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Madza
Madza Subscriber

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Input Validation: Client-side or Server-side?

There is a rule of thumb to never trust the user input. That is where the input validation does come in.

Where do you normally do this? On the client-side to get quicker feedback to the user, on the server-side to protect against the malicious users, or do you use combination of both?

Top comments (48)

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pedrogaspar profile image
Pedro Gaspar • Edited

From the server-side perspective, an extension to the "never trust the user input" rule of thumb is to never trust what the client-side sends you. With some knowledge of browser inspect tools (or tools like curl) people can easily tweak what the browser sends you, go around client-side validations and even add unexpected fields to the request.

So, security-wise server validations are very important. I would also add them on the client-side, but mostly to improve user experience - although they may also be useful if you have a lot of logic on the front-end and need to do things with the data the user gives you before sending it to the server 👍

TLDR: use both! ✌️

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leob profile image
leob • Edited

Absolutely, the challenge then becomes how to avoid coding (and maintaining) your validations twice, especially if you're not using the same programming language on the server as on the client. There are solutions for this, but TBH for this reason I often do server side validation only. Doing only client side validation isn't safe, obviously.

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patarapolw profile image
Pacharapol Withayasakpunt • Edited

Generating swagger or openapi file (*.json / *.yaml) and use it in the client seems to be the closest way I know.

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leob profile image
leob

Yeah true, Swagger would be helpful

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leeiaah_ profile image
이아 | Nessa Okeke

I like the idea of validating on both sides honestly.

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ben profile image
Ben Halpern

why not both

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hemant profile image
Hemant Joshi

I use both🙄,
Sigin Signup and Payment related stuff are with Server Side and
Comment/ contact with cleint side validation😁....

I feel more safe....

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joelbonetr profile image
JoelBonetR 🥇

This makes your comment/contact section easily hackable... You need server side validation always, client side is optional and for usability, performance and economic reasons

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hemant profile image
Hemant Joshi

Yeah..
Never built such large user apps. so I have less exp with these things for sure will get into Server-side rather than client

Thanks

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patarapolw profile image
Pacharapol Withayasakpunt • Edited

Server-side at two levels

Client side? Although I don't often allow text inputs, I actually apply validation as well as defensive programming quite often (I don't trust TypeScript). Also, if I allow user to input markdown, there will be DOMPurify.

And as Manolo said, text inputs need UI feedback, if it won't work anyway.

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nomade55 profile image
Lucas G. Terracino • Edited

I usually use both, front-end for feedback mostly, and to avoid unnecesary requests to the server.
And I go with the actual heavy validation on the server.

Give him feedback kindly 🎈, but validate its input harshly 🪓

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nialljoemaher profile image
Niall Maher

Clientside for helpful error messages for the user and then serverside to just check it is right or wrong. I tend to give pretty generically named/labelled errors back from the server in case somebody is trying to find a vulnerability. Yes, there is often duplication but a necessary evil to make sure your application is both secure and user friendly.❤️

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darkwiiplayer profile image
𒎏Wii 🏳️‍⚧️

just a reminder: curl is a thing

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adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett 🌀 • Edited

Because hackers use UIs 😉 (they do though)

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hemant profile image
Hemant Joshi • Edited

From My point of view...

I use Server Side Validation for Sensitive Forms like Sigin/Signup or Payment form

And Client side for
Comment's, leave a review or etc etc...

Why Server Side

Server side can't be broken easily, a experienced guy can deal with client side or broke Curl (Reminder)... whatever I am not much known of it...

I feel more safe using Server Side🎉🎉

Cheers to Server Side Validation 🎉

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joelbonetr profile image
JoelBonetR 🥇

then I can easily add malicious code into your comments section easily by disabling javascript or sending a request from a script to your non-securized server side comments handler :v

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nombrekeff profile image
Keff

Both, client-side for UX, so the user gets direct feedback. And server-side to really validate/verify the data and prevent errors.

At least the API should have validation or users will exploit it sooner or later.

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vtrpldn profile image
Vitor Paladini

Yes.

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vtrpldn profile image
Vitor Paladini

But really, ideally I'd do both always, but client-side validation and proper input escaping goes a long way IF the backend runs on a closed API.

I never skip client-side validation because I hate when I don't know what type of data the server expects, it is just bad UX.

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omaratta212 profile image
Omar Atta

Both

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