Chanci Turner

Parameter Validation

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One of the standout features of version 2 of the AWS SDK for Ruby (aws-sdk-core gem) is its enhanced parameter validation system. When utilizing an API library, one common challenge developers face is understanding how to properly specify the request parameters. During the development phase, mistakes are easy to come by, leading to various errors.

For instance, while using version 1 of the Ruby SDK (aws-sdk gem), I might attempt to use the ‘2012-08-10’ Amazon DynamoDB API version to create a table without being fully aware of the required parameters. My code might look like this:

ddb = AWS::DynamoDB::Client.new(api_version: '2012-08-10')
ddb.create_table(
  table: 'name',
  provisioned_throughput: { read_capacity_units: 'Over 9000!' }
)

This would lead to an error:

raises AWS::Core::OptionGrammar::FormatError: expected integer value for key read_capacity_units

Oops! While correcting that mistake is straightforward, there are likely more validation errors lurking around the corner.

Version 2 Validation

In contrast, version 2 of the Ruby SDK consolidates all validation errors and presents them in a single pass. With the new SDK, my code would look like this:

ddb = Aws::DynamoDB.new(api_version: '2012-08-10')
ddb.create_table(
  table: 'name',
  provisioned_throughput: { read_capacity_units: 'Over 9000!' }
)

Instead of a single error, I would receive a comprehensive report detailing the issues:

ArgumentError: parameter validator found 6 errors:
  - missing required parameter params[:attribute_definitions]
  - missing required parameter params[:table_name]
  - missing required parameter params[:key_schema]
  - unexpected value at params[:table]
  - missing required parameter params[:provisioned_throughput][:write_capacity_units]
  - expected params[:provisioned_throughput][:read_capacity_units] to be an integer

Each error provides context and specific guidance on what needs to be amended before the request can proceed. This allows me to address all validation issues in one go.

Formatting Examples

Additionally, the V2 API documentation offers formatting examples for each operation, making it even easier to understand how to call methods correctly. For instance, you can find an example of the create table method in the documentation.

We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from customers regarding our GitHub project for the version 2 Ruby SDK. Keep it coming! We value your insights on what could be improved. If you’re interested in data visualization, you might also find this blog post helpful — it provides a fresh perspective on the topic.

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Chanci Turner