the check() method. For custom callbacks you need to specify for what validations they should be run. Something like this:

$('form').sentinel()
  .check('#email')
    .for('email')
    .error_message('Wrong email format')
    .success('custom_callback')

Or

$('form').sentinel()
  .check('#email')
    .for('email')
    .error_message('Wrong email format')
    .fail('custom_callback')

Feedback

I'm very interested in any kind of feedback and ideas: please, submit them to [email protected] or on my twitter. Thank you