Bean references

Bean references allow defining sets of validation groups that can be applied to detect a valid reference to an unique entity.

Usually a bean with a valid identity is a valid bean reference, in addition of any number of extra references.

To define a valid bean reference add the annotation BeanReference to the bean class with an array of validation groups to apply to the bean to validate the valid reference.

@BeanReference(RequireCode.class)
protected static class MyBean {
  // ...
  @NotNull(groups=RequireCode.class)
  @ValidCode(groups=Default.class,RequireCode.class)
  private String code;
  // Validation group
  public static interface RequireCode {}
}

Multiple BeanReference annotations are allowed to define multiple bean reference types:

@BeanReference(RequireCode.class)
@BeanReference({ RequireYear.class, RequireMonth.class })
protected static class MyBean {
  // ...
}

Bean references validation

For validating that a passed bean contains a valid reference annotation ValidBeanReference is provided. This annotation validates that a valid reference is provided. If the is an instance of IdentityBean and has a identity same limitations of identity validations apply.

void myMethod(
    @ValidBeanReference
    MyBean bean) {
  // ...
}

Utility class BeanValidationUtils provides method isValidBeanReference() to check programmatically if a bean has a valid reference.