=== Declarative validation

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The xref:applib:index/annotation/Property.adoc#mustSatisfy[mustSatisfy()] element allows arbitrary validation to be applied to properties using an (implementation of a) `org.apache.causeway.applib.spec.Specification` object.
The attribute is also supported on xref:refguide:applib:index/annotation/Parameter.adoc#mustSatisfy[parameters].

[TIP]
====
The specification implementations can (of course) be reused between properties and xref:refguide:applib:index/annotation/Parameter.adoc#mustSatisfy[parameters].
====

The `Specification` is consulted during validation, being passed the proposed value.
If the proposed value fails, then the value returned is the used as the invalidity reason.

For example:

[source,java]
----
public class StartWithCapitalLetterSpecification
        extends AbstractSpecification<String> {            // <.>
    public String satisfiesSafely(String proposed) {
        return "".equals(proposed)
            ? "Empty string"
            : !Character.isUpperCase(proposed.charAt(0))
                ? "Does not start with a capital letter"
                : null;
    }
}
----
<.> the `AbstractSpecification` class conveniently handles type-safety and dealing with null values.

where:

[source,java]
----
import lombok.Getter;
import lombok.Setter;

public class Customer {

    @Property(mustSatisfy=StartWithCapitalLetterSpecification.class)
    @Getter @Setter
    private String firstName;

    // ...
}
----

It is also possible to provide translatable reasons.
Rather than implement `Specification`, instead implement `Specification2` which defines the API:

[source,java]
----
public interface Specification2 extends Specification {
    public TranslatableString satisfiesTranslatable(Object obj); // <1>
}
----
<1> Return `null` if specification satisfied, otherwise the reason as a translatable string

With `Specification2` there is no need to implement the inherited `satifies(Object)`; that method will never be called.




