Catch Bad Validation Tags at Compile Time with checkerlint
Struct tags are just strings — a typo'd checker name, a wrong-typed field, or a renamed cross-field target all compile fine and fail silently at runtime. checkerlint catches all three before you ship. Struct tags are string literals. The Go compiler checks that your struct compiles — it has no idea what checkers:"eq-field:Passwrd" means, so a typo in a field name, a checker applied to a field of…
Struct tags in Go are simply strings, which can lead to bugs if typos or misconfigurations occur. The checkerlint tool, a go/analysis-based static analyzer, reads these tags during build/lint time to catch issues like unknown checker names, type incompatibility, and cross-field target errors before shipping. Checkerlint checks for three main issues: unknown checker names, type compatibility, and cross-field targets.
It verifies that checker names are registered, that the field type matches the checker requirements, and that cross-field targets reference existing fields. This tool helps prevent silent runtime errors caused by invalid struct tags, catching them during the development process and ensuring a more stable and reliable application.
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