Spring boot rest api how to validate path variables

Published: 22 March 2025
on channel: CodeRide
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spring boot rest api: validating path variables - a comprehensive tutorial

this tutorial will guide you through the process of validating path variables in your spring boot rest apis. we'll cover various validation techniques, common validation annotations, and provide detailed code examples to illustrate the concepts.

*why validate path variables?*

path variables are values extracted from the url path and used as input to your api endpoint. without validation, you expose your api to potential issues:

*invalid data:* malicious users could provide unexpected values, leading to errors or incorrect behavior.
*security vulnerabilities:* injections and other attacks can occur if path variables are not properly sanitized and validated.
*business logic errors:* your application might depend on the path variable meeting certain constraints (e.g., an id being a positive integer). without validation, you risk logic failures.
*improved api experience:* providing clear validation errors helps clients understand how to use your api correctly.

*prerequisites:*

*java development kit (jdk):* version 8 or higher.
*maven or gradle:* for dependency management.
*integrated development environment (ide):* (e.g., intellij idea, eclipse, vs code).
*basic understanding of spring boot and rest apis.*

*step-by-step guide:*

*1. project setup:*

let's create a new spring boot project using spring initializr (start.spring.io). add the following dependencies:

*spring web:* for building rest apis.
*validation:* for jsr-303 bean validation.
*lombok (optional):* for reducing boilerplate code (getters, setters, etc.).

here's an example `pom.xml` (maven):



*2. create a controller:*

let's define a simple rest controller with endpoints that use path variables.



*explanation:*

*`@restcontroller`:* marks the class as a rest controller.
*`@requestmapping("/api")`:* sets the base path for all endpoints in this control ...

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validate path variables
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