Allow multiple fields to use the same ruleset in validation

[bluesheep100]

I have a system where several models have multiple fields that need the same basic validation, for example:

$request->validate([
    'foo' => 'required|integer|min:0',
    'bar' => 'required|integer|min:0',
    'baz' => 'required|integer|min:0',
    'buz' => 'required|integer|min:0',
]);

My suggestion is, essentially to instead allow the following as a shorthand:

$request->validate([
    'foo|bar|baz|buz' => 'required|integer|min:0',
]);

So these calls are identical, except the latter does not require you to repeat the rules for every field.
Of course, while cumbersome, you can already do this:

$request->validate(array_merge(
    [/* other rules */],
    Arr::mapWithKeys(['foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'buz'], fn ($k) => [$k => 'required|integer|min:0']),
]);

I also think that the shorthand should allow you to "elaborate" on any given field, for example:

$request->validate([
    'foo|bar|baz|buz' => 'required|integer|min:0',
    'buz' => 'max:12',
]);

Error messages should also be reported as normal, e.g. a failure on bar being missing still falls under ['errors' => ['bar' => 'The "bar" field is required.']].

There should also be no issue with backwards-compatibility to adding this, and it will allow for better reuse of rules, without creating wrappers around the validation system, on top of integrating well with the existing Request classes.

Would love to hear some feedback on this idea.

[shaedrich]

I doubt, there is interest to add this

Alternatively, you can do this:

class MyRequest extends FormRequest
{
    const BASE_RULES = 'required|integer|min:0';

    public function rules(): array
    {
        return [
            /* other rules */
            'foo' => self::BASE_RULES,
            'bar' => self::BASE_RULES,
            'baz' => self::BASE_RULES,
            'buz' => self::BASE_RULES,
        ];
    }
}

or

class MyRequest extends FormRequest
{
    const BASE_RULES = 'required|integer|min:0';

    public function rules(): array
    {
        return array_merge(
            [/* other rules */],
            array_fill_keys(['foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'buz'], self::BASE_RULES),
        );
    }
}

Self promo

There is a package, that allows the definition of compound rules in one go: laravel-working-group/laravel-form-request-improvements